10 Things I Hate About Prom (Joy Revolution) by Elle Gonzalez Rose Published by Joy Revolution on May 14, 2024
ISBN: 0593705173
Pages: 292
Genres: Humor, Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
Ivelisse Santos, theater nerd, and her neighbor Joaquin Romero, school baseball star, have been best friends forever. They’ve gone to every single school dance together, and Ive expects prom to be no different. Until Quin develops a crush on Tessa, head cheerleader and Ive’s archnemesis since 10th grade. Worse still, Tessa famously doesn’t date. So Quin wants to plan the most elaborate and irresistible promposal yet – and to do it well, he’ll need Ivelisse.
Ivelisse agrees to help – she just can’t say no to Quin – but suddenly her own increasingly complicated feelings are getting in the way. Despite agreeing to be his wingman, and genuinely wanting to see him happy, something goes catastrophically wrong with every promposal she helps with.
Overall, a sweet teen romance as the two main characters, already good friends and with an established, very supportive and positive relationship, navigate shifting emotions from platonic to romantic. Both Ivelisse and Joaquin’s families are Puerto Rican, and that culture and connection is very present. Diversity among students in their NJ city school is present without feeling tokenized. Less LGBTQ+ representation, though the one couple of note does have a solid supporting role to the storyline.
– Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta