La Sala, Ryan - Be Dazzled

Alfie, a trans boy with a flair for fashion, finds himself caught in a love triangle between two boys: the brooding and artistic Nico and the confident and popular Luke. As Alfie navigates his feelings and self-discovery, he must decide who truly makes him shine.

Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making—for creation. He's always chosen his art over everything—and everyone—else and is determined to make his mark at this year's biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. There's only one small problem... Raffy's ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.

Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the rhinestone aisle at the local craft store—or at least Raffy thought they did. But Luca's insecurities and Raffy's insistence on crafting perfection caused their relationship to crash and burn. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can't ruin.

But when Raffy is forced to partner with Luca on his most ambitious build yet, he'll have to juggle unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart, and his own intense self-doubt, to get everything he's ever wanted: choosing his art, his way.

LGBT Themes

• Transgender protagonist (Alfie)
• Same-sex relationships (Alfie and Nico, potential relationship with Luke)
• Self-discovery and acceptance

Relevant Tags

• lgbt, lgbtq, young adult, ya, coming of age, romance, fiction, contemporary, transgender

Title: Be Dazzled

Author: Ryan La Sala

Genre: YA Fiction

Pages: 336

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Release Date: February 2024