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

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"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'

Seventeen, fashion-obsessed, and gay, Abby Ives has always been content playing the sidekick in other peoples lives. While her friends and sister have plunged headfirst into the world of dating and romances, Abbys 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, shes thrilled to take the first step toward her dream career. Then she falls for her fellow intern, Jordi Perez. Hard. And now shes competing against the girl shes kissing to win the coveted paid job at the end of the internship.

But really, nothing this summer is going as planned. She also unwittingly becomes friends with Jax, a lacrosse playing bro-type who wants her help finding the best burger in Los Angeles, and shes struggling to prove to her motherthe citys celebrity health nutthat shes perfectly content with who she is.

Just as Abby starts to feel like shes no longer the sidekick in her own life, Jordis photography surprisingly puts her in the spotlight. Instead of feeling like shes landed a starring role, Abby feels betrayed. Can Abby find a way to reconcile her positive yet private sense of self with the image others have of her

Reviews

NPR Best Book of 2018
Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of 2018
Boston Globe Best Childrens Book of 2018
Pop Sugar Best Books of 2018
Cosmopolitan Best YA Books of 2018
Autostraddle Best LGBTQ Books of 2018
Buzzfeed Best Queer YA Books of 2018
Paste Magazine Best YA Books of 2018
TAYSHAS Reading List
ALA Rainbow List
YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, Nominee
The Amelia Bloomer List, Nominee
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers, Nomination


"Yes, this book is as fantastic as it sounds." PopSugar

"The summer's hottest queer teen romance." Entertainment Weekly

"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'
"This book is funny, empowering, and romantic, without downplaying the role of platonic friendships. And to the fat girls who are sidelined in almost every romantic comedy Its a love letter." Becky Albertalli, author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"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

"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

[*] Funny, full of heart, and refreshingly free of a weight-loss arc. Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Abbys journey is a vehicle for highlighting the dangers of negative self-perception in any relationship or endeavor. . . Finally able to appreciate her talents, she discovers support and care rather than criticism. Shopping, humor, and summer romance add to the appeal of the story. VOYA

Sweet and delightful. School Library Journal

"A deceptively fun and breezy novel that gracefully delineates the difference between dreaming about a relationship and actually having one. . . . The story moves along effortlessly. This is a book you dont want to miss a word of. . . . A treat with a heroine whos not easily forgotten." Foreword Reviews

"Its about the painful fizzy joy of a new crush, about the solidity and support we get from platonic friendships, about feeling lost when family dynamics change." Leila Roy, feature for Kirkus Reviews

"Abby will connect with readers who appreciate the realistic and natural love story between the two girls, and with anyone whos ever struggled to feel comfortable in his or her own skin." Booklist

"Full of fast-paced writing and just the right amount of romance, this is a happy read that will have you rooting for Abby as she comes to terms with what she wants and how best to get it. Plus, the wonderful queer fat girl rep will leave you with a big smile on your face and an urge to read more just like it." The Mary Sue

"The plot is as sweet as bubblegum, and probably the lightest, most enjoyable read youll have all summer. Dont let the bright colors and stellar shopping fool you, this book carries themes like body positivity, following your dreams, and maintaining friendships too." After Ellen.com

"Abbys rambling voice is honest, charming, and absorbing. In a story about staying true to ones passions, Spalding (The New Guy (and Other Senior Year Distractions)) presents an interesting look at first love, social media, and private and public personas." Publisher's Weekly

"Amy Spaldings The Summer of Jordi Perez bursts with love: for clothes, for burgers (Abby goes on a 'best burger' hunt with a new jock friend) and for Abbys female colleague, Jordi. Abby loves her body too and is comfortable describing herself as fat, with the essential qualification, 'Being fat isnt bad. Acting like fats an insult is, though.'" Globe and Mail

Author Bio

Amy Spalding has a BAin advertising and marketing communications from Webster University, and an MAin 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.