by Gilly Segal
First published 2022
Eleanor and Chanel enter senior year as best friends, but their bond faces its biggest test yet. When the cheerleading squad decides to kneel during the national anthem at the opening football game, the gesture sparks immediate backlash. School administrators target Chanel, the only Black member of the protest, suspending her while the other participants face no punishment. Eleanor escapes consequences but finds herself torn between loyalty to her friend and her growing attraction to Three, the star quarterback whose support proves unreliable. As student activism divides the school, Eleanor must decide whether to stand up for what's right or protect her own interests. The friends' relationship strains under the weight of institutional racism and personal choices that reveal uncomfortable truths about privilege and courage.
Genres: fiction, african-american, contemporary, activism
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: School
Period: Senior Year
320 pages · Paperback · Sourcebooks Fire
Content warnings: racism, sexism