From the Publisher
"Heartbreaking and deeply honest, True Love and Other Impossible Odds is a beautiful story about loss, second chances, and figuring out who we are." — Dustin Thao, New York Times Bestselling author of You've Reached Sam
“A reminder that love and joy can be found in the most unexpected places, and that there is no pain or tragedy that precludes us from finding our way to the happy ending.” — Sonora Reyes, National Book Award finalist and bestselling author of The Lesbiana’s Guide to Catholic School
"Every now and then you read a book that you know will stay with you for a long time. True Love and Other Impossible Odds is one of those books. Honest, raw, and breathtakingly real." — Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick, New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl
"The blueprint for contemporary coming-of-age. True Love and Other Impossible Odds navigates the complex, beautiful time of burgeoning adulthood, where imperfect understandings of love inspire the greatest plunge toward growth." — Chloe Gong, #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
"The perfect story about the miraculous improbability of love in all its forms. At turns romantic, lyrical, hilarious, and moving, this book is as comforting as a hot drink after a day spent out in the snow with the people you love." — Jake Maia Arlow, bestselling and Stonewall Award-winning author of How to Excavate a Heart
“Earnest and tender. Reading True Love and Other Impossible Odds feels like falling in love for the first time. Christina Li writes with an aching honesty that is both brilliant and heartfelt.” — Tashie Bhuiyan, author of Counting Down With You
"A textured, touching coming of age story that'll leave you believing in the impossible. Layered with echoes of grief, yearning for a perfect path to happiness, and the glory of finding peace in everything from new friends, old loves, and an unexpected future, this is a truly perfect book." — Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All
“The book’s themes—self-development, core living values, the impact of grief, and changing friendships—are well woven into the plot. An engrossing and original coming-of-age story.” — Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
06/14/2024
Gr 10 Up—Can an algorithm help you find your perfect match? Grace Tang, a Chinese American freshman at a small liberal arts college in Vermont, is determined to find out. As a project for her Game Theory class, Grace helps create a survey designed to find people's ideal romance on campus. After the project goes viral, Grace is full of optimism, not only that her own match with classmate Jamie will grow, but also that the success of the algorithm will guarantee her a prestigious summer research position. But as the promising relationships start to crumble, and her feelings for Julia, a classmate on the ski team, become harder to ignore, Grace wonders if she's missed other variables in her quest to systematize love. This sweet romance stands out for its nuanced exploration of the pressure of parental expectations and the complexity of grief. High school readers will be intrigued by the glimpse at college life and root for Grace as she begins to define love and success on her own terms. VERDICT Li's YA debut is a hopeful coming-of-age story with a cozy New England setting.—Emily Yates
Kirkus Reviews
2024-05-17
A highly logical college student attempts to quantify love.
Freshman Grace Tang is rational, viewing not just her math classes through a logical lens but also life itself. While she enjoys her time with roommates Ruhi and Ava, every weekend Grace drives the half hour home to be with her recently widowed father. Li skillfully contrasts Grace’s family dynamics and history with typical college student life, including strategic flashbacks that also boost the narrative tension. When Grace is faced with a group project for her Game Theory and Market Design elective, she proposes applying the stable match algorithm, designing what she’s sure is a foolproof quiz for Leighton College students to find their true loves. Although her intimidating library co-worker, fellow freshman Julia Zhang, who’s also Chinese American, writes a scornful op-ed for the college paper, the app gains in popularity. Grace even starts dating her match, Jamie, a boy from one of her classes. But when couples start breaking up, Grace’s faith in the algorithm wavers, and her world begins to crumble, although her growing feelings for Julia are a bright spot. The book’s themes—self-development, core living values, the impact of grief, and changing friendships—are well woven into the plot and support the characters’ development. While the romance starts off slowly and contains some predictable twists, the emotions and the relationships overall feel realistic.
An engrossing and original coming-of-age story. (Fiction. 14-18)
