Ashley Herring Blake

Grace, tough and wise, has nearly given up on wishes, thanks to a childhood spent with her unpredictable, larger-than-life mother. But this summer, Grace meets Eva, a girl who believes in dreams, despite her own difficult circumstances. One fateful evening, Eva climbs through a window in Grace’s room, setting off a chain of stolen nights on the beach. When Eva tells Grace that she likes girls, Grace’s world opens up and she begins to believe in happiness again.How to Make a Wish is an emotionally charged portrait of a mother and daughter’s relationship and a heartfelt story about two girls who find each other at the exact right time.

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When a tornado rips through town, twelve-year-old Ivy Aberdeen's house is destroyed and her family of five is displaced. Ivy feels invisible and ignored in the aftermath of the storm--and what's worse, her notebook filled with secret drawings of girls holding hands with girls has gone missing.Mysteriously, Ivy's drawings begin to reappear in her locker with notes from someone telling her to speak openly about her identity. Ivy thinks--and hopes--that this someone might be her classmate, another girl for whom Ivy has begun to develop feelings.Spoiler: In the end, the drawings and messages are being sent by Ivy's best friend, Taryn, and unfortunately the girl Ivy has feelings for doesn't return them--but the novel ends on a tone of hope for Ivy and her identity.Titles featuring prominent LGBTQ characters have been gradually finding their way to the young adult shelves--but even rarer are middle grade books featuring LGBTQ protagonists. The fact that middle grade books such as George, Gracefully Grayson, and Better Nate Than Ever have main characters who are LGBTQ has gained each title widespread attention; and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World helps to fill an even rarer category still: lesbian characters in middle grade. Ivy Aberdeen has the potential to be positioned as one of the few LGBTQ middle grade books pushing for more diversity on the shelves.This sweet, tender novel has a strong voice in the vein of The Thing About Jellyfish, strong potential for the School & Library market, and is an award contender.

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Mara and Owen are as close as twins can get, so when Mara’s friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn't know what to think. Can her brother really be guilty of such a violent act? Torn between her family and her sense of right and wrong, Mara feels lost, and it doesn’t help that things are strained with her ex-girlfriend, Charlie. As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie come together in the aftermath of this terrible crime, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits into her future.Confronting difficult questions surrounding consent, victim blaming, and sexual assault, Girl Made of Stars is a timely, emotionally gripping novel that shines a light on the story of a survivor with sensitivity and hope.

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When Sunny St. James receives a new heart, she decides to set off on a New Life Plan: 1) do awesome amazing things she could never do before; 2) find a new best friend; and 3) kiss a boy for the first time. Her New Life Plan seems to be racing forward, but when she meets her new best friend Quinn, Sunny questions whether she really wants to kiss a boy at all. With the reemergence of her mother, Sunny begins a journey to becoming the new Sunny St. James.As with Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World, the sophomore middle grade novel by Ashley Herring Blake adds to the slowly growing, but still small list of queer MG titles. The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James is a gorgeous follow-up to Ivy Aberdeen as a novel about grief, loss, discovery, friendship, and the power in being oneself, no matter what.

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Hazel Bly used to have the perfect family. But when a kayaking trip goes horribly wrong, Mum is suddenly gone forever and Hazel is left with a jagged scar on her face. After Mum's death, Hazel, her other mother, Mama, and her little sister Peach needed a fresh start. So for the last two years, the Bly girls have lived all over the country. They travel from town to town, never settling anywhere for more than a few months or so. But when the family comes to the town of Rose Harbor, Maine, a small fog-draped beach town full of roses and rocks, Hazel senses a wildness to it that feels like magic. And when Mama runs into an old childhood friend Claire, suddenly Hazel's tight-knit world is infiltrated. To make it worse, she has a daughter Hazel's age, Lemon, who can't stop rambling on and on about the Rose Maid, a local myth a hundred and fifty years old about how a local girl was so heartbroken she turned into a mermaid.Soon, Hazel finds herself just as obsessed with the Rose Maid as Lemon is-because what if magic were real? What if grief really could change you so much, you weren't even yourself anymore? What if instead you emerged from the darkness stronger than before?

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A clever and steamy queer romantic comedy about taking chances and accepting love - with all its complications. Perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur, Casey McQuiston and Rosie Danan.Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls - nothing is there for her except memories of a lonely childhood. Her life now is in New York, with her photography career finally gaining steam and her bed never empty. Sure, it's a different woman every night, but that's just fine with her.When Delilah's estranged stepsister pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a large check, Delilah finds herself back in Bright Falls once more. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid's stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there's some fun (and a little retribution) to be had, after all.Having raised her daughter mostly on her own while dealing with her unreliable ex and running a bookstore, Claire depends upon a life without surprises. And Delilah Green is an unwelcome surprise . . . at first. Though they've known each other for years, they don't really know each other - so Claire is unsettled when Delilah figures out exactly what buttons to push. And when they're forced together during the many wedding preparations, Claire isn't sure she has the strength to resist Delilah's charms. Even worse, she's starting to think she doesn't want to . . .Why readers love Delilah Green...'A hot, frothy romcom with a relatable heart beating at its centre. I loved every hilarious character, every outrageous shenanigan - and most of all, I loved Delilah Green. I can't wait for the rest of the series!' Talia Hibbert, New York Times bestselling author of Act Your Age, Eve Brown'A truly exquisite romance about second chances, new beginnings, and the fragile joy of letting people in. I'm wildly in love with this book' Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of The Ex Talk'A classic in the making, Ashely's adult debut is a warm welcome home from the first page. A swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romp of a romance' Kosoko Jackson, author of I'm So Not Over You'A spectacular debut brimming with yearning, swooning, and healing. Delilah Green Doesn't Care reads the way realizing your crush likes you back feels. Ashley Herring Blake is a romance star on the rise' Rosie Danan, bestselling author of The Roommate'Delilah Green Doesn't Care is the dreamy, steamy, utterly satisfying answer to your craving for an outcast-and-former-mean-girl romance. And let's not forget the snappy banter and seriously scorching chemistry; you'll need a very cold shower after this read!' Lana Harper, author of Payback's a Witch'Charming and entertaining, Delilah Green Doesn't Care entrances the reader with the redemptive power of love. Blake's masterful blend of sexual tension and growing affection will have readers swooning' Karelia Stetz-Waters, author of Satisfaction Guaranteed'What an absolute joy to read! Snarky, steamy, and swoony in equal measure, I

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An interior designer who is never without the perfect plan learns to renovate her love life without one in this new romantic comedy by Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care. Perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur, Casey McQuiston and Rosie Danan. For Astrid Parker, failure is unacceptable. Ever since she broke up with her fiancé a year ago, she's been focused on her career. So when Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn's renovation, which will be featured on a hugely popular home makeover show, Astrid is thrilled. Not only will the project distract her from her failed engagement and help her struggling business, but her perpetually displeased mother might finally give her a nod of approval. However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru's granddaughter and the lead carpenter for the renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Jordan is determined to preserve the history of her family's inn, particularly as the rest of her life is in shambles. When that determination turns into some light sabotage to ruffle Astrid's perfect little feathers, the showrunners ask them to play up the tension. But somewhere along the way, their dislike for each other evolves into something quite different, and Astrid must decide what success truly means. Is she going to pursue the life that she's expected to lead or the one that she really wants?Why readers love Ashley Herring Blake . . .'A hot, frothy romcom with a relatable heart beating at its centre. I can't wait for the rest of the series!' Talia Hibbert'A truly exquisite romance . . . I'm wildly in love with this book' Rachel Lynn Solomon'A swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romp of a romance' Kosoko Jackson'Snappy banter and seriously scorching chemistry; you'll need a very cold shower after this read!' Lana Harper'Charming and entertaining . . . Blake's masterful blend of sexual tension and growing affection will have readers swooning' Karelia Stetz-Waters'Snarky, steamy, and swoony in equal measure, I never wanted this book to end' Meryl Wilsner

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A fake relationship with a one-night stand is anything but an act in this witty and heartfelt new romantic comedy that is perfect for fans of Alexandria Bellefleur, Casey McQuiston and Rosie Danan.--- Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love.And she's happy for all of them, truly. So what if she misses her friends and family, who are busy with their perfectly paired partners. At least she has her brand-new career writing romance novels (the irony), right?Wrong. She is completely out of ideas after having spent all of her romantic energy on her debut. Perfectly happy to ignore her problems as usual, Iris goes to a Portland bar. But a night of dancing with a sexy stranger named Stefania turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life (vomit and crying are regretfully involved).To get her mind off everything, Iris tries out for a local play only to come face-to-face with Stefania-or, Stevie, her real name. When Stevie desperately asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend, Iris is shocked but goes along with it in a bid to get her creative juices flowing.As the two women play the part of a couple, they turn into a constant state of hot-and-bothered and soon it just comes down to who will make the real first move . . .Why readers love Ashley Herring Blake . . .'A hot, frothy romcom with a relatable heart beating at its centre. I can't wait for the rest of the series!' Talia Hibbert'A truly exquisite romance . . . I'm wildly in love with this book' Rachel Lynn Solomon'A swoon-worthy, laugh-out-loud romp of a romance' Kosoko Jackson'Snappy banter and seriously scorching chemistry; you'll need a very cold shower after this read!' Lana Harper'Charming and entertaining . . . Blake's masterful blend of sexual tension and growing affection will have readers swooning' Karelia Stetz-Waters'Snarky, steamy, and swoony in equal measure, I never wanted this book to end' Meryl Wilsner

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