YA Debut authors

The new edition of my book What's New in Young Adult Novels? and Ideas for Classroom Use is now available on Lulu.com.  In looking back at 2019, I found three romances by debut authors that I haven't covered in this blog that might be just the thing to kick off 2020. Frankly in Love, by David Yoon (yes, Nicola's husband), is a William C Morris Debut nominee for 2020.  This romance focuses on a group of Korean-American teens, who call themselves "the Limbos," who are trying to bridge the gap between parental expectations and fitting in at school.  Heartstrings and Other Breakable Things by Jacqueline Firkins is a reimagining of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park that takes place in present day Massachusetts.  When The Stars Lead to You by Ronni Davis introduces an aspiring astrophysicist, whose summer romance leads to heartbreak as the young couple battle prejudice and ultimately a mental breakdown. 

In Frankly in Love, Frank Li is a second generation Korean American whose family socializes once a month with other Korean families.  The kids call themselves the "Limbos" because they are caught between two worlds.  After his sister is disowned for dating a black man, Frank enters a fake relationship with Joy, another Limbo, so that he can date his white girlfriend Brit and she can date her non-Korean boyfriend.  It seems like the perfect plan until they actually fall for each other.  Then Frank's dad falls ill, the group dynamics change and complications ensue. This complex exploration of family, identity and first love is a delightful debut that will appeal to a wide audience.

Heartstrings and Other Breakable Things, a reimagining of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park, introduces Edie Price, who after three years in foster care is taken in by her wealthy aunt in Mansfield, Massachusetts.  Her two cousins Maria and Julia decide to embrace her as a makeover project. Meanwhile literary Edie is trying to secure a scholarship to college and nurse a crush on boy-next-door Sebastian Summers.When a notorious wealthy bad boy takes an interest in her, Edie finds she must put first impressions aside and get to know more about Mansfield high society and her adoptive family. She is determined to follow her late mother's advice, "If you let your heart drive, don't forget to bring your brain." Although seemingly a lightweight romance, this novel is filled with witty dialogue and includes a subtle examination of societal expectations and prejudice.  

When the Stars Lead to You follows bi-racial Devon Kearney who has been an aspiring astrophysicist since watching the stars in Yellowstone as a kid.  She prioritizes school above all else, until the summer she is 16 and she falls in love with Ashton, a wealthy boy she meets at a party at her cousin's beach resort. They spend an idyllic summer together, but on their final day together, he is a no-show.  A year passes with no word and then he appears at her school the first day of senior year.  As they reconnect, she finds that his parents disapproved of her and he caved to the pressure. Complicating matters, he has mental health issues, which threaten their future together. Devon struggles to decide whether to focus on school or her boyfriend's issues.  Astronomy facts are laced throughout the story, keeping the reader aware of all she would be giving up if she continues to let Ashton's problems dominate her energies.  The open ending is very satisfying, showing there are no easy answers when dealing with mental health issues.