
Reach for this book when your teenager is expressing frustration with unfair power dynamics at school or needs a boost in seeing how their unique voice can effect change. This witty romantic comedy follows two opposites: Harriet, a high-achieving perfectionist, and Will, a rebellious artist: who team up to create a fictional student named Amelia Westlake. Through a series of clever pranks and public stunts, they expose their elite school's systemic failures, specifically regarding sexual harassment and privilege. It is an empowering choice for 14-to-18-year-olds that balances serious themes of social justice and LGBTQ+ identity with a lighthearted, fast-paced narrative. Parents will appreciate how it models the importance of allyship and finding constructive, creative ways to stand up against injustice.
Sweet, queer romance including kissing and emotional intimacy.
Themes of sexual harassment and institutional cover-ups.
Sexual harassment (verbal and non-physical boundary-crossing by an adult coach), depiction of institutional gaslighting.
A 15-year-old girl who feels stifled by the pressure to be 'perfect' and is beginning to notice the double standards and unfair power dynamics in her own school or community.
This book can be read cold. Parents may want to discuss the legal and academic risks associated with the girls' pranks to help the reader distinguish between the fictional 'vigilante justice' and real-world avenues for reporting misconduct. A parent hears their child say, 'There is no point in reporting it, the school will just take the teacher's side anyway.'
Readers on the younger end of the spectrum (13 to 14) will likely focus on the 'enemies to lovers' romance and the thrill of the pranks. Older teens (16 to 18) will better grasp the nuances of class privilege and the systemic nature of institutional protectionism.
Unlike many activism-focused YA novels that feel heavy or didactic, this book maintains a sharp, comedic tone and uses the 'hoax' trope to make social critique feel engaging and subversive rather than purely tragic.
Harriet Price is a high-achieving student council member at an elite private school who teams up with Will Everhart, a cynical cartoonist and scholarship student, after their swim coach makes inappropriate comments to a student. When the school administration ignores the issue, the girls create 'Amelia Westlake,' a fictional student who takes credit for a series of activist pranks aimed at exposing systemic sexism, classism, and harassment. As they navigate their burgeoning romantic feelings for each other, they must decide how much they are willing to risk to dismantle the status quo.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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