The Love Interest coming November 12, 2024 from Bloomsbury YA; 400 pages
Content Warning: Violence, anxiety, panic attacks, misogyny, sexism
About the Author: “Helen spent a decade as a theatre stage manager, walking and talking very quietly backstage in theatres around the country. Her time working at Shakespeare’s Globe, and with Wise Children Theatre Company, cemented her love of theatre and allowed her to travel around the world looking for stories. After squeezing her writing into days off and train journeys, Helen left the touring life to settle in South Wales and dedicate herself to writing joyful (and ridiculous) books. When she’s not writing, you can find her hiking around the Welsh countryside with her dog, Cocoa” (Bio from author’s website).
Find Helen Comerford on the following platforms:
In a world where some people develop superpowers and heroes are prophesied, 17-year-old Jenna Ray’s coastal town is the location of the next big prophecy. A new hero usually emerges alongside catastrophe, and when she’s caught in a fire that threatens countless civilians, Jenna becomes the first save of the new superhero, Blaze. As a result, she gets cast as the Love Interest by the public and the Heroics and Power Authority (HPA). The only problem is that Jenna wants nothing to do with the HPA, and being the Love Interest means being the constant target of villain attacks. However, when the Villains approach her for her help uncovering the truth about the HPA and what happened to her missing mom, Jenna chooses to go undercover as Blaze’s Love Interest. She can’t deny her growing feelings for him, but what she learned about the HPA puts her entire town at risk. It’s up to Jenna to expose the truth and stop the HPA before they destroy everything.
The Love Interest was everything I hoped it would be. It had the essence of a classic superhero story but the heart of a YA fantasy novel where the fate of the world rests in the hands of the teenage heroine. Jenna Ray lived in a world where misogyny ran rampant and the only heroes were men. As a girl, her role would only ever be the supportive Love Interest in the eyes of the HPA and the press. I loved how Comerford took these misogynistic stereotypes that have dominated the majority of superhero stories for decades and made them tangible facts of life. It made her message more powerful, and it caused me to re-examine some of my favorite comic book stories. Not only did she display the power of a female hero, but Comerford also showed how heroes of any gender aren’t always faultless. The incorporation of Jenna’s panic attacks highlighted how strength isn’t just physical as she was fighting internal and external battles throughout the novel. I enjoyed Jenna and Blaze’s romance as well. Blaze might have been the hero, but Jenna saved him almost as much as he saved her. They were a team, and I would’ve loved some more bonding scenes between them. The ending was perfect, too. It opened the door for a sequel, which could be the perfect opportunity to build on the storylines introduced in this first book. I have a feeling this is just the beginning for Jenna Ray, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
The Love Interest releases on November 12, 2024.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank NetGalley and Bloomsbury YA for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Sam Yanis, Pine Reads Review Lead Writer