Her Good Side
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3.9 • 9 Ratings
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
**A New York Times Best Romance Book of the Year**
A swoony, heart-melting YA romance from beloved author Rebekah Weatherspoon about two awkward teens who decide to practice dating in order to be good at the real thing. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han.
Sixteen-year-old Bethany Greene, though confident and self-assured, is what they call a late-bloomer. She’s never had a boyfriend, date, or first kiss. She’s determined to change that but after her crush turns her down cold for Homecoming—declaring her too inexperienced—and all her back-up ideas fall through, she cautiously agrees to go with her best friend’s boyfriend Jacob. A platonic date is better than no date, right? Until her friend breaks up with said boyfriend.
Dumped twice in just two months, Jacob Yeun wonders if he’s the problem. After years hiding behind his camera and a shocking summer glow up, he wasn’t quite ready for all the attention or to be someone’s boyfriend. There are no guides for his particular circumstances, or for taking your ex’s best friend to the dance.
Why not make the best of an awkward situation? Bethany and Jacob decide to fake date for practice, building their confidence in matters of the heart.
And it works—guys are finally noticing Bethany. But things get complicated as their kissing sessions—for research of course!—start to feel real. This arrangement was supposed to help them in dating other people, but what if their perfect match is right in front of them?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Two Los Angeles teenagers agree to date each other as practice for the real deal in this endearing rom-com by Weatherspoon (the Cowboys of California series, for adults). Bethany Greene, who is Black, has just been turned down by her crush, and she's confident that it's because of her reputation as a crybaby with no dating experience. Meanwhile, Korean American Jacob Yeun's girlfriend recently broke up with him because she "could never tell if he actually liked me or if he was just being polite." While easing their hurts surrounding their mutual dating troubles, Jacob suggests that he and Bethany secretly date each other until they each grow more comfortable in their own skin ("Fake it 'til you make it, right?" Jacob says). The plan is to go out until they can find real partners for the upcoming dance, but as the two grow closer, separating pretend from reality becomes harder to do. Misunderstandings introduced via text conversations add drama to Jacob and Bethany's vibrant, rapidly paced alternating narrations, while sincerely rendered character dynamics provide a well-rounded vehicle through which to explore themes surrounding stigma, sexual identity, and healthy relationships. Ages 14–up.
