about the book
Eva Roth’s mother would have chosen nearly any other form of rebellion than the one sixteen-year-old Eva chose. She could have gotten weird piercings, had her whole body tattooed, or even started a habit of shoplifting. Any of that would be better than Eva’s obsession: romance novels. Eva’s mother is a feminist and a women’s studies professor. She doesn’t understand that the novels don’t mean Eva isn’t a feminist—Eva has even organized her own feminist protests at schools.
Eva’s mother tries to tell her that romance novels aren’t realistic—real relationships are more complex and messy than the books. Even so, Eva loves romance novels and love poetry. She even wrote poetry with her father when he was alive; when he died two years ago, she started finding comfort in romance novels. What’s so wrong with that?
When Eva meets Will, her romantic fantasies aren’t just fantasies any more, and she falls head over heels. Will understands her grief, and, for the first time since her father passed, Eva’s not so sad anymore.
It all seems to go downhill when Will suddenly moves to California with no prior warning. Eva can’t stand to lose what could be her only chance at true love, so with her best friend, Annie, by her side, she plans a road trip across America to reunite with her boyfriend.
But Eva may soon be forced to confront the complicated truth about love.
about the author
Perhaps her lucky writing pants contribute to Margo Rabb’s success as a writer of novels, essays, journalism, book reviews, and short stories. Her pieces have been published in The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, The Atlantic, Slate, Salon, Marie Claire, The Rumpus, Zoetrope: All-Story, Seventeen, Best New American Voices, New Stories from the South, and One Story. She’s also had pieces played on NPR and received prizes for fiction and short story contests.
At home, currently in the Philadelphia area with her husband and children, Margo doesn’t usually bother getting too well-groomed to write. She wears think glasses, a cat-fur-covered fleece, slippers, and—of course—her lucky writing pants. Additionally, Margo’s writing process involves a lot of chocolate getting eaten.
Originally from Queens, New York, Margo has lived in Texas, Arizona, and the Midwest. Some of her novel—Kissing in America—reflects Margo’s own experiences. When her parents died, she took road trips to help heal, and she wanted to write a book with a similar theme. Her favorite part to write about was the part that takes place in Texas because she always loved living and then visiting there. And, of course, like Eva, Margo loves romance novels—as both a reader and a writer.
Source:
Author website
Author interview: Texas Teen Book Festival
Author interview: Flying Through Fiction
Also by Margo Rabb:
Cures for Heartbreak. Delacorte. 2007.
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