Julia’s life changes overnight when her family inherits a fortune from a beloved elderly neighbor. Suddenly, she leaves her small Nebraska town behind for a historic brownstone in New York City and an elite private school filled with wealthy students who seem to know rules Julia never learned. Meanwhile, Damion is grieving, too. His late great-uncle was the one person who encouraged him to follow his own path rather than the future his wealthy parents have planned for him, and he can’t understand why the man he loved would leave everything to strangers. Both teens balk when Damion is assigned to be Julia’s math tutor, but Julia desperately needs help, and Damion sees an opportunity to prove his assumption that Julia’s family are grifters. Determined to resist their mutual attraction, the two teens weaponize sarcasm and mock flirting to hide their true feelings. But the more time they spend together, the harder they fall. Alongside romance, Painter explores trust, identity, and fitting in. The glitzy backdrop of New York’s wealthy social scene adds plenty of theater. While there is abundant innuendo, on-page romance is limited to (very steamy) kissing. When combined with strong language and teenage drinking, this makes for a story best suited to high schoolers. Main characters are cued white. VERDICT Painter’s many devoted readers will be eagerly awaiting this newest novel, but it is perfect for any fans of enemies-to-lovers romances. Highly recommended for all teen collections