First published 2025
Pacy Mercado locks eyes with Cecil Holloway during their first week of high school. The moment should be magical, but clumsiness and an unfortunate bout of IBS turn their meet-cute into a disaster. Still, seven seconds of eye contact sparks days of longing and anxiety. Both teens fumble through terrible advice from friends, family, and random internet strangers as they try to figure out how to approach each other. Fate intervenes when they both join WADS, Wakeville's Awesome Décor Society, to plan the freshman dance. Working together on decorations gives them actual time to talk and discover who they really are beneath their awkward exteriors. As mishaps pile up and mistakes multiply, Pacy and Cecil must learn to embrace their imperfect selves. Their bumbling attempts at romance create a story filled with genuine moments that prove love doesn't need to be smooth to be real.
Genres: romance, coming-of-age, contemporary, contemporary-romance
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Wakeville
Period: high-school
272 pages · Hardcover · Harry N. Abrams
Content warnings: anxiety