Be Dazzled

(Paperback)

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Description

From bestselling author Ryan La Sala, there's nothing like a little dazzling competition to heal a broken heart. When I see him, I see us. How we came together, what we created, what we ruined. The only way to understand how we fell apart is to understand what we were made of in the first place. Raffy can make anything. He can bedazzle, sew, stitch, drape, and turn the most ordinary objects into fabulous costumes. This year he is determined to win the biggest cosplay competition in Boston. There's only one small problem... Raffy's ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition. Last year Luca and Raffy made the perfect team after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store-or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca's fear of coming out to his family and Raffy's insistence on perfection when it came to their art, caused their relationship to crash and burn. And Raffy has finally picked up the pieces and is determine to have the major comeback he knows he deserves. But when Raffy ends up partnering with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he'll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart and his own self-doubt as he works to get everything he's ever wanted...and maybe the boy too. Praise for Be Dazzled- "A sequin-filled romance that's also a love letter to the craft and creativity of cosplay."-Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW) "A charming, geeky love story filled with all the con drama readers could wish for."-Kirkus Reviews "A crafty queer romance about self-acceptance, and a delightful addition to YA collections."-School Library Journal "Heartfelt and hilarious, Be Dazzled is an artfully crafted ode to teen ambition and first love. From the book's charming cast to Raffy's quick-witted voice, La Sala's contemporary debut simply dazzles."-Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us

Author Bio

Ryan La Sala grew up in Connecticut, but only physically. Mentally, he spent most of his childhood in the worlds of Sailor Moon and Xena- Warrior Princess, which perhaps explains all the twirling. He studied Anthropology and Neuroscience at Northeastern University before becoming a project manager specialized in digital tools. He technically lives in New York City, but has actually transcended material reality and only takes up a human shell for special occasions, like brunch, and to watch anime (which is banned on the astral plane). He is the author of Reverie and Be Dazzled. You can visit him at ryanlasala.com.