Finding Mr. Brightside

by Jay Clark

Overview

She didn’t expect her silver lining to be wearing gray sweatpants.

Abram and Juliette know each other. They've lived down the street from each other their whole lives. But they don't really know each other—at least, not until Juliette's mom and Abram's dad have a torrid affair that culminates in a deadly car crash. Sharing the same subdivision is uncomfortable, to say the least. They don't speak.

Fast-forward to the neighborhood pharmacy, a year later. Abram decides to say hello. Then he decides to invite Juliette to Taco Bell.

To her surprise as well as his, she agrees. And the real love story begins.

Finding Mr. Brightside is a contemporary young adult novel by Jay Clark.

“Jay Clark, you just wrote one of my favorite YA books ever. Thank you!” —Jerry Spinelli, author of Stargirl

“Clark’s characters are realistic and sympathetic. Readers will root for both of them to overcome their trauma and accept a future of happiness.” —VOYA

“Clark (The Edumacation of Jay Baker) crafts a believably tentative relationship between these two damaged teens, their sharp-edged humor masking the pain that they can’t quite shake.” —Publishers Weekly

“Though the problems the teens face are myriad, the story never bogs down.” —Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250073655
Publisher:	Square Fish
Publication date:	03/22/2016
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Jay Clark has written essays and articles for The Washington Post and Tennis magazine. A former resident of Ohio, he now lives in Virginia. The Edumacation of Jay Baker is his debut young adult novel.

Editorial Reviews

I have rarely rooted for anyone—fictional or real—more than I rooted for Abram and Juliette. Jay Clark—you just wrote one of my favorite YA books ever. Thank you!” —Jerry Spinelli, author of Stargirl

“Clark crafts a believably tentative relationship between these two damaged teens, their sharp-edged humor masking the pain that they can't quite shake.” —Publishers Weekly

“Clark’s characters are realistic and sympathetic. Readers will root for both of them to overcome their trauma and accept a future of happiness.” —VOYA

“Clark makes this thorny story work by creating dynamic and complex teens who help each other face their demons. . .Though the problems the teens face are myriad, the story never bogs down. Instead, the uncomfortable silences, the awkward conversations, and the slow but gradual trust that connects both the teens and their surviving parents ground the novel in the stark reality that sometimes life is full of genuine surprises.” —Booklist

“The magic lies in the telling . . . a narrative patter so deeply laced with groaner puns, pop-culture bombs, and warp-speed free associations that it's almost a new language. . . . Most of all, though, Jay's smarts, originality, and warmth make the old teen trope of the hot girl(s) falling for the doofus guy actually believable.” —Booklist, starred review on The Edumacation of Jay Baker

“Readers eager to give both their hearts and their brains an energetic workout will enjoy this mash-up of rockin' comedy and problem novel.” —BCCB on The Edumacation of Jay Baker

“Two teens embark on a romantic relationship in the wake of their parents' death.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

2014-12-10
Two teens embark on a romantic relationship in the wake of their parents' deaths.Even though they live across the street from each other, Abram and Juliette have never been close. But their parents were, particularly Abram's dad and Juliette's mom. The pair indulged in an affair that ended with a bloody car wreck and two broken homes. Months later, the teens are still coping in the best ways they can, but an unexpected encounter at the local CVS and the ensuing romance jump-starts their recoveries. It's a high-concept premise that the author fumbles by leaning on frequent false starts in lieu of actual drama. Just when the heat's about to kick in, something happens to derail the young couple's journey, an effect that will surely infuriate readers that just want these two kids to get together already. This is, after all, a tale of star-crossed lovers that actually has the temerity to name the female lead Juliette, and these sorts of stories come with certain expectations. Unfortunately, all the drama here is internal, as there are no external forces keeping these kids apart. Abram's mom is a stereotypical supportive suburbanite. She fares better than Juliette's father, who might as well be a ghost. Neither of these characters says or does anything that affects the narrative, nor does anyone else but the two leads. Deeply unsatisfying. (Romance. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews