Adler knocks it out of the park with this sweet, spicy YA romance. Lara has had a crush on teen dream Chase for her entire high school career, to no avail. After a summer spent on her own in the Outer Banks of NC, she returns to school even more beautiful and full of confidence after a romance with a girl named Jasmine. Chase takes notice of Lara for the first time, and she’s about to jump in with both feet when none other than Jasmine shows up at her school. The girls haven’t spoken since they parted for the fall. Lara is torn between the guy she’s always wanted and the girl she never knew she needed. This hits a previously neglected spot in LGBTQ fiction and romance, and I love the way it explores identity and how teens may not understand who they are and how they feel yet.
Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler, (List Price: $12, Wednesday Books, 9781250888471, June 2023)
Reviewed by Andrea Richardson, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia