by Nic Stone
First published 2025
Jared Peter Christensen sits at his dorm room desk, confident about his campaign for junior class president. His platform promoting equity and inclusion on campus has him leading in early polls against a conservative business major. Then Dylan transfers in from an HBCU. She's stunning, and she immediately challenges Jared's approach to antiracism, calling out what she sees as his "Woke White Boy mentality." As Dylan launches her own presidential campaign, Jared finds himself torn between his political ambitions and his growing attraction to his opponent. He begins writing letters to Manny, his deceased best friend, trying to sort through his confusion about privilege, politics, and love. The campaign forces Jared to confront uncomfortable truths about himself and his motivations. This final installment in Nic Stone's series moves the characters from high school to college, where the stakes feel higher and the questions more complex.
Genres: american-fiction, political-science, contemporary, activism, college, academic
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: HBCU
Period: college
224 pages · Library Binding · Crown Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: racism, sexism