About the Boy

A charming romance about an autistic teenager who feels misunderstood in her small Southern town until a golden boy finds his way into her orbit. With forced proximity, Black spirituality, and a slow burn romance—this YA debut is perfect for fans of Elise Bryant, Nicola Yoon, and Talia Hibbert.

Sixteen-year-old Naima Jones can't do anything right. She fidgets in class, misinterprets social cues, and cries frequently. On top of that, her mom expects Naima to "control herself" and not get in trouble during her junior year. An impossible ask! Naima tries to honor her mom's rule to avoid her disappointment but fails miserably thanks to Kamron Barksdale, the new kid and golden boy who upstages her in AP Biology.

After a heated classroom debate, Naima yells at Kamron and lands herself in the principal's office. As fate would have it—or rather her AP Bio teacher—Naima is forced to be Kamron's lab partner. Her future as an honor student rides on her getting along with him long enough to get an A.

The two are off to a rough start when Kamron accidentally triggers Naima's sensory issues. As their after-school lab sessions turn into late-night confessions, Naima thinks they can be friends, possibly more, or maybe she's misinterpreting that as well.