I'll Be a Home for You

BRING IT ON meets NEVER HAVE I EVER in this multicultural YA rom-com debut from a "We Need Diverse Books" 2026 mentee, where ex-friends turned enemies strike a deal: the math nerd joins the cheerleading team, the cheerleader joins Mathletes, and they set out on winning two national competitions to secure their college admissions. Perfect for fans of Ann Liang and Talia Hibbert.

They've been homesick for something.
They'll realize it's each other.

High school junior JJ Wyroznicka-Johnson has perfected the art of being an American girl. Since moving from Poland to Massachusetts two years ago, she's ditched her Polish Nigerian name and buried her accent. All that's left? Winning cheerleading nationals, getting into Columbia, and finally fitting in. What's not on the agenda is obsessing over Aang, her ex-friend who kicked her out of the math club last year.

Aang Lau has decided that being American isn't for him. On a mission to reclaim his Hong Kong roots, he plans to win Mathletes nationals and secure admission to Stanford-his gateway to California's Cantonese community. Too bad he can't stop fixating on his sophomore-year heartbreak, when JJ ditched him for the all-American popular kids.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend time together. But one panicked guidance counselor meeting later, JJ's returning to Mathletes while Aang's joining the cheer squad in desperate attempts to win two national titles and boost their college applications.

Two competitions, one shared objective, zero feelings. Until his hands feel perfect on her hips during cheerleading stunts. Until their stares linger over math equations. Until they must decide whether who they've worked to be is worth sacrificing for the one person who makes them feel at home.

Paperback / softback | 400 pages | Published October 2026