Dahlia Adler
Author/Editor/Blogger
Cool for the Summer
(Wednesday Books/macmillan audio)
Available in paperback, ebook, and audio
hardcover available upon request
Lara's had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He's tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he's talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe...flirting, even? No, wait, he's definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara's wanted out of life.
Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers.
Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?
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Bookshop | Amazon | B&N | Books of Wonder | Kobo | Apple | Indigo | Blackwell's
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Audio (narrated by Natalie Naudus): Libro.fm | Audible | Google | Chirp
Cover art: Claire Allison
Cover design: Kerri Resnick
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Originally published May 11, 2021
A Kids' Indie Next List Pick
Alma's Best Jewish YA of 5781
2022 ALA Rainbow List
2021 Booklist Editors' Choice
An Amazon Editors' Pick for Best Young Adult
2022 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers
A Libro.fm Bookseller Pick
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"A delightful, lighthearted romantic comedy." ―The Seattle Times
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"[S]trung through with humor, warmth, and sensuality, this romance will speak to any reader who has ever struggled to know their own heart." - Booklist (starred review)
"The thoughtful representation of a questioning teen's struggle to understand herself...is sorely needed. A welcome addition to the small but growing canon of questioning queer fiction." - Kirkus Reviews
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"Readers who enjoy romance will be delightfully surprised with this book that will take them a bit deeper on the road of self-discovery through high school crushes." - School Library Journal
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"...echoes of Demi Lovato's 2015 bop resound throughout these sweet and sultry pages, but Adler's novel offers a wonderfully queer spin on another August-becomes-September anthem: Grease's 'Summer Nights.'" - OprahMag.com, "32 LGBTQ Books That Will Change the Literary Landscape in 2021"
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"There are so many more reasons to pick up this YA romance... Cool for the Summer is the perfect addition to your LGBTQ+ YA reading list." ―Shondaland
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"With its summery vibes and rollercoaster of queer confusion, Cool for the Summer is the sexy, sweet and steamy beach read of the year!" —The Nerd Daily
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"Adler's heartfelt contemporary romance is as bright and sweet as its cover and poignantly explores queer identity and self-discovery." - Buzzfeed, "30 New YA Books You'll Want To Read This Spring"
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"This book is a gamechanger for queer Jewish teens." ―Alma.
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“This release hits all the right beats, making it a perfect addition to any day spent lounging in the sun.” ―Culturess
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"It’s fun, sexy, sweet, and the perfect spring read." - Alma., "The Best New Jewish (And Other!) Books to Read in Spring 2021" and "8 Jewish Books We Can't Wait to Read This May"
"Un-bi-lievably good." - Buzzfeed, "40 YA Contemporary Books We're Highly Anticipating In 2021"
"Dahlia Adler’s latest has me longing for the summer. This story of a bi girl discovering who she is and who holds her heart sounds like the perfect summer 2021 read." - Bookish, "10 LGBTQ+ Young Adult Books for Your 2020 and 2021 TBRs"
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"If you’re looking for a light summer read that also manages some heavy emotions in a Grease vibe, look no further!"―The Southern Bookseller Review
"Written in a clear, accessible style, this book tells the compelling and sweet story of one girl’s journey of self-discovery."―Jewish Book Council
Cosmopolitan, "The 125 Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless of Their Age" and "30 New LGBTQ+ Books to Add to Your Reading List in 2021"
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E! News, "All the Pride-Related Books You Should Be Reading"
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Parade, "Best Young Adult Books of 2021"
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Popsugar, "The 13 Best YA Books of May"
Culturess, "13 New YA Releases That Belong on Your May Reading List"
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Goodreads, "30 New Contemporary YA Romances for Sweet Summer Lovin'"
Book Riot, "4 Upcoming LGBTQ YA Romance Books You Must Pick Up" and "10 May YA Releases to TBR"
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SheReads, "The 10 Most Anticipated YA Books of Summer 2021"
The Nerd Daily, "Anticipated Queer Book Releases You Can’t Miss In 2021"
Goodreads, "56 of the Most Anticipated Young Adult Books of 2021"
Cosmo.com, "There Are Legit So Many Good YA Books to Look Forward to in 2021"
Lambda Literary, "Read These! Fourteen Queer Young Adult Books Coming This Spring"
United By Pop, "270+ Must Read 2021 YA Book Releases"
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Bookstr, "5 Queer Novels Coming in 2021 That We Can’t Wait For"
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School Library Journal, "Four YA Romances for Teens Watching The Summer I Turned Pretty"
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"Witty, wise, and disarmingly tender. I am hopelessly devoted to this summer dream of a book." – Becky Albertalli, New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
“Adler captures the radiance and joy of summer love and perfectly mixes it with all of the longing and wonder that comes after. Filled with nuance and charm, and queer girls you can’t help but root for, Cool for the Summer will leave readers grinning long after they finish.” – Jennifer Dugan, author of Hot Dog Girl and Verona Comics
"A little bit sexy and a little bit sweet – Dahlia Adler has written the perfect summer romance, filled with humor, joy, and self-discovery. Cool for the Summer is a delight and an anthem to self-love all at once.” – Aminah Mae Safi, author of Tell Me How You Really Feel
"Filled with summer vibes and swoon-worthy moments, Cool for the Summer is a book I wish I’d had as a teen. I related to Lara’s story so much, from dealing with divorced parents and the struggle of finding your own voice, to the rollercoaster ride of figuring out your sexuality. Dahlia perfectly captures what it’s like to feel torn between what we think we should want and what our hearts actually desire." – Jen Wilde, author of Going Off Script
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"Cool for the Summer is a gorgeous contemporary self-discovery story about what happens when your romantic dreams come true after a new dream has wormed its way into your heart. Adler's newest is like the most delicious ice cream cone--sweet, classic, and definitely something you'll want to devour in one sitting." - Rachel Strolle, Teen Services Coordinator, Glenside Public Library District
Cover art: Petra Braun
Cover design: Kerri Resnick
