What I Like about You - by Marisa Kanter (Hardcover)

About the Book

When Halle Levitt arrives to spend senior year in her grandfather's small town, she meets Nash, her online best friend who thinks her online persona, Kels, is as confident and popular as he is.

Book Synopsis

"Heartwarming, endearing, and sure to leave you swooning, What I Like About You shines with authentic characters you will absolutely fall in love with. This story is as sweet as the cupcakes you'll be craving by the end!" --Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author

Can a love triangle have only two people in it? Online, it can...but in the real world, its more complicated. In this debut novel that's perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Morgan Matson, Marisa Kanter hilariously and poignantly explores what happens when internet friends turn into IRL crushes.

Is it still a love triangle if there are only two people in it?

There are a million things that Halle Levitt likes about her online best friend, Nash.

He's an incredibly talented graphic novelist. He loves books almost as much as she does. And she never has to deal with the awkwardness of seeing him in real life. They can talk about anything...

Except who she really is.

Because online, Halle isn't Halle--she's Kels, the enigmatically cool creator of One True Pastry, a YA book blog that pairs epic custom cupcakes with covers and reviews. Kels has everything Halle doesn't: friends, a growing platform, tons of confidence, and Nash.

That is, until Halle arrives to spend senior year in Gramps's small town and finds herself face-to-face with real, human, not-behind-a-screen Nash. Nash, who is somehow everywhere she goes--in her classes, at the bakery, even at synagogue.

Nash who has no idea she's actually Kels.

If Halle tells him who she is, it will ruin the non-awkward magic of their digital friendship. Not telling him though, means it can never be anything more. Because while she starts to fall for Nash as Halle...he's in love with Kels.

Review Quotes

"Offering a fun look at the world of online dating, Marisa Kanter's What I Like About You will warm your heart."--Insider.com "September 2020"

"A charming, witty story about authenticity in the social media age, told with a wink and a string of heart-eyes emojis."

--BookPage "April 2020"

"Cupcake cute and Belle-brainy. Fans of Miranda Kenneally and Jenny Han will like Kanter's smart (and a little bit awkward) main character whose romance is based on more than the physical...but also the physical"--School Library Journal "February 2020"

"With humor and compassion, Kanter's debut is fun to read...Kudos to Kanter for featuring Jewish teens and telling a sweet story that also examines the blurring of online and real lives."

--Booklist "March 15, 2020"

"WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU is utterly unputdownable and completely enchanting. Along with fantastic Jewish representation, Kanter's debut is an ode to fandoms, teen readers, and the friendships we make through our communities, on and offline. So fun, so relatable, I was rooting for Halle and Nash the whole time."

--Katherine Locke, award-winning author of THE GIRL WITH THE RED BALLOON and co-editor of IT'S A WHOLE SPIEL

"What I Like About You is real, relatable, and as sweet as a One True Pastry cupcake. Marisa Kanter's voice will resonate with readers. I couldn't put this one down!"--Gloria Chao, author of American Panda and Our Wayward Fate

"Heartwarming, endearing, and sure to leave you swooning, What I Like About You shines with authentic characters you will absolutely fall in love with. This story is as sweet as the cupcakes you'll be craving by the end!"--Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Five Feet Apart

"This book is like a cupcake - delicious and to be devoured in one sitting."--Laura Silverman, author of Girl Out of Water and You Asked for Perfect

"We fell in love at first DM with this delightfully readable debut. Equal parts clever contemporary romance and celebration of the joys of reading and connecting with people regardless of distance or medium, What I Like About You is what we love about YA."--Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of If I'm Being Honest

"With a charming, modern teen voice and a cast of characters I refuse to believe aren't real people, this debut explores the connections we make online and IRL. A love letter to storytelling, fandom, and all kinds of friendships, I'm still hugging What I Like About You tightly to my chest."--Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone

About the Author

Marisa Kanter is a young adult author, amateur baker, and reality television enthusiast. She is the author of What I Like About You and As If on Cue. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in the publishing industry to help books find their perfect readers. She currently lives in Los Angeles, writing love stories by day and searching for the perfect slice of pizza by night. Follow her at MarisaKanter.com.