The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles)

by Amy Spalding

Overview

Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other people's lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abby's been happy to focus on her plus-size style blog and her dreams of taking the fashion industry by storm. When she lands a great internship at her favorite boutique, she's thrilled to take the first step toward her dream career. Then she falls for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Hard. And now she's competing against the girl she's kissing to win the coveted paid job at the end of the internship.

But really, nothing this summer is going as planned. She's also unwittingly become friends with Jax, a lacrosse-playing bro-type who wants her help finding the best burger in LA; she's struggling to prove to her mother—the city's celebrity health nut—that she's perfectly content with who she is; and she's desperately trying to remain behind the scenes and off-camera where she feels she belongs, when she hangs out with Jordi, who documents her entire life in photographs.

Though crazy, summer's been fun, and just as Abby starts to feel like she's no longer the sidekick in her own life anymore, Jordi's photography surprisingly puts her in the spotlight for the first time, and it feels more like a betrayal rather than a starring role. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image that other people have of her?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510727663
Publisher:	Sky Pony Press
Publication date:	04/03/2018
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Amy Spalding has a B.A. in advertising and marketing communications from Webster University, and an M.A. in media studies from the New School. Amy studied longform improv at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. By day, she manages the digital media team for an indie film advertising agency. By later day and night, Amy writes, performs, and pets as many cats as she can. She grew up in St. Louis, but now lives in the better weather of Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

"The Summer of Jordi Perez is a confectionary delight. From lovely romantic date nights to secret makeout sessions to utterly relatable friend drama, this is the happy queer-girl romance I've been longing for since I knew enough to long for happy queer-girl romance." —Robin Talley, New York Times bestselling author of Lies We Tell Ourselves

"This book is the queer, fat girl rom-com of my dreams! Plus-size fashion, a fat girl falling in love, nuanced friendships, and cheeseburgers! Did I mention cheeseburgers?" —Julie Murphy, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin'

"You'll want to go shopping with Abby. You'll obsessively need to sample every cheeseburger in town. You might even plan a foodie-fashion-fun times vacation in L.A. But most importantly, you'll fall in love with The Summer of Jordi Perez. Just like I did." —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten and I'm Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl

"Amy Spalding is the funniest YA contemporary writer out there." —Hey YA Book Riot Podcast

"This is easily one of the funniest YA novels you'll read all year - maybe ever."—Paste on The New Guy

"Spalding excels at creating flawed characters whose own issues and mistakes propel the plot forward...this book will appeal to those who want a gentle high school drama with a touch of romance."—School Library Journal on The New Guy

"Amy Spalding has a knack for capturing the messiness of family in a way that feels as familiar and comforting as a pair of perfectly worn jeans or favorite pair of flip flops."—Trish Doller, author of Where the Stars Still Shine on Ink is Thicker Than Water.

"Spalding excels at creating flawed characters whose own issues and mistakes propel the plot forward...this book will appeal to those who want a gentle high school drama with a touch of romance."—School Library Journal on The New Guy

"Amy Spalding has a knack for capturing the messiness of family in a way that feels as familiar and comforting as a pair of perfectly worn jeans or favorite pair of flip flops."—Trish Doller, author of Where the Stars Still Shine on Ink is Thicker Than Water.

From the Publisher