Winner Take All

Darker and weightier than many stories about rivals falling in love, Devore’s second novel draws a blurry line between honest emotions and calculated moves. Although they are both top students at their prestigious private school, Jackson Hart has several things that Nell Becker, the principal’s daughter, lacks—namely wealth, status, and a carefree attitude that makes getting to the top look easy. Jackson has always been serious-minded Nell’s nemesis, but their relationship changes during the spring of their junior year, when Nell finds that she has more in common with Jackson than she thought and stops denying her physical attraction to him. Knowing Jackson has used other girls, Nell is determined not to lose control of her feelings, viewing their flirtations as a game she intends to win, but victory comes with a higher price than she anticipates. The pace is somewhat slow, but Devore (How to Break a Boy) offers an in-depth examination of the protagonists’ complicated psyches and less-than-perfect home lives. Its hard-hitting message about the pressures placed on teens to succeed will be relevant to many readers. Ages 17–up. Agent: Diana Fox, Fox Literary. (Jan.)