“Anita Kelly has crafted a story that’s as sweet as a glazed donut. And my advice to readers? Have a dozen on hand before you start. The only thing you’ll crave more than the next page of this book is a delicious donut. Anita nails the stress and anxiety of being a teen while just living as a teen, smoothly oscillating from panic attacks, family turbulence, and the looming future to flirting, kisses, and adorable first dates. I had an absolutely delicious time!”—Samantha Markum, author of This May End Badly “An absolute knockout of a debut. Penny’s voice sparkles with wit, and the portrayal of her anxiety deftly balances honesty and humor to make readers feel not just seen, but cared for. This book so thoughtfully takes on the big, messy project of growing up: figuring out who you are, and then maybe changing your mind, and being loved for it—not in spite of it. A warm, well-crafted romance runs alongside a resonant reminder that when it comes to our goals there is so much value in the trying, no matter where we land in the end. Sure to be one of my favorite books of the year, Donut Summer is a gift to me and everyone who has the good fortune to read it.”—Ellen O’Clover, author of Seven Percent of Ro Devereux"Donut Summer's complicated, beautiful layers are woven together with a fun, sweet cast of goofballs I'm obsessed with. An absolute delight!"—Jenna Miller, author of We Got the Beat“Heartwarming and authentic, with a prickly yet adorable trans femme love interest I've been waiting for! Anita Kelly's young adult debut is as touching as to be expected. In Donut Summer, Kelly skillfully negotiates the nuance of gender and mental health within a queer high school relationship through Penny and Mateo's charming love story.”—Page Powars, author of And They Were RoommatesDonut Summer has the sweetness of a glazed original and the substance of a jelly-filled, boxed up in a delicious YA romance package. Penny and Mateo’s dynamic is honest and adorable as they navigate first love, questions of identity, fears for the future—and a temperamental coffee machine. I ate up every crumb of this cozy read!—Kaitlyn Hill, author of Wild About YouLike the very best of its namesake confection, Donut Summer is tender, sweet, and absolutely irresistible. Sharing Penny’s whip-smart, often worried headspace will be deeply relatable to anxious readers, and her summer romance with Mateo is as refreshingly real and grounded as it is dreamy. Anita Kelly’s YA debut is a testament to queer kids changing the world, even when it’s one donut at a time. An instant favorite!—Christen Randall, National Bestselling Author of The No-Girlfriend Rule“Kelly’s YA debut is a character-driven story. A sweet love story set against a well-drawn Pacific Northwest background.”—Kirkus Reviews“The characters’ natural-feeling missteps add charm to this gentle romance from Anita Kelly.”—Publishers Weekly“Kelly’s YA debut unfurls as a delicious slow burn. Never shying away from the hard conversations about queerness, gender, and acceptance (but with great respect for Mateo’s identity and pronouns), Kelly spins a delectable love story with a powerful message.”—Booklist (starred review)“Kelly delivers a big-hearted story about queer love, small town pride, and youth activism that has excellent mental health and anxiety representation. A perfect addition to libraries, sure to resonate with fans of authors like Lynn Painter and Jennifer Dugan.”—SLJ (starred review)
