Perfect on Paper: A Novel (Hardcover)
Spring 2021 Kids Indie Next List
“In Sophie Gonzales’ latest YA contemporary, Darcy Phillips runs a secret business giving students at her school love advice, and she’s very good at her job. But when she’s found out by the swoony Alexander Brougham, Darcy finds herself helping him win back his girlfriend in order to protect her secret. The ensuing hijinks are packed with humor, romance, and wisdom but most of all a wonderful sense of queer pride. Perfect on Paper reads a bit like what you’d get if you mixed Leah on the Offbeat and Netflix’s Sex Education, but Gonzales also captures a charming wit that’s uniquely hers. With snappy dialogue, a lovable cast of side characters, and important conversations about bisexuality, this book absolutely won my heart!”
— Julia DeVarti, Literati Bookstore, Ann Arbor, MI
Staff Reviews
Darcy's specialty is relationships, even if her own are rather disastrous. The insightful relationship advice that Darcy anonymously provides for her classmates read as if she was speaking directly to me. In the process of her advice-giving she is forced to reflect upon her own questionable actions for a myriad of her romantic as well as platonic relationships. Darcy is a wonderfully flawed character that many people will be able to identify with and her queer identity is never used as a plot device. I especially loved the camaraderie and banter between Darcy and her sister, Ainsley, and their support for each other. There’s a nice balance of awkward situations that made me crawl under the covers to escape the secondhand embarrassment, right alongside snarky dialogue that provided some much needed laughter for these strange times. Perfect on Paper is reminiscent of The Half of It with a hearty dose of Dear Abby, creating one of the most endearing queer high school experiences I’ve ever read.
— Leah“Perfectly wonderful.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times–bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
“An electrifying love story.” —Booklist
FROM NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY-BESTSELLING AND INDIE NEXT PICK AUTHOR Sophie Gonzales comes Perfect on Paper: Leah on the Offbeat meets To All the Boys I've Loved Before in this YA romcom, where a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates is hired by the hot guy to help him get his ex back
Her advice, spot on. Her love life, way off.
Darcy Phillips:
• Can give you the solution to any of your relationship woes—for a fee.
• Uses her power for good. Most of the time.
• Really cannot stand Alexander Brougham.
• Has maybe not the best judgement when it comes to her best friend, Brooke…who is in love with someone else.
• Does not appreciate being blackmailed.
However, when Brougham catches her in the act of collecting letters from locker 89—out of which she’s been running her questionably legal, anonymous relationship advice service—that’s exactly what happens. In exchange for keeping her secret, Darcy begrudgingly agrees to become his personal dating coach—at a generous hourly rate, at least. The goal? To help him win his ex-girlfriend back.
Darcy has a good reason to keep her identity secret. If word gets out that she’s behind the locker, some things she's not proud of will come to light, and there’s a good chance Brooke will never speak to her again.
Okay, so all she has to do is help an entitled, bratty, (annoyingly hot) guy win over a girl who’s already fallen for him once? What could go wrong?
Praise for Perfect on Paper
“Didn’t know it was possible to pack a book with this much charm, humor, sincerity, and wisdom, but then again, it’s Sophie Gonzales. Perfect on Paper is perfectly wonderful.” —Becky Albertalli, New York Times–bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
“A classic enemies-to-lovers romance but with some very contemporary obstacles thrown in.” —Good Housekeeping
“The book has a lot to love and celebrate…. The balance of lightness and meaningful conversations is perfect…. If you want to experience Darcy’s badassery firsthand as she weaves through her complicated life, may sure to pick up this book!” —Hollywood Insider
"Packed with humor, romance, and wisdom but most of all a wonderful sense of queer pride. Perfect on Paper reads a bit like what you’d get if you mixed Leah on the Offbeat and Netflix’s Sex Education.... This book absolutely won my heart!” —Shelf Awareness
“Sophie Gonzales, who wrote last year’s charming Grease takeoff Only Mostly Devasted, pens another high school romance.... Twists and turns and hate-to-love ensue.” —Forbes, “10 Of The Most Notable YA Books Of 2021 (So Far)”
“Gonzales has crafted a lively story with multilayered appeal...then wraps it all up in an electrifying love story.” —Booklist
“A highly inclusive read with many characters identifying as LGBTQ+, this delightful foray into the world of high school relationships is a fantastic read for romance fans.” —School Library Journal
“I devoured this book in one lovely day! Perfect on Paper is full of the kind of sharp wit, keen insight, and hilarious rom-com shenanigans that make it a heartfelt reminder that love may come in infinite and unexpected ways, but is still the one thing we all have in common.” —Emma Lord, New York Times bestselling author of Tweet Cute
“Charming and compulsively readable.... Equal parts heady and heartfelt, it’s perfect not only on paper, but in every way it works itself in and hangs on past the final page.” —Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of If I’m Being Honest
“Full of swoons and angst and packaged carefully with heart, Perfect on Paper was a brilliant study on the complications of first loves.” —Erin Hahn, author of You’d Be Mine and More than Maybe
“With plenty of swoons and off-the-charts chemistry, Sophie Gonzales has delivered a rom-com that is the perfect blend of humor, heart, and truth. Perfect on Paper is a must read for all rom-com fans!” —Kevin van Whye, author of Date Me, Bryson Keller
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Praise for Sophie Gonzales's Only Mostly Devastated
“Only Mostly Devastated is the kind of book I wish existed when my kids were younger—a charming, funny, laugh-out-loud teen romance that reminds all readers love comes in a multitude of flavors, and they are ALL sweet.” —Jodi Picoult, New York Times–bestselling author of Small Great Things and A Spark of Light
“A delightful, heartwarming, heartrending story about family, love, friendship, and living your most authentic life. I couldn't put it down.” —New York Times–bestselling author Sandhya Menon