Sara Farizan’s debut, If You Could Be Mine, told a wrenching tale of young love lost to the complications of growing up and growing apart. The stakes in Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel are slightly lower, making for pure rom-com pleasure.
Leila keeps a low profile at her private high school. She likes girls, but that’s not something she’s ready to make public. When new girl Saskia transfers in mid-semester, Leila quickly becomes smitten: “It’s like finding a magical unicorn in a high school full of cattle.” While trying to get to know Saskia, Leila tests the waters, coming out to friends and family, though not always as planned. Leila fears rejection by her family, who are Americans but hold Persian values. Nevertheless, her parents are wonderful, embarrassingly square and touching in their concern, despite not understanding what’s wrong.
Farizan’s second novel is sweet, tough, sexy and ultimately hopeful.
This article was originally published in the October 2014 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
