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“Seventeen-year-old Jimena Ramos learns that although her family immigrated to New York City legally from Peru when she was a toddler, their visa expired years ago and she is now living in the United States illegally. Desperate to change that, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that takes her through a maze of online dating and creepy classifieds in search of a green card marriage. …Through laughter, love, and unforeseen challenges, readers follow Jimena in a tale that delicately balances the lighthearted moments with the profound struggles of living in the shadows. …Here is a novel that brightly celebrates resilience, determination, and the universal desire for a place to call home.”

– School Library Journal, Starred Review

Just Say Yes

Written by Goldy Moldavsky
Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Seventeen-year-old Jimena Ramos is your typical teenage New Yorker—dazzling, fearless, and determined. When she discovers she’s been living her life undocumented, she decides there’s only one way to keep it on track: marry an American.

Maybe Jimena can find a husband on a dating app?

Maybe she should try approaching this marriage thing like a business deal?

Or maybe her new starry-eyed activist friend can help . . .

Meanwhile, the only person she can trust with her secret is Vitaly, her overachieving and adorkable next-door neighbor and friend. Vitaly makes it clear he’s not a candidate for a green card marriage though. He has his own plans for the future and won’t let anything derail them. But as Jimena and Vitaly confide in each other, sparks fly, and their feelings for each other become undeniable.

Jimena faces an impossible choice–continue to pursue a secure future in the only home she’s ever known, or risk it all for real love?

Primary ISBN: 9781250863249
Publication Date: January 2024
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 14 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (New York City NY)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Immigrant

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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