Verona Comics by Jennifer Dugan
Published by GP Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers on April 21, 2020
Pages: 352
Goodreads

From the author of Hot Dog Girl comes a fresh and funny queer YA contemporary novel about two teens who fall in love in an indie comic book shop.

Jubilee has it all together. She’s an elite cellist, and when she’s not working in her stepmom’s indie comic shop, she’s prepping for the biggest audition of her life.

Ridley is barely holding it together. His parents own the biggest comic-store chain in the country, and Ridley can’t stop disappointing them—that is, when they’re even paying attention.

They meet one fateful night at a comic convention prom, and the two can’t help falling for each other. Too bad their parents are at each other’s throats every chance they get, making a relationship between them nearly impossible…unless they manage to keep it a secret.

Then again, the feud between their families may be the least of their problems. As Ridley’s anxiety spirals, Jubilee tries to help but finds her focus torn between her fast-approaching audition and their intensifying relationship. What if love can’t conquer all? What if each of them needs more than the other can give?

Oh, man. This book. I don’t even know where to start. It was just.. SO good. Both Jubilee and Ridley were incredibly relatable characters for different reasons. I adored them both as individual characters and as a couple. Their banter was great and truly entertaining to read. I loved the brief two person love triangle trope – something I’ve only recently discovered and that has very quickly become one of my favorite tropes.

I knew this book was going to be a bit heavier than most rom-coms when I went into it, but the angsty parts definitely hurt. I loved the way Jennifer Dugan handled the mental health aspects of the story. And though I was a bit disappointed in the ending, it was also realistic and very fitting for the story, and I don’t think it could have ended any other way.

I also really loved the nerdy comic-con and fandom elements of the story. So fun!

Overall, I loved this book and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to read a book that has romance, a discussion on mental health, and nerdy/fandom elements.