Will be your next favorite contemporary? It might be. This debut from Julian Winters—with a cover designed by C.B. Messer—is sure to be a fun read for those who love contemporary romances. And guess what? We have the cover!
Bloomington High School Lions’ star goalie, Sebastian Hughes, should be excited about his senior year: His teammates are amazing and he’s got a coach who doesn’t ask anyone to hide their sexuality. But when his estranged childhood best friend Emir Shah shows up to summer training camp, Sebastian realizes the team’s success may end up in the hands of the one guy who hates him. Determined to reconnect with Emir for the sake of the Lions, he sets out to regain Emir’s trust. But to Sebastian’s surprise, sweaty days on the pitch, wandering the town’s streets, and bonding on the weekends sparks more than just friendship between them.
“Growing up, I loved books about friendships—how they helped us navigate through life’s challenges—but there were never many with diverse characters,” said Winters. “Sebastian’s story—and his friendships—is filled with teens from different backgrounds. That’s what I love most about this cover: the representation and uniqueness of each character is brought to life in this wonderfully vivid, colorful, comic book-style. The artist, C.B. Messer, envisioned the team huddled around Sebastian, which fits the story perfectly. They see Sebastian as their leader, but he genuinely believes each of his teammates is a hero.”
releases on June 7 from Duet Books. the YA imprint of Interlude Press.
