*TAYSHAS Reading List title *Bank Street Best Book of the Year * Mathical Award nominee
In this heartfelt and hilarious romcom debut from Ambika Vohra—think: Netflix's Never Have I Ever meets Nerve by way of Nora Ephron and Jenny Han—one girl completes a series of sticky-note dares that will help her tackle the question: "How have you gotten out of your comfort zone?"
That’s the Stanford admissions prompt that valedictorian shoo-in Aisha Agarwal can’t answer. Comfort zone? Her life’s been homework and junk food for as long as she can remember. Not exactly the thing college essays are written about. So, when her longtime crush, Brian, asks her to winter formal, Aisha thinks her fate is changing . . .
. . . until Brian stands her up.
As if on cue, a banged-up Volkswagen arrives outside the dance; the driver—a (very cute) guy her age—profusely apologizing for being late to pick her up. Does Aisha know him or what he's talking about? No. Does the Stanford essay convince her to take him up on the ride? Absolutely.
To Aisha’s relief, seventeen-year-old Quentin Santos isn’t a kidnapper, but he is failing math. So, they strike a deal: If Aisha helps Quentin pass math, he’ll help push her out of her comfort zone, using a series of sticky note to-do’s—dares, really—that will not only give Aisha content for her essay but will turn her into the confident person she’s always wanted to be.
From New Year’s Eve kisses to high school parties, Aisha’s sticky note manifesto is taking off. But when she falls for the wrong guy, hurts her best friend, and still can’t finish her essay, victory feels far from reach. Is winning worth it if you end up losing yourself in the process?