The Harper Effect

Gr 9 Up—Harper's life has always been tennis—starting each match at love-love, where both sides have no score. At 16, though, Harper has never proceeded into the semi-finals, always clutching before her big break. Her coach says its a mental weakness and drops her. Her father finds a new coach but she'll have to play doubles with the rising star—Colt. Dark, brooding, and secretive, Colt's mood seems to slip into her life and she begins harboring secrets. She continues to train but has a hard time focusing. She seeks comfort at home through her sister Aria and their neighbor Jacob, but can't reclaim the past. As Jacob looks at her with more than friendship and her new coach puts more pressure on her, Harper has a hard time figuring out how to juggle all of it. This sports romance will have readers asking all the right questions about growing up. Fans of Simone Elkeles's Perfect Chemistry will enjoy the dialogue and bildungsroman style.