Description: From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, Lynn Painter, comes a rags-to-riches rom-com about a small-town girl whose family inherits a fortune and moves to New York City, where she meets a big-city boy hiding an explosive secret.
Julia is just a small-town girl from Nebraska who loves her peaceful life. But when her elderly next-door neighbor--who just happens to be a secret multi-millionaire--leaves everything to Julia and her family after his passing, Julia is swept away to live in a historic brownstone in New York City and attend an elite private school for the super-rich. It should be a dream come true. Wrong. Julia doesn't fit in at her new school; worse, she's failing. Enter Damion, the mysterious and handsome tutor who will get Julia back on track. Except Damion has a secret. He is the great-nephew of the man who left everything to Julia's family. Damion doesn't buy for a second that the person who was like a father to him would leave his home to strangers. And he's determined to prove it. To uncover the truth, Damion schemes to earn Julia's trust. Not an easy task with Julia unsure about this rich boy with a rebellious personality. But the more time Damion spends with Julia, the more his plan begins to backfire. Because he is falling for the enemy--and the enemy is falling for him. As Damion and Julia figure out where they belong, can they see past their differences and act on their feelings, or will the trust Damion has worked so hard to gain fall apart?Brief description: Lynn Painter is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Better Than the Movies, The Do-Over, Betting on You, Mr. Wrong Number, The Love Wager, Nothing Like the Movies, Fake Skating, and Trust Fall. She lives in Nebraska with her husband and pack of wild children, and when she isn't reading or writing, odds are good she's guzzling energy drinks and watching rom-coms. You can find her at LynnPainter.com, on Instagram @LynnPainterBooks, on X @LAPainter, and on TikTok @WesBennettsMom.
Review Quotes: Julia's life changes overnight when her family inherits a fortune from a beloved elderly neighbor. Suddenly, she leaves her small Nebraska town behind for a historic brownstone in New York City and an elite private school filled with wealthy students who seem to know rules Julia never learned. Meanwhile, Damion is grieving, too. His late great-uncle was the one person who encouraged him to follow his own path rather than the future his wealthy parents have planned for him, and he can't understand why the man he loved would leave everything to strangers. Both teens balk when Damion is assigned to be Julia's math tutor, but Julia desperately needs help, and Damion sees an opportunity to prove his assumption that Julia's family are grifters. Determined to resist their mutual attraction, the two teens weaponize sarcasm and mock flirting to hide their true feelings. But the more time they spend together, the harder they fall. Alongside romance, Painter explores trust, identity, and fitting in. The glitzy backdrop of New York's wealthy social scene adds plenty of theater. While there is abundant innuendo, on-page romance is limited to (very steamy) kissing. When combined with strong language and teenage drinking, this makes for a story best suited to high schoolers. Main characters are cued white. VERDICT Painter's many devoted readers will be eagerly awaiting this newest novel, but it is perfect for any fans of enemies-to-lovers romances. Highly recommended for all teen collections--School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW "7/10/26"