Editorial Reviews
Review
An ALA Rainbow Book List Pick

"Youve Got Mail gets a queer YA twist." --Teen Vogue

"A deep dive into first love while learning to manage significant mental health challenges . . . Dugans strength is in creating a diverse cast of characters. Ridley is bisexual, Jubilee struggles with how to identify and label her sexuality, and most of the supporting characters are queer-identified." --School Library Journal

"Dugan takes her cues from Romeo and Juliet, empathetically exploring mental illness, suicide ideation, and the stigmas of each . . . A smart, compassionate love story to and for teens." --Booklist

"Dugan infuses her characters with a warm sense of depth and compassion, particularly the socially self-conscious Ridley, a boy plagued with immense anxiety and frequent suicidal thoughts . . . This ones a winning choice. Breathlessly sweet." --Kirkus Reviews

"Part fresh romance, part honest exploration of the impact of depression and suicidal ideation on individuals and relationships, Dugans story--told in alternating first-person narratives--encapsulates an inspiring level of compassion from its flawed, endearing protagonists and an inclusive secondary cast." --Publishers Weekly

"This heartfelt story of young love turned codependency offers an honest, sympathetic portrait of depression and anxiety . . . Give this to fans of Green’s Turtles All the Way Down and readers who want their adorable-couple stories with a healthy dose of introspection and emotional heft." --BCCB

"Rom-com lovers will readily embrace [Verona Comics] . . . However, not all of the story is light; the plot also centers on Ridley’s anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts . . . Sexuality is another topic that is discussed frankly throughout the book, depicting several queer characters of various sexualities, including the main characters themselves. All of these issues are presented realistically." --School Library Connection
About the Author
Jennifer Dugan is a writer, a geek, and a romantic who writes the kinds of stories she wishes she had growing up. Her debut young adult novel Hot Dog Girl was called "a great fizzy rom-com" by Entertainment Weekly and "one of the best reads of the year, hands down" by Paste Magazine. She is also the writer/creator of two indie comics. She lives in upstate New York with her family, her dogs, and an evil cat that is no doubt planning to take over the world.