The One True Me and You

England (Spellhacker) plays on the collision between the pageant circuit and fandom culture in this queer romance about two teens who arrive at the same hotel for a weekend. Kay, a fanfic writer attending a fan convention, is hoping for a chance to land a writing opportunity, use they/them pronouns, and work up the courage to kiss a girl. Pageant contestant Teagan, Miss Virginia, is hoping to secure the last win she needs to pay for college so she can finally be out as a lesbian. They share a common enemy in Madison, Miss North Carolina, a bully determined to win the pageant and torment both Kay and Teagan. Through a series of chance meetings, secret hangouts, and text messages, Kay and Teagan both fall for each other. The pageant is portrayed as a milieu rife with toxicity, including homophobia and racism, while the fandom community is described as imperfectly accepting. Though conflicts melt away without resolution, and characters of color take the roles of “protective” friends who further the white protagonists’ goals, Kay and Teagan’s affirming romance, and the wish-fulfillment narrative of escaping societal norms and finding oneself, will resonate. Ages 12–up. Agent: Eric Smith, P.S. Literary. (Mar.)