Guest Post:

Versatileer: When Nina is saved by Ian, finding out he’s Ryan–how their chemistry clicked after meeting Ryan’s family.

Jenn: In my opinion, one of the best things about writing young adult is being able to dive into the rich relationships and emotions of a teen. To see them get a glimpse of who they are and what life is like. To experience things in a different way. And while most people think that relationships automatically mean romance, it can also be relationships between family, friends, or even teachers/mentors. Personally, I love books that aren’t necessary just focused on only romance. These different relationships make the character feel more authentic and complex. It can also help to connect with the character better when they’re layered and more relatable.

Not that there’s anything wrong with romance. I can’t write a book without it! Romance is an important part of most of my books, but I do like family and friend relationships to have a major role also. At least 30% of the plot lines in my books are struggles that don’t have anything to do with the romance. 

Because let’s face it, all of these different interactions with other people can help build a someone into who they are. It affects their actions and way of thinking. Whether it’s good or bad relationships or even something minor like how they’d treat the school bus driver. Maybe they’re very sweet to him because he reminds them of their grandpa who they miss. Or maybe they’re rude because they hate riding the bus but had their car taken away from breaking the curfew. 

For example, in JUST ANOTHER MEET CUTE, Nina has a romantic connection with both Ian and Ryan, but it’s complicated by her feelings for them which changes the more she interacts with them and their family. Yet her own family dynamics aren’t easier to figure out either. She has a ride or die relationship with her cousin, Linh, who she considers her best friend. And her tense and fragile relationship with her estranged dad affects her growing distant relationship with her mom, who used to be one of her best friends.  

Relationships in all forms can be messy, confusing, and even overwhelming at times, but this just makes it so satisfying to see how the characters evolve and grow in the end.

Synopsis:

Boy saves girl stuck on a disastrous hike. What could go wrong? So. Much.

Just Another Meet Cute is the joyful and funny story about what happens when you realize you’re dating the wrong twin.

When seventeen-year-old Nina Riley gets saved by a super cute Knight-in-Faded-Khakis just as she lands in an embarrassingly ‘ahem’ sticky situation during the most disastrous hike known to man, she wasn’t exactly looking for a meet cute. She really just needed some peace and quiet from her complicated family. Unfortunately, he disappears before she can properly thank him or get his number. All she has is his name (Ian Nguyen) and a navy jacket with a dog keychain, a gym card, and laundromat receipt. But a meet cute is a meet cute. And armed with years of watching Veronica Mars and a techy cousin, it should be simple enough for Nina to find the boy of her dreams, right? But when she finally tracks him down, he’s different than she thought ―right down to his name. Ryan is just as cute as she remembers, but the chemistry isn’t there like it was before. After a few dates, she meets Ryan’s family: his sweet grandma, his enthusiastic sisters, and his twin brother ―​​​​​​​―Ian.

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Author Bio:

Jenn Nguyen fell in love with books in third grade and spent the rest of her school years reading through lunchtime and giving up recess to organize the school library. She has a degree in business administration from the University of New Orleans and still lives in the city with her husband. Jenn spends her days reading, dreaming up YA romances, and binge watching Korean dramas all in the name of ‘research’.

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