HALEY NEIL
Author and Children's Librarian
Planning
Perfect
In this charming, heartfelt YA romcom about being on the asexual spectrum, a girl tries to craft the perfect wedding for her mother but discovers that sometimes the best parts of life can't be planned.
Felicity Becker loves watching an event come together. Whether it's prom, graduation, or just the annual Arbor Day school dance, there's something magical about crafting an experience that people will remember. So when her mom gets engaged, Felicity sees the wedding as the perfect opportunity to show off her skills.
After Felicity's long-distance friend Nancy offers up her family's apple orchard as a venue, wedding planning gets even better. But the more time Felicity and Nancy spend together dress shopping and hunting for just-right mismatched china, the more it starts to seem like there might be something besides friendship between them. Felicity isn't sure how she feels. As someone on the asexuality spectrum, what would dating even look like for her? And would Nancy be open to dating when Felicity doesn't even know what she wants from a relationship?
Suddenly the summer is a lot more complicated. Especially when Felicity finds out that one of the wedding guests is an event planner with a prestigious internship available. Can Felicity wrangle her irresponsible mom, juggle her judgmental grandmother, figure out her feelings for Nancy, and plan the perfect wedding? Or will all of her plans come crashing down around her?
Praise for Planning Perfect:
“A deeply touching narrative about embracing mess in order to reinvent ourselves for the better.” ―Jean Meltzer, Author of The Matzah Ball and Mr. Perfect on Paper
“This is a tender, lovingly depicted capture of self-discovery and dating while asexual--one that is infrequently portrayed for readers of any age.” ―Booklist, starred review
“A sweet and charming book with a slow-burn romance and relationship at its center.” ―School Library Connection
“A sweet, feel-good, coming-of-age rom-com with satisfying character development and deeply insightful, much needed ace representation.” ―School Library Journal
“Neil deftly examines challenges surrounding dating and sexuality, intergenerational friction, and mental health.” ―Publishers Weekly
“An engrossing, emotionally dynamic coming-of-age story.” ―Kirkus Reviews
Once More with Chutzpah
A moving YA debut about a girl who grapples with questions of her Jewish identity, mental health struggles, and sexuality while on a temple exchange trip through Israel.
When high school senior Tally and her twin brother Max head off on an exchange trip to Israel over their winter break, Tally thinks it will be a good distraction for Max; he might be trying to hide it, but she knows he's still struggling in the wake of a car crash that injured him and killed the driver. Maybe this will help him get back on track and apply to college the way he and Tally always planned.
But as the group travels across the country, Tally realizes her plan might not be working, and that her brother might not be the only one with a lot on his mind. When a new relationship gets complicated in the face of her own anxiety-about her future, her sexual and romantic identity, and her place within the Jewish diaspora-Tally must grapple not only with the past, but also with what life will be like when they get back home.
Debut author Haley Neil offers a relatable and deeply felt story about identity on the cusp of adulthood.