by Lois Lowry
First published 1994
Thirteen-year-old Anastasia is bored and yearning for romance. She places a personal ad, exaggerating her age and experience. When a man responds, Anastasia gets in over her head as he shows up at her friend's wedding, determined to meet her. Anastasia must navigate the increasingly perilous situation, torn between her eagerness for adventure and her growing fear. In the end, she learns a hard lesson about the dangers of deception, even when motivated by innocent dreams of love.
Genres: coming-of-age, contemporary, adolescence, contemporary-romance
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
160 pages · Paperback · Clarion Books