Okay, Cupid

by Mason Deaver

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

An honest-to-goodness Cupid is in hot water after falling in love with a human, and it won't be the last time either. A heartfelt and unique approach to the mythological love facilitator, Okay Cupid is ripe with genuine human connection and characters that walk right off the page.

From the bestselling author of I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, the story of a cupid who thinks they know everything about love... until they fall in love themselves.

As a cupid, Jude thinks they understand love a little bit more than the average human. It makes sense — Jude's been studying love their whole teen life. And, yes, there have been some bumps in the road, and they're currently on probation for doing something that they absolutely, definitely shouldn't have done... but they're ready to prove they can make matches without ever getting involved.

Only... Jude's next assignment isn't about setting up two adults. No, this time Jude has to go to high school, with kids their own age. And the assignment is a tough one: two best friends who are meant to be more than just best friends... but who aren't currently speaking to each other after a huge falling out.

Jude thinks they've got this one all under control, and that they won't get involved whatsoever.

Which proves that maybe Jude hasn't learned the first lesson of humans and love ... It’s complicated.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338777697
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	01/02/2024
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	80,685
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Born and raised in a small town in North Carolina, Mason Deaver is an award-nominated, bestselling author and designer living in Charlotte. Their debut novel, I Wish You All the Best, was named a Junior Library Guild Selection and an NPR Concierge Book. Besides writing, they're an active fan of horror movies and video games. You can find them online at masondeaverwrites.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/16/2023

As a Cupid, 16-year-old agender Jude is responsible for keeping the universe in balance by facilitating romantic relationships. But Jude, who cues as white, is still on probation after breaking one of the cardinal rules by falling for a human on the job. As a test, their new assignment is a long-term undercover mission at a Bay Area high school, where they’re tasked with rebuilding the budding relationship between two estranged best friends. Things go well at first, with Jude insinuating themself into the lives of transgender soccer captain Huy Trinh and moody musician Thanh “Alice” Tran, who are both of Vietnamese descent. But in restoring the fractured friendship, Jude develops unexpected feelings for Huy, which jeopardizes the mission and once again threatens to undermine Jude’s very existence as a Cupid. Deaver (The Feeling of Falling in Love) eschews deeper exploration of the Cupid lore, leaving much to the imagination. The undeniable chemistry—both platonic and romantic—between Jude and the intersectionally diverse, distinctly rendered cast fuels this insightful romantic comedy, which sensitively explores the queer spectrum and issues of privilege while keeping the emotional components front and center. Ages 14–up. Agent: Lauren E. Abramo, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Jan.)

Publishers Weekly

2023-10-07
An agender 16-year-old from the Bay Area is torn between love and their Cupid duties.

Jude recently made the biggest mistake of their Cupid career: They fell in love with a human boy. Worse, they kissed him. Broken-hearted Jude, who is white and trans, was placed on probation, and they are determined not to make the same mistake twice: Kiss a human again, and they’ll lose their powers and their memories of ever having been a Cupid. When Jude’s latest assignment goes off the rails, senior Cupids consider imposing more consequences but instead give them a challenging test as a second chance. Their assignment: restore the broken relationship between a girl named Alice Tran and a trans boy called Huy Trinh, who are both Vietnamese American. Posing as regular high school student Jude Ricci, befriending the pair, and then engineering a reconciliation should be child’s play. At first, everything seems to be going smoothly, but the situation gets hairy when Jude grows closer to Huy, raising the stakes with both their memories now on the line. Jude and Huy’s budding romance is both tender and heartbreaking, given that readers are constantly aware of potential tragedy looming over every sweet moment. The romantic tension between the two will move even the most stonehearted readers. A deep look at the expectations of family and society and how they can negatively affect teenagers’ lives fills out the narrative.

A well-crafted slow-burn romance with plenty of depth. (Romance. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews

Praise for The Ghosts We Keep:

One of Buzzfeed's Best Books of June

* "An unflinchingly honest story that doesn’t shy away from the complex emotions of grief but also offers a hopeful path forward... [An] emotional, character-driven journey." —Booklist, starred review

"As heart-expanding as it is heartbreaking" —Publishers Weekly

"Offers an honest look at the messy, overwhelming experience of coping with sudden loss." —School Library Journal

"[The Ghosts We Keep] is outstanding, maybe the best take on grief I've ever seen in a YA novel." —Shannon Jones, Scuppernong Books

Praise for I Wish You All the Best:

"Heartfelt, romantic, and quietly groundbreaking. This book will save lives." —Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"Tender and bursting with humanity, I Wish You All the Best tells a heartwarming queer love story without compromise." —Meredith Russo, Stonewall Award-winning author of If I Was Your Girl

"A beacon of hope in a broken world. We all need this book." —Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin

"Emotional and heartfelt... This is the sort of novel that goes beyond being important; it has the potential to save and change lives." —Kacen Callender, Stonewall Award-winning author of Hurricane Child and This is Kind of an Epic Love Story

"I Wish You All the Best reminds us that, when we open up to love, we have the capacity to become our most authentic selves." —Adib Khorram, Morris and APALA Award-winning author of Darius the Great is Not Okay

"A truly unique and beautiful debut." —Adi Alsaid, author of Let's Get Lost

"Profoundly poignant and often swoon-worthy... a stunning gift to the world." —Jay Coles, author of Tyler Johnson Was Here

"An important and inspiring novel about identity, acceptance, friendship, familial relationships, and the people who become your family." —Sabina Khan, author of The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali and Zara Hossain is Here

"A soft, sweet, and incredibly important story about a nonbinary teen finding their voice. This book is going to be so important to so many people." —Alice Oseman, author of Radio Silence and Heartstopper

"A welcome addition to the growing body of LGBTQIAP+ literature." —Booklist

"An honest coming-of-age and coming-out story... Deaver's treatment of Ben's nonbinary identity creates a realistic portrayal of their journey toward self-acceptance... through sympathetic characters and a hopeful narrative of empowerment." —Kirkus Reviews

"A powerful illustration of the ways that compassion and love can overcome intolerance." —Publishers Weekly

"Deaver shows us that love, like gender, is fluid and nonbinary." —NPR

From the Publisher