Exes & Foes

In this sharply rendered rom-com by Woody (They Hate Each Other), queer high school seniors and former childhood friends vie for the same person’s affection. Impulsive Emma is at risk of expulsion due to her penchant for using physical violence to solve problems. She and her mother also haven’t been getting along ever since Emma’s father left. Meanwhile, mild-mannered Caleb endures taunting related to his bartender mother’s employment at a strip club. When cute, empathetic Juliet transfers to their school, Emma and Caleb are forced to reconnect upon discovering that they each have feelings for Juliet. They strike a bet: “Whoever Juliet kisses first, on the lips, can ask her out. And she has to initiate it.” Chapters alternating between Emma and Caleb’s POVs provide insight into their fraught past and present-day, which overflows with amusing teenage antics and awkwardness as they sort out issues of friendship, love, and identity. While the plot trajectory feels predictable, the complexity and subtextual layers with which Woody imbues Emma and Caleb’s relationship keeps a steady and engaging pace throughout. The cover depicts Juliet as Black and Emma and Caleb as white. Ages 14–up. (July)