If you read romance novels and want a younger take on the classic story line, or if you are a reader of young adult fiction and are tired of the vampire, fantasy quest, or post-apocalyptic adventure books out there, this book may be for you. Romancing the Nerd by Leah Rae Miller tells the story of two high school students, told in alternating chapters from both perspectives.
Until recently, Dan Garret was a typical nerd: lover of comic books and video games. While he has friends there’s no girlfriend in the picture. Cue a massive growth spurt and the sudden ability to sink three-pointers in basketball and Dan skyrockets overnight from nerd-dom to the most popular jock in the school. Meanwhile, tuba playing Zelda Potts with her video game name and eclectic fashion sense loses a friend and secret crush to a completely different social circle at school. When Dan inadvertently humiliates Zelda, she hatches a secret plan to exact revenge, but nerd style. The trouble is, her plan may just backfire. Or perhaps Zelda doesn’t have all the story of why and how Dan could turn his back on all his nerdy friends to hang out with the popular basketball crowd. Dan is missing is former life and wonders why Zelda has been so distant lately.
Leah Rae Miller is a new author to the shelves of the Port Library. She has one other book published that will be available later this summer at the library, and it is a continuation of the same characters. In The Summer I Became a Nerd the story follows Dan’s best friend Logan and his own nerdy romance with Maddie.
You can get the book reviewed here and more great titles to watch, read, listen to, or play with at the Port Library at 1718 N. Hersey in Beloit.