Book picks similar to
Tomboy’s Don’t Wear Pink by Christina Benjamin
romance
ya
young-adult
dnf
Riptide
Lindsey Scheibe - 2013
Everything else disappears. She can forget that her best friend, Ford Watson, has a crush on her that she can’t reciprocate. She can forget how badly she wants to get a surf scholarship to UC San Diego. She can forget the pressure of her parents’ impossibly high expectations.When Ford enters Grace into a surf competition—the only way she can impress the UCSD surfing scouts—she has one summer to train and prepare. Will she gain everything she’s ever wanted or lose the only things that ever mattered?
Not with the Band
Kelli Warner - 2017
Jerks. Another new school. Those are three things Kassidy Perry vows to avoid her senior year of high school. Unfortunately, it looks like the Universe didn't get the memo. When her mom marries the football coach from a rival high school, Kassidy's forced to move (again), enroll in a new school (again) and adapt to life with three stepbrothers, including the school's star quarterback who's barely said two words to her. And what's up with her incredibly hot-yet-cocky neighbor who's developed a weird habit of climbing the trellis to her bedroom's balcony? Nothing about her senior year is turning out the way Kassidy planned-and that's before a revealed family secret drops the biggest bombshell yet. Jordan Lawson could care less about football, even though he's starting his senior year on the radar of college recruiters. He just wants to play music with his band, win a national contest with a record label and pursue his dream of being a musician. When those plans are threatened, his saving grace lies in the hands of his new stepsister. But how can he ask Kassidy for a monumental favor, when he's partly to blame for derailing her life? And what if getting what he wants puts her dreams in jeopardy? In her debut YA novel, Kelli Warner weaves a humorous and relatable story about finding your way in a world you can't control-and what happens when the people you least expect turn out to be the ones you need the most.
Breaking Rules
S.B. Alexander - 2017
She’s a talented artist.
He’s sworn off girls. She’s fighting to protect her honor.
Brooding, high school quarterback, Train Everly, was on the fast track to play football at the University of South Carolina until one misstep at a party put his chances in jeopardy. Now in his senior year, he’s sworn off dates, no steady relationships and definitely no sex. The last girl he’d fallen for tore out his heart and stomped on it with stiletto heels. But a new school year brings new students and one girl in particular, Montana Smith. He can’t seem to shake the blonde, curvy, and feisty girl who blows into computer class like a category five hurricane, causing his pulse to race for the end zone. Still, beauty, boobs, and curves are a recipe for disaster. He can’t afford to hook up with her. Not if he wants to protect his heart, and his spot on the USC football team.Graffiti artist and rebellious eighteen-year-old, Montana Smith has been expelled from high school more times her mother cares to count. So when Montana gets expelled for defacing school property, Montana’s mom decides it’s time to get out of the big city and find a southern sleepy town where Montana surely can’t get into too much trouble. But the small town is ripe with temptation more than Montana or her mom even realize, especially when Montana meets the star quarterback, Train Everly. She’s drawn to his sea-green eyes, and his quiet personality. What she isn’t ready for is his moodiness that seeps under her skin so much so that she decides to make a fool of herself. But she’ll take the stares and whispers over her pathetic performance rather than tango with Train’s ex-girlfriend who will do anything to get Montana out of the picture. As a relationship between Train and Montana ebbs and flows, both will be tempted to do things that could lead to trouble and broken hearts.Intended for audiences 18+ Strong language and sexual content.
The Accidental Bad Girl
Maxine Kaplan - 2018
She plans to keep her head down until she graduates. But after discovering her online identity has been hacked and she’s being framed for stealing from a dealer, Kendall is drawn into a tenuous partnership with the mastermind of a drug ring lurking in the shadows of her Brooklyn private school. If she wants to repair her tattered reputation and save her neck, she’ll have to decide who she really is—and own it. The longer she plays the role of “bad girl,” the more she becomes her new reputation. Friends and enemies, detectives and drug dealers—no one is who they appear to be. Least of all Kendall.
Like It Never Happened
Emily Adrian - 2015
She casts off her old reputation, grows close with her four rowdy cast-mates, and kisses the extremely handsome Charlie Lamb onstage. Even Mr. McFadden, the play’s critical director, can find no fault with Rebecca. Though “The Essential Five” vow never to date each other, Rebecca can’t help her feelings for Charlie, leaving her both conflicted and lovestruck. But the on and off-stage drama of the cast is eclipsed by a life-altering accusation that threatens to destroy everything…even if some of it is just make believe.
Dumplin'
Julie Murphy - 2015
Her thoughts on having the ultimate bikini body? Put a bikini on your body. With her all-American beauty best friend, Ellen, by her side, things have always worked…until Will takes a job at Harpy’s, the local fast-food joint. There she meets Private School Bo, a hot former jock. Will isn’t surprised to find herself attracted to Bo. But she is surprised when he seems to like her back.Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her relationship with Bo, Will starts to doubt herself. So she sets out to take back her confidence by doing the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Clover City beauty pageant—along with several other unlikely candidates—to show the world that she deserves to be up there as much as any twiggy girl does. Along the way, she’ll shock the hell out of Clover City—and maybe herself most of all.With starry Texas nights, red candy suckers, Dolly Parton songs, and a wildly unforgettable heroine—Dumplin’ is guaranteed to steal your heart.
Rules of a Rebel and a Shy Girl
Jessica Sorensen - 2016
The middle is a bit more complicated.The list of rules is supposed to protect mine and Beck’s friendship and stop us from accidentally kissing again. But most of all, it’s supposed to protect my heart from getting crushed and keep me from ending up broken like my mom.I’ve always been great at following rules. But the more time I spend with Beck, the more I can’t stop thinking about that kiss and how amazing his lips felt against mine. For the first time in my life, I wish I was a rule breaker. But I can never cross that line. Not with Beck. Not with anyone.Besides, if Beck knew the truth about my life, then the list wouldn’t have to exist because he wouldn't have kissed me to begin with.BeckIt started with the most amazing kiss ever and led to Willow handing me a list.That stupid list. When she gave it to me, I wanted to shred it to pieces, pull her against me, and kiss her until she realized a piece of paper wasn’t going to stop me. Willow’s been my best friend since forever and she should know by now that I’m not a follow-the-rules kind of guy.She may think that kiss was a mistake, but she’s wrong. Kisses like that can’t be a mistake. Willow and I belong together, have since the day I promised to always protect her from the bad stuff in her life. And somehow I’m going to prove it to her. Just like I’ll always protect her no matter what.A standalone contemporary romance.Suggested reading age 18+
Anything but Minor
Kate Stewart - 2016
She also has no filter.”“He’s no southern gentlemen.”“I had one last season to prove my worth.”“I’d never seen a game.”“He told me he was a player.”“She told me she was a lesbian.”“But you fell in love with me anyway.”“Yeah, baby, I totally did.”
Unmaking Hunter Kennedy
Anne Eliot - 2012
He’s supposed to rest, heal his scars and attend high school in disguise until the press dies down. But he only wants to get back to work.Worse, the girl who’s been assigned to make him over into a geek is a major geek herself. Vere Roth is a chattering pixie, a blushing tornado and a complete social disaster. He’s never met a girl who’s never-been-kissed, believes in romance and thinks Hunter’s a 'nice' guy.Funny thing is...Hunter is nice around Vere because she’s his first real friend. He also can’t seem to stop sharing his secrets or keep her out of his heart. Knowing he’d never deserve a girl as sweet as Vere, he resigns himself to the friend zone, and helps his new bestie with her own makeover. She tortures him daily for ridiculous guy advice on how to snag her life-long crush. A guy Hunter thinks is totally wrong for Vere, and sadly, one who has taken note of Vere’s transformation.When Vere asks her best friend for some kissing advice, Hunter can’t resist...And that’s when things get out of control... High School Romance, first love, sweet romance
Fake It 'Til You Break It
Meagan Brandy - 2020
He didn’t have to break me to win. But he did it anyway.
Love Notes
Heather Gunter - 2013
And when you are left to face your demons alone, will you learn that only you have the power to overcome them?Charlie has never had it easy. Between the constant moving and the incessant fat comments and jokes from her father, her self-worth is nonexistent. Her reflection in the mirror shows her nothing but a plain Jane. Music is the only thing that keeps her sanity in check.Charlie catches the eye of the town star quarterback, Maverick. With her curves, her brunette hair, and the voice of an angel, Maverick has never met anyone like her. Everything that is different about Charlie just makes Maverick like her more. Unfortunately, Charlie doesn’t see it herself.Proving it to her may deem harder than he thinks, especially when tragedy strikes and tears them apart.Now standing on her own two feet she may finally learn exactly who she is, what’s she’s capable of and how very un plain Jane she really is.
Play With Me
Piper Shelly - 2012
And tonight she’s going to be there.Lisa Matthews anticipates the return of her best friend and only love since kindergarten from soccer camp. But when Tony finally shows up, his mind is more focused on another girl. And worse, she’s a soccer player. Fighting for the attention Lisa craves, she’s just a hairbreadth away from making a very stupid decision. But when extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures, she’s prepared to play ball to get her man.The tryouts are hell, the first match ends bloody, and the morning after the selection party she wakes up in the worst place possible—in the arms of the captain of the soccer team. The hottest guy in school… Ryan Hunter.
Paper or Plastic
Vivi Barnes - 2015
Alexis Dubois just got caught shoplifting a cheap tube of lipstick at the local SmartMart. She doesn't know what's worse—disappointing her overbearing beauty-pageant-obsessed mother for the zillionth time…or her punishment. Because Lex is forced to spend her summer working at the store, where the only things stranger than the staff are the customers.Now Lex is stuck in the bizarro world of big-box retail. Coupon cutters, jerk customers, and learning exactly what a "Code B" really is (ew). And for added awkwardness, her new supervisor is the totally cute—and adorably geeky—Noah Grayson. Trying to balance her out-of-control mother, her pitching position on the softball team, and her secret crush on the school geek makes for one crazy summer. But ultimately, could the worst job in the world be the best thing that ever happened to her?
Right Gift Wrong Day
Natalie Decker - 2017
But what do you get a girl after dating for only two weeks? Should he listen to his friends and just give her a card, or should he ask for a second opinion?Layla can't believe she agreed to have dinner with Tyler and his family. What if they don't like her? To make matter's worse, they agreed to exchange Christmas gifts. The boy already has everything. And what if she gets him something that's nicer than what he gets her? That would be really awkward. Asking him what he would like is completely out of the question. Maybe she should ask his friends for help.After a rocky start, Tyler and Layla's relationship is everybody's relationship goals. But can Tyler and Layla survive the holidays without losing their cool? RIGHT GIFT WRONG DAY is a hilarious companion novella to RIGHT TEXT WRONG NUMBER from Natalie Decker.