The glitz of Gossip Girl meets the hustle of Leah Johnson's You Should See Me in a Crown in this charming and hilarious story of ex-BFFs from PG County, Maryland, perfect for fans of Joya Goffney and Elise Bryant.
Girls like Reya Samuels always come from Prince George’s County. Reya is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap.
Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman.
Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t.
As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships push them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way?
*"Former friends must navigate class dynamics and economic divides to help each other accomplish their goals in this knockout novel by Wilson...a powerful tale of first love and second-chance friendship."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A tale of the power of inner worth told in a distinct and humorous voice."--Kirkus Reviews
"The excitement of new love and all the challenges associated with relationships take the spotlight in this striking read. Reya and Sommer both experience growth, and each teen’s choices demonstrate maturity and selflessness. Bibliophiles will especially appreciate the bookstore backdrop and the many nods to well-known authors."--Booklist
“Irresistibly fun and authentic, Pretty Girl County is a luminous showcase of community, friendship, love in all its complexities, and the ways we blaze our own paths. A sparkling, must-read delight!”—Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You
"Lakita Wilson's Pretty Girl County brilliantly exposes the uneasy truths about young friendship and rivalries when worlds collide. As a former Prince George's County resident, I can confirm that Wilson captures the rich details of this remarkable community with an authenticity that resonates on every page."— Connie Briscoe, New York Times bestselling author of PG County and Chloe
Praise for Last Chance Dance: "An ode to love in all its beautiful chaos. Leila is funny, irreverent, and next-level charming, and her story is an actual joyride. Sheer delight through and through."--Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
"Fun, fast-paced, and laugh-out-loud funny, Last Chance Dance will throw readers right back into the final few weeks of their senior year. You can't help but to root for Leila as she picks up the pieces of her broken heart and embarks on a delightful mission to find new love before graduation."--Priyanka Taslim, author of The Love Match
*"Wilson’s part breakup tale, part rom-com isn’t just about falling in and out of love; it’s also a story about Leila’s rediscovering herself in the face of loss, learning from her mistakes, and giving people a chance to redeem themselves...A charming and hopeful story about life post-heartbreak."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
*"Wilson (Be Real, Macy Weaver) showcases an expert sense of comedic timing and an emphatic understanding of contemporary adolescent trials in this sparkling rom-com...Leila's struggles...are brilliantly rendered...[in] this optimistic tale of heartbreak and recovery."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The glitz of Gossip Girl meets the hustle of Leah Johnson's You Should See Me in a Crown in this charming and hilarious story of ex-BFFs from PG County, Maryland, perfect for fans of Joya Goffney and Elise Bryant.
Girls like Reya Samuels always come from Prince George’s County. Reya is rich and she’s not afraid to show it—she wears designer clothes, drives a custom pink Audi, and lives in a neighborhood tucked behind a fancy cast iron gate. She works hard, but she can get anything she wants with a snap.
Sommer Watkins is from Seat Pleasant, where the cast iron gates are significantly smaller—and attached to the windows, where most folks are still trying to make ends meet. Every day for Sommer is a hustle, working at her dad’s bookstore, and using her art skills to scrounge up enough scholarship money for her dream school, Spelman.
Reya and Sommer used to be BFFs—back when Reya lived in Seat Pleasant, too. Now the girls are from different stratospheres—but when Reya desperately needs help to prove to FIT admissions officers that she has what it takes to make it in fashion, the only person who can help is Sommer. Reya promises to help Sommer in return—she’ll pay her for her services, helping Sommer afford the school her parents can’t.
As the girls work together, slowly they begin to trust each other again. But when new relationships push them both, and Sommer’s dad’s bookstore is suddenly in danger of closing, old wounds bubble up. Can the girls find a way to repair their friendship and stay true to themselves along the way?
Praise
*"Former friends must navigate class dynamics and economic divides to help each other accomplish their goals in this knockout novel by Wilson...a powerful tale of first love and second-chance friendship."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A tale of the power of inner worth told in a distinct and humorous voice."--Kirkus Reviews
"The excitement of new love and all the challenges associated with relationships take the spotlight in this striking read. Reya and Sommer both experience growth, and each teen’s choices demonstrate maturity and selflessness. Bibliophiles will especially appreciate the bookstore backdrop and the many nods to well-known authors."--Booklist
“Irresistibly fun and authentic, Pretty Girl County is a luminous showcase of community, friendship, love in all its complexities, and the ways we blaze our own paths. A sparkling, must-read delight!”—Julian Winters, award-winning author of Right Where I Left You
"Lakita Wilson's Pretty Girl County brilliantly exposes the uneasy truths about young friendship and rivalries when worlds collide. As a former Prince George's County resident, I can confirm that Wilson captures the rich details of this remarkable community with an authenticity that resonates on every page."— Connie Briscoe, New York Times bestselling author of PG County and Chloe
Praise for Last Chance Dance: "An ode to love in all its beautiful chaos. Leila is funny, irreverent, and next-level charming, and her story is an actual joyride. Sheer delight through and through."--Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
"Fun, fast-paced, and laugh-out-loud funny, Last Chance Dance will throw readers right back into the final few weeks of their senior year. You can't help but to root for Leila as she picks up the pieces of her broken heart and embarks on a delightful mission to find new love before graduation."--Priyanka Taslim, author of The Love Match
*"Wilson’s part breakup tale, part rom-com isn’t just about falling in and out of love; it’s also a story about Leila’s rediscovering herself in the face of loss, learning from her mistakes, and giving people a chance to redeem themselves...A charming and hopeful story about life post-heartbreak."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
*"Wilson (Be Real, Macy Weaver) showcases an expert sense of comedic timing and an emphatic understanding of contemporary adolescent trials in this sparkling rom-com...Leila's struggles...are brilliantly rendered...[in] this optimistic tale of heartbreak and recovery."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
