Love and Other Theories

“Warning: Bass’ debut novel will ignite all your feelings!” —Wendy Higgins, New York Times bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy

“A system for avoiding heartbreak falls apart in an unexpectedly insightful tale of friendship and loyalty…What looks poised to be a romantic comedy (girl meets boy; theories fail; love triumphs) turns into something far more complex and bittersweet. Each character’s life is carefully imagined, from Chiffon, the target of the girls’ ridicule, to Shelby herself, whose carefree armor slowly begins to crack. The bullying is never forgiven. The lovers, once estranged, are never entirely reunited. The theories are indeed debunked, but what is left in their place is a kind of vulnerability and regret that can’t be summed up in a romantic platitude. Careful, subtle, and aching.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“In her debut novel, Bass provides honest, incisive, and sometimes uncomfortable insights into the complicated intersections of friendship and romance, the ways sex can be wielded as a weapon, and the measures some teens take to protect themselves from pain. Readers navigating the tempestuous emotions and relationships of high school should readily connect with these characters’ hopes, sorrows, and missteps as they prepare to strike out on their own.” —Publishers Weekly

“Bass’ debut is an entertaining perspective on the battlefield of the teen dating world.” —VOYA