Lemons and Lies

by Alexis Castellanos

Overview

A sweet meet-cute or a scheme destined to turn sour? Fake dating, family drama, and foodie fun combine in this YA paperback original.

Valeria Morales' senior year is not off to a great start. Her twin brother Adrian isn't talking to her, she's realizing all of her friends were actually his friends, and now she's failing math. Enter Gage Magnussen. Gage isn't looking to take on any tutoring gigs now that his standing as valedictorian is at risk after letting a catastrophic breakup distract him--not to mention his demanding parents expect Gage to coordinate their yearly charity auction alongside his cheating ex. So Valeria offers him a deal: If he helps her pass, she'll take over event planning AND pretend to be his girlfriend. A win-win-win!

But as their study sessions move to deep conversations and their fake dates begin feeling realer and realer, is it possible the lemons they've been dealt will turn to lemonade? Or will this arrangement only sting?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781547614097
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	09/16/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

Alexis Castellanos was born and raised in Florida where she enjoyed sunny days, dramatic thunderstorms, and delicious Cuban food. After graduating from college, she moved to New York City and worked as a scenic artist, bringing theatrical sets to life with a little bit of paint and a whole lot of ingenuity. She currently works as a graphic designer by day and spends her nights dreaming up stories. She is the author of the graphic novel Isla to Island and Guava and Grudges. She lives in Los Angeles with her partner and two cats. Connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @alexisc_art and on her website alexiscastellanos.com.

Editorial Reviews

A sweetly affirming story about family, food, and finding your own path.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Well-written, tackling family problems and expectations while also capturing teenage angst. . . . Light and enjoyable.” —SLJ

“A sweet and delectable love story.” —Kirkus Reviews, on Guava and Grudges

“Sensitively explores topics such as Latinx identity, financial instability, and finding the courage to advocate for oneself.” —Publishers Weekly, on Guava and Grudges

From the Publisher

2025-07-03
A teen proposes a mutually beneficial fake-dating relationship to persuade her reluctant classmate to tutor her.

Valeria Morales’ senior year isn’t going well: Her popular twin brother, Adrian, isn’t speaking to her, their mutual friends have abandoned her, and she’s about to fail Algebra II, which threatens her graduation. To get her grade up, Cuban American Valeria needs a student tutor—and the only one available is Gage Magnussen, a white-presenting boy who’s battling Adrian for valedictorian. But Gage has his own issues—he’s supposed to be planning a charity auction with his cheating ex-girlfriend, Ginger, who wants to get back together, even though their breakup led a miserable Gage to neglect his studies and allow his GPA to drop. Valeria proposes a deal: She’ll help Gage with the auction and pretend to be his girlfriend—keeping Ginger at bay and allowing him to focus on school—if he helps her with math. But as they spend more time together, and Valeria’s family drama increases with the return of her estranged mother, the lines between real and pretend blur. Filled to the brim with beloved romance tropes and delicious treats (the Moraleses run a popular bakery), this cute stand-alone work set in the world ofGuavas and Grudges (2024) returns readers to the small-town Olympic Peninsula setting of Port Murphy and centers on secondary characters from that earlier outing.

A sweetly affirming story about family, food, and finding your own path. (recipe)(Romance. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews