Ros Demir Is Not the One

Ros will do whatever it takes to get the guy. At least… she thinks she will.

Sixteen-year-old Ros is a go-getter. When she wants something, she makes sure she gets it.

But a lingering rumor (and maybe some ambivalence about her half-Turkish heritage) has kept Ros from achieving the kind of reputation she deserves. So, after years of plotting her big comeback, she just needs one thing: a hot, adoring guy on her arm at junior year homecoming. And when she meets charming new classmate Aydin at the Pine Bay resort over the summer, she thinks she’s found The One.

It doesn't work, though. And things get messy when Ros’s plan ends up hurting the only friend she has left... poor, sweet, forgiving Eleanor. This has happened before—things tend to get messy with Ros around—and it's getting harder for her to ignore the pattern of hurt feelings. Plus, it seems like Ros and Aydin aren’t really meant to be. What kind of a plan results in everyone ending up unhappy? Not a very good one.

A not-quite rom com starring a bold, outspoken antiheroine, this Turkish-American Romeo and Juliet remix is refreshingly snarky. Witty, whip-smart dialogue plays with the complexities of multicultural identity and female friendships, from Ros’s very first screw-up to her unconventional happy ending. Perfect for fans of Crystal Maldonado and Michelle Quach.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection | Friendship and misunderstanding go hand in hand in this layered character study of a teen who longs to be accepted.
—School Library Journal

A refreshing look at a teen girl who doesn’t have it all together, makes mistakes, and learns from them.
—Booklist

Debut author Brittan gives Ros a satisfying character arc that’s influenced by her desire to fit in and her struggles reconciling with her Scottish and Turkish ancestry as someone living in a majority-white town. Compassionate text highlights character flaws while encouraging growth and deftly tackles issues surrounding islamophobia and self-esteem.
—Publishers Weekly

An engaging story with a rightfully complex protagonist.
—Kirkus Reviews | Leyla Brittan is a Turkish-American writer. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a secondary concentration in computer science from Harvard University, and an MFA from the University of Wyoming. Leyla is also a graduate of the Tin House YA Novel Workshop, and her short fiction has recently appeared in The Harvard Advocate, 5x5, and Pigeon Pages. Originally from Westchester, she’s worked as an outdoor sports journalist and travel writer, as well as in film and television. Find her online at  www.leylabrittan.com and @leylabrittan