Friday I'm in Love
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
It's too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if Mahalia had a coming-out party? A love letter to romantic comedies, sweet sixteen blowouts, Black joy, and queer pride.
“A perfect ode to romantic comedies, wrapped in a dazzling rainbow dress.” —Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart and She Gets the Girl
Mahalia Harris wants.
She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend, Naomi.
She wants the super-cute new girl Siobhan to like her back.
She wants a break from worrying—about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it.
Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a coming-out party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms.
The idea lights a fire beneath her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the coming out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?
A novel about finding yourself, falling in love, and celebrating what makes you you.
“Mahalia’s story lives, breathes and glows. I’m in love with it every day of the week!” —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A queer Black 16-year-old plans an extravagant coming-out bash in this potent, character-driven drama by Garrett (Off the Record). Music enthusiast Mahalia Harris's mother couldn't afford the sweet 16 party she promised to throw her, but Mahalia is determined to make up for it by secretly saving up for an epic coming-out extravaganza. Despite Mahalia's drive, however, her plan falters under the weight of interpersonal challenges. Her single mother needs to have a hysterectomy to remove a fibroid; Mahalia struggles to relate to her Black best friend Naomi, whose well-off parents threw her an unforgettable sweet 16; and her crush, Black Irish Siobhan, who is new to San Diego, is dating a racist white boy, resulting in tension between her and Siobhan. As Mahalia prioritizes getting to know Siobhan, her grades, job, and relationship with Naomi begin to fray, and it starts to seem unlikely she'll get the coming-out she desires. Mahalia's determination to give herself a happy ending and overcome her internal turmoil, compounded by class struggles and experiences of homophobia and racism, propels this fresh and wise narrative. Both piercingly observant and joyful, this uplifting read stands out. Ages 12–up.
