Spoiler Alert

This clever, creative love story from Dade (Teach Me) explodes preconceptions about what a modern romance heroine should look like. Plus-size geologist April Whittier spends her spare time cosplaying and writing fan fiction for her favorite book series turned TV show, Gods of the Gates. When a photo of one of April’s cosplays goes viral, Marcus Caster-Rupp, the star of the show, asks her out on Twitter to save her from a slew of fat-shaming comments. But readers shouldn’t let this dashing meet-cute fool them: April has a spine of steel and hardly needs saving, and Marcus may look like an alpha, but he has a sweet and vulnerable core. The fanfic that both characters write and the interactions they share online play integral roles in their courtship, and Dade handles both the fun and toxic dynamics of fandom and social media with insight and compassion. Given equal weight are Marcus and April’s difficult family histories, as both work through the damage inflicted by parents who judged them to be “flawed.” The result is nuanced, unflinching, and deeply romantic. Dade’s fans and new readers alike will fall in love. Agent: Sarah Younger, Nancy Yost Literary. (Oct.)