A debut young adult rom-com about an African American ballerina who finds love on the road to an audition.

"In a world where it's easy to lose faith in love, I Wanna Be Where You Are is a brilliant burst of light. A dazzling debut." ― Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out

When Chloe Pierce’s mom forbids her to apply for a spot at the dance conservatory of her dreams, she devises a secret plan to drive two hundred miles to the nearest audition. But Chloe hits her first speed bump when her annoying neighbor Eli insists upon hitching a ride, threatening to tell Chloe’s mom if she leaves him and his smelly dog, Geezer, behind. So now Chloe’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast―two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist on repeat.

Filled with roadside hijinks, heart-stirring romance, and a few broken rules, Kristina Forest's I Wanna Be Where You Are is a YA debut perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.

One reviewer called this a pitch-perfect, utterly charming rom-com. From the publisher: "Following in the footsteps of her überfamous grandma, 18-year-old Evie Jones is poised to be Hollywood's next big star. That is until a close friend's betrayal leads to her being blacklisted. Fortunately, Evie knows just the thing to save her floundering career: a public appearance with America's most beloved actress - her grandma Gigi, aka the Evelyn Conaway. The only problem? Days before Evie plans to present her grandma with an honorary award in front of Hollywood’s elite, Gigi does the unthinkable: She disappears. With time running out and her comeback on the line, Evie reluctantly enlists the help of the last person to see Gigi before she vanished: Milo Williams, a cute musician Evie isn't sure she can trust. As Evie and Milo conduct a wild manhunt across New York City, romance and adventure abound while Evie makes some surprising discoveries about her grandma - and herself."

I adored Kristina Forest’s YA novels Now That I’ve Found You and I Wanna Be Where You Are, so when I heard she penned a bookish adult romance, I was ready to be charmed. Lily Greene dreams of editing children’s books like the fantasy novels she grew up reading, but for now she’s stuck with nonfiction and no career advancement on the horizon. As a means of escape, she strikes up an email correspondence with the author of her favorite obscure fantasy novel, someone she admires and sees as a potential mentor. Unbeknownst to Lily, this author is actually around her age and moves into her apartment building a few months later. These two shy, quiet bibliophiles find friendship and perhaps something more, even as author Nick Brown discovers Lily is indeed his mystery pen pal.