Booksmart meets Never Have I Ever in this Latinx road trip adventure—a big-hearted, voice-driven YA about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, but become begrudging partners on their school’s cross-country college trip—from debut author Angela Velez. Perfect for fans of Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Han, and Sandhya Menon.
Overachiever Luz “Lulu” Zavala has straight As, perfect attendance, and a solid ten-year plan. First up: nail her interview for a dream internship at Stanford, the last stop on her school’s cross-country college road trip. The only flaw in her plan is Clara, her oldest sister, who went off to college and sparked a massive fight with their overprotective Peruvian mom, who is now convinced that out-of-state-college will destroy their family. If Lulu can’t fix whatever went wrong between them, the whole trip—and her future—will be a waste.
Middle sister Milagro wants nothing to do with college or a nerdy class field trip. Then a spot opens up on the trip just as her own spring break plans (Operation Don’t Die a Virgin) are thwarted, and she hops on the bus with her glittery lipsticks, more concerned about getting back at her ex than she is about schools or any family drama. But the trip opens her eyes about possibilities she’d never imagined for herself. Maybe she is more than the boy-crazy girl everyone seems to think she is.
On a journey from Baltimore all the way to San Francisco, Lulu and Milagro will become begrudging partners as they unpack weighty family expectations, uncover Clara’s secrets, and maybe even discover the true meaning of sisterhood.
One cross-country bus trip. Two sisters with opposite goals. A family secret that could derail everything.
- Opposites Attract: Overachiever Lulu has a ten-year plan that starts with Stanford. Milagro has a spring break plan that starts with losing her virginity. They couldn’t be more different.
- Forced Proximity: Stuck together on a school bus from Baltimore to San Francisco, these two have to become partners—or risk sabotaging both their futures.
- Alternating Perspectives: Jump between Lulu’s anxious planning and Milagro’s boy-crazy scheming in this hilarious, voice-driven story told from both points of view.
- Peruvian-American Family: Unpack weighty family expectations and cultural identity with the Zavala sisters as they navigate their overprotective (and hilarious) Peruvian mom.
