Review by Booklist Review
The last thing teen actress Marisol Polly-Rodriguez expected on date night was for her boyfriend (and previous costar) Miles Zhao to very publicly break up with her. Nor did she anticipate he would imply she wasn't a "serious enough" actor to be part of his future. On a quest to prove her acting chops, Marisol snags a role on the prestigious show Miles himself is on, taking on a cross-country move from L.A. to New York. On set, Marisol meets Jamila El-Amrani, a gorgeous costar who captivates her. Rose paints a vibrant picture of New York City, offers an incisive look at the film and TV industry, and spins a delightful tale of sapphic romance in her latest YA rom-com. Marisol is a refreshing protagonist: a teenage girl who loves shopping, wearing pink clothes, and romance and has a satisfying character arc to boot. This is a book where the villains get their just deserts and the heroines end up together, and it's a breath of fresh air.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Eighteen-year-old actor Marisol is known for her effervescent persona and similarly bubbly roles, a fact that her costar boyfriend, Miles, cites as a reason for their breakup. Determined to prove him (and the many tabloids covering her heartbreak) wrong, Marisol auditions for--and is cast in--The Limit, a teen TV drama in which Miles is the star. She moves to New York City to stay with her estranged father during filming; there, she learns more about her Puerto Rican heritage through her abuela and connects with her cousin, Kevin, who dreams of becoming a drag performer. On set, Marisol navigates more challenges than she anticipated, including a director who doesn't like her and an unexpected crush on Miles's on-screen love interest, Jamila. All the while, Marisol contends with a complicated home life, ponders her sexual identity, and dodges the paparazzi. The upbeat and flirty push-and-pull of Marisol and Jamila's developing romance drives the bulk of the narrative, throughout which Rose (The Girl You Know) alternates moments from Marisol's IRL experiences with acting sequences from The Limit in an art-imitates-life approach that sheds light on the dark side of Hollywood glitz and glamour. Ages 12--up. Agent: Uwe Stender, Triada US. (Aug.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
An 18-year-old actor is determined to prove her worth. Marisol Polly-Rodriguez, who's bisexual and Puerto Rican, became famous starring alongside her real-life boyfriend, Miles Zhao, in a high school drama for four years. But when Miles lands a role on prestigious, award-winning television showThe Limit, he dumps her, explaining that they're moving in "different directions." Wanting to prove she can do serious work, too, Marisol nabs a recurring guest role onThe Limit. The caliber of the show isn't the only change, though. Leaving California, adjusting to life in New York, and moving in with her largely absent dad (a gay man who helped out his friend, Marisol's mom, by donating sperm when she decided to become a solo parent) is hard enough; work on set is difficult and frustrating for Marisol under a volatile director. Her new co-star, the distractingly attractive, brown-skinned Moroccan American Jamila El-Amrani, quickly becomes her daily bright spot. As their friendship blossoms into something more, and Marisol builds new relationships with family members, she starts to regain her confidence. With influences fromLegally Blonde, this lighthearted rom-com features fun peeks into celebrity life--and some valid critiques--while staying grounded in a realistic coming-of-age narrative. The romance is sweet, but there's little development or tension until the third act; the plot is propelled more by Marisol's inner growth, which is ultimately rewarding. Secondary characters are largely one-note, but big-hearted, exuberant Marisol shines. A breezy Sapphic story with a fabulous lead.(Fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
