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In this rivals-to-lovers romcom from Marissa Eller, overachiever Nova wants one thing: to be the top student in her school. So when a student who could beat her turns up, she tries to keep her eyes on her own paper … and off this infuriatingly perfect boy.

School is everything to Nova—literally everything, since she’s missed out on all of the Traditional High School Things in pursuit of academic success. Her senior year is going to be perfect, and so is she … because she's pushing herself to her physical and mental limit. All she needs to do is ignore her mounting anxiety! Which is probably clinical! La la la!

But Hayes—her ultrasmart, ultra-annoying rival for valedictorian—is making her year far less perfect than she imagined.

He's after that top spot, and he doesn’t care who he has to shove outside. But when Nova and Hayes are paired up for a group project on student mental health, Nova discovers that he might be the only one who understands what she’s going through. The burnout. The self-doubt. The unrelenting grind. Together, they can stand up to the pressures of academia, family, and the way most traveled … if they partner up in more ways than one.

"A satisfying romance that centers on academic pressures and the power of accepting support."—Kirkus Reviews

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Release date

Audiobook: 11 August 2026