by Julie Murphy
First published 2018
Millie Michalchuk breaks tradition. For years, her summers meant fat camp. This year, she stays in Clover City with secret plans and a crush to kiss. Callie Reyes seems to have everything mapped out. She's beautiful, dating the right guy, and positioned to lead the dance team. But her relationships with other girls stay shallow and competitive. The months after Willowdean's pageant shake-up bring unexpected changes. Circumstances push Millie and Callie into each other's orbits during the school semester. Neither girl expects what happens next. Their surface differences start to crack, revealing surprising connections underneath. Both discover that the other isn't who they assumed. Millie finds courage she didn't know she possessed. Callie learns what real friendship looks like. Their growing bond challenges everything they thought they knew about themselves and each other. This companion to Dumplin' explores what happens when two girls stop performing the roles everyone expects and start figuring out who they really want to be.
Genres: family-life, friendship, contemporary, young-adult, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Clover City
428 pages · Hardcover · Storytide