Lake Life
Written by Tanya Boteju
Published by Quill Tree Books
This is definitely not how Maya wanted to spend the summer—depressed at her once-beloved cabin in Spruce Lake, and unable to avoid seeing her lifelong best friend, Rashida, after confessing her woefully unrequited love to her last year. Maya can’t decide if she wants to escape, or convince Rashida they’re still meant to be.
Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mom in hopes she stays out of trouble. Gabe is NOT excited to be here. She does NOT like nature. She does NOT want to spend her summer in a tiny town with outdoorsy environmentalist types.
Gabe is pretty sure she’ll be spending this entire summer bored and alone…until she meets Maya. Together, they hatch a fake-dating scheme to make Rashida jealous and convince Gabe’s mom that Gabe has turned a wholesome new leaf.
But as the plan plays out, and Gabe and Maya contend with protests, a relentlessly concerned community, and romantic twists, they start to realize that their assumptions about friendship and love might have led them completely astray. Can they find their way through this mess without hurting each other in the process?
Primary ISBN: 9780063358546
Publication Date: May 2026
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 13 or older
Community Represented: Sri Lankan/Sri Lankan American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Activism, Canadian Connection, Cross-Group Dating, Cross-Group Friendship, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Genre: Romance, Identity: Multiracial, LGBTQIA+, Outdoor Exploration, Own Voices/Lived Experience
Setting: Canada (British Colombia)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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