Blog Tour | Boys I Know by Anna Garcia | Interview

BOYS I KNOW

Author: Anna Garcia

Genre: Young Adult Fiction–Contemporary Romance

Publishing Date: July 26th, 2022

Pages: 352

Synopsis:

June Chu is the “just good enough” girl. Good enough to line the shelves with a slew of third-place trophies and steal secret kisses from her AP Bio partner, Rhys. But not good enough to meet literally any of her Taiwanese mother’s unrelenting expectations or to get Rhys to commit to anything beyond a well-timed joke.

While June’s mother insists she follow in her (perfect) sister’s footsteps and get a (full-ride) violin scholarship to Northwestern (to study pre-med), June doesn’t see the point in trying too hard if she’s destined to fall short anyway. Instead, she focuses her efforts on making her relationship with Rhys “official.” But after her methodically-planned, tipsily-executed scheme explodes on the level of a nuclear disaster, she flings herself into a new relationship with a guy who’s not allergic to the word “girlfriend.”

But as the line between sex and love blurs, and pressure to map out her entire future threatens to burst, June will have to decide on whose terms she’s going to live her life—even if it means fraying her relationship with her mother beyond repair.

TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING(S): Microaggressions, Sex on-page

Book Links: Goodreads | Pre-order

Author Info:

Anna grew up biracial in the Midwest, spending her formative years repeatedly answering the question “What are you?” Before finding her way as a young adult author, she was a CPA, a public school teacher, a tennis coach, and for one glorious summer, a waitress at a pie shop. She now lives on the West Coast, raising three kids and writing stories about girls navigating a world full of double standards.

Thank you to Turn the Page Tours, Edelweiss and the author for providing me with an ARC to read. You can find the other posts on the tour here.

Author Interview:

Q: Hi, Anna! Hope you’re doing well. I am so happy to have you here. Do share a few random facts about yourself with me and my readers.

Ans: Hm. Random facts?

I’ve dyed my hair pretty much every color of the rainbow at some point or other
One of my favorite things to watch is World’s Strongest Man
I will never have the confidence to ride a bicycle without using my hands
I’ve traveled to 6 of 7 continents
I think stargazer lilies smell like dead bodies and immediately throw them out if anyone gives them to me

Q: What gave you the idea to write this novel?

Ans: It started with the political discussion about “defunding” Planned Parenthood back in the run-up to the 2016 US Presidential election, where I wrote an article about the importance of reproductive access and emergency contraceptive care for teens. When I didn’t get it picked up anywhere, I decided to expand the thought into an entire book, spanning a number of situations and scenarios teen girls find themselves encountering when dating.

Q: What can readers expect the characters to be like, going into the book?

Ans: Above all, I hope readers find the characters realistic. They’re messy and infuriating, like so many teens are, but also hopeful and determined. I tried to make my characters as multifaceted as people you would encounter in real life.

Q: Congratulations on your debut novel! What was the writing process like? Did you face any difficulties? What character was your favourite to write?

Ans: I’m not sure anyone writes a book without facing difficulty! I’m a pantser through and through, so my process is fairly chaotic and led to a lot of rewrites. In fact, my agent had me delete my book and start from scratch immediately after signing me! That was probably the hardest thing I’ve been through so far, and I honestly hope to never do it again. It might even scare me to think about outlining something in the future.

My favorite character to write was definitely Mrs. Chu, June’s mom. She’s pushy and nosy, but also hilarious and surprisingly insightful. She’s also the one who quotes all the Chinese proverbs, which is an aspect of the story I hold dear.

Q: Lastly, what message do you hope readers take away from this novel?

Ans: I think the message taken is directly related to whatever the reader needs. If they needed a light, fun read, I hope that’s what they get from it. If it’s validation and representation of their identity, I hope they get that. If it’s a warning about their relationships and not to get caught up in toxicity. I sincerely hope this novel gives it to them. Stories are like art-–everyone sees something different in it.

Is this book on your TBR? Or have you already received and read an ARC? Let me know in the comments!