The Love Interest

September 2, 2024
A picturesque superhero universe and the 21st-century world collide in Comerford’s rom-com debut, which features comedic dialogue, sophisticated depictions of mental health, and empowering, authentic female relationships. Seventeen-year-old Jenna Ray lives in the coastal town of the Nine Trees, where a prophecy involving catastrophic disasters will be fulfilled when a new hero emerges. So when Jenna is the first person saved by newcomer Blaze, the public has already cast her as the helpless love interest, a role she has no desire fulfilling, especially if it means being kidnapped by villains. But when the villains offer Jenna the opportunity to see her mother, who has been missing for more than 10 years, in exchange for spying on Blaze and the Hero’s Association, she realizes there’s more to the superhero industrial complex than costumes and cool weapons. Mixed-media formatting including splashy text and in-world newspaper clippings add to the classic superhero flair, offering ominous foreshadowing throughout the easy-to-follow plot. The juxtaposition between the stories being told to Nine Trees’ population and the real, uneasy truth behind these tales is handled maturely, and the incorporation of contemporary sensibilities that mimic IRL society add a hilarious twist to this male-dominated superhero world. Ages 12–up.

Starred review from November 1, 2024

Gr 6 Up-Comerford's debut stars 17-year-old Jenna Ray, whom the world assumes is dating the newest superhero, Blaze, after he saves her. With the support of her big sister, best friend, and other super (powered or otherwise) women, Jenna must ignore her growing feelings for Blaze and instead team up with the Villains to uncover the dark side of the world's HPA (Heroics and Power Authority), and maybe just save the world, in order to find out more about her missing mom. But what happens when she starts to fake date Blaze to spy on him for the Villains? This novel manages to strike a beautiful balance between satire and storytelling; it's a hilarious sendup of the superhero genre and of modern superhero fandom that serves up an exciting action story peppered with creative superpowers. The book pokes at McCarthyism while portraying the dangers of over-surveillance. At the same time that it satirizes toxic masculinity, it also shows inspiring young women realistically battling to make the world better. With an unresolved love triangle, lingering questions about the superpowers, and a huge world left to explore (we all want to know more about the superpowered squirrels), readers are left eager for the already-announced sequel. VERDICT A timely and engaging read for all ages, sure to be popular with teens and adult readers of YA.-Tammy Ivins

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2024
Grades 8-12 Jenna Ray just wants to have a normal life, but due to climate change, the planet is experiencing accelerated evolution (EV), causing strange, aggressive creatures, devastating weather events, and a few individuals possessing extraordinary powers. One night, Jenna is stuck in an EV storm and ends up being the very first person that Blaze, the newest superhero, saves. The first person a hero saves usually ends up being their "Love Interest," but Jenna has absolutely no plans to be anyone's eye candy who swoons on cue. As the media pushes her closer and closer to Blaze, she can't help but fall for him, even as she learns more and more about the sketchy world of heroes and their misuse of power. Between numerous action scenes and a huge amount of exposition, readers may be overwhelmed by the amount of material being thrown at them. However, Marvel fans who need another Black Panther film starring Shuri will love this story of a Black teen rejecting others' plans for her and becoming her own hero.

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October 1, 2024
Despite craving peace and quiet, a teen becomes embroiled in nonstop superhero action. After a fire breaks out in the British town of Nine Trees, Blaze appears on the scene to rescue Jenna Ray, who collapsed while trying to escape the heat and smoke. With his superspeed and ability to fly, he becomes Nine Trees' hero. Blaze is a member of the Heroics and Power Authority, the organization that registers and manages those who demonstrate special abilities rumored to come from the accelerated evolution of the planet. Blaze's actions trigger speculation that because Jenna is his first rescue, she's also his Love Interest--a distinction the feminist Jenna initially rejects. She's a keen swimmer who prefers a low-key life with her dad and sister; dealing with media intrusion worsens her anxiety and panic attacks. Not long after her identity goes public, Jenna is approached by the Villains, an opposition group with its own powerful members who want her to spy on the HPA. If she agrees, the Villains promise to reunite Jenna with her mother, who left the family when Jenna was 7. Comerford peppers her work with clever, inventive twists as Jenna starts falling for Blaze. This fast-paced story culminates in a dramatic, satisfying conclusion that promises an exciting sequel. Jenna is Black, and Blaze is Chinese and white. A sharp romantic comedy that takes aim at the patriarchy. (mental health resources)(Fantasy romance. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.