Rhythm & Muse

Cinderella meets Cyrano in this pitch-perfect YA rom-com that is a celebration of Black joy, first crushes, and putting your heart on the line for love.

Darren Johnson lives in his head. There, he can pine for his crush—total dream girl, Delia Dawson—in peace, away from the unsolicited opinions of his talkative family and showboat friends. When Delia announces a theme song contest for her popular podcast, Dillie D in the Place to Be, Darren's friends—convinced he'll never make a move—submit one of his secret side projects for consideration.

After the anonymous romantic verse catches Dillie's ear, she sets out to uncover the mystery singer behind the track. Now Darren must decide: Is he ready to step out of the shadows and take the lead in his own life?

About the Author

India Hill Brown is the author of the NAACP Image Award-nominated middle grade novel The Forgotten Girl and The Girl in the Lake. She graduated from Claflin University with a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in print journalism. She lives in Elgin, SC, with her husband and two sons. Rhythm & Muse is her first young adult novel.

Review

"Featuring caring friends and loving family, this story centering Black characters and narrated by Darren is one of normalcy, introspection, growth, and love. It shows a more tender, vulnerable side of Black American teen males that is not portrayed enough in YA literature. Absorbing, humorous, and honest, the novel ends on a satisfyingly high note." —Kirkus Reviews

Dimensions:  13.34 x 1.91 x 20.32 cm