Stealing Parker

Publishers Weekly

Parker Shelton wants everyone to know one thing about her: she likes boys. After her mother divorced her father for another woman, Parker has made it her goal to be seen with guys. Lots of them. But when not-quite-legal Parker sets her sights on the boys’ baseball coach, things get dicey—even for her. Parker is also growing closer to her academic rival, Will, a thoughtful, chivalrous guy who her newly out BFF Drew secretly has the hots for, too. Further complicating matters: a brother who’s constantly drunk or high, a father who thinks the church has all the answers, and a former friend intent on taking Parker down. Kenneally (Catching Jordan) writes with heart, earnestly tackling such challenges as being a teen with a gay parent and being unsure of one’s faith. Parker’s insecurities, her desire to be loved, and her uncertainty about how far to take her steamy but illegal relationship are realistic. Not only will readers want to see Parker find true love, they’ll also hope she learns to love herself. Ages 13–up. Agent: Sara Megibow, Nelson Literary Agency. (Oct.)

From the Publisher

"Don't hesitate to pick this book up. It's an incredibly well-written, beautiful story that balances romance, drama and comedy perfectly." - Bookish

"Stealing Parker is originally fresh, funny, daring, and touching with totally unforgettable characters." - Jean Book Nerd

"Miranda Kenneally really knows how to hook a reader! . . . Miranda Kenneally tackles some heavy issues, but she does so with ease and charm." - YA Love Blog

"Stealing Parker had me absolutely captured in its spell — I refused to put it down until the very last page. I was sobbing and giggling and fanning myself from the swoon." - Hobbitsies

"I'm certain you will laugh, and I guarantee you will swoon, Sealing Parker is a fantastic companion to Catching Jordan with its own set of wonderful characters." - Xpresso Reads

"The romance takes a more meandering route to get to its final destination, delighting us with tension while also sometimes cruelly playing with our fragile hearts to keep us coiled tight the entire time we're reading. Ms. Kenneally is quickly becoming a favorite contemporary young adult author, and I am more than eagerly anticipating what romantic roller coaster she'll take me on next." - Supernatural Snark

"[One] of the season's most highly anticipated titles." - Los Angeles Times

" Stealing Parker in 5 words: Cute with a capital C!" - Once Upon a Twilight

"Readers of this teen novel will appreciate its realistic and witty dialogue as they navigate its tightly packed plot." - Kirkus

"Kenneally has hit a home run! She uses a deft hand to deal with big issues: a complex sexual dynamic, a volatile family situation and a crisis of faith. Solidly developed and lovable characters, a complex plot and some humor make this a great read. With all the romance-based YA out there, Kenneally definitely stands apart." - RT Book Reviews

VOYA

Seventeen-year-old Parker’s life is falling apart. Her mom divorced and moved away after coming out as gay. To counter fellow students’ jibes about her own sexuality, she loses weight, dates lots of boys, and quits the girls’ softball team, even though she loves playing. At the urging of her best and only friend, Drew, she becomes the manager of the boys’ baseball team, where she develops a huge crush on the new twenty-three-year-old assistant coach, Brian. She would like more of a relationship than hidden kisses, but he is aware of the possible trouble if discovered with an underage student. Complicating this is her fledgling friendship with Will, the object of Drew’s affection, who finally admits that he is gay. Parker’s father’s religious community is ultraconservative and harshly judges those who transgress or are simply related to those who do. Parker must deal with her mother’s sexuality and abandonment, her parents’ divorce, loss of friends, her brother’s substance abuse, and more. When events spiral out of control, she calls her mother, who immediately comes for comfort, parental guidance, and love. Kenneally shows both the negative and positive reactions by authority figures (the church, the school, parents), as well as the anguish associated with the road to maturity. Even though the main character is female, the book may find male teen readers because of the baseball and teen dating interactions. It is a good choice for initiating discussion about premature judgment, bullying, and sexual choice and acceptance. Ages 12 to 18.

School Library Journal

Gr 8 Up—A companion to Catching Jordan (Sourcebooks, 2011), this novel is set in the same Tennessee high school and has similar elements (a smart, athletic girl in a love triangle with hot, athletic boys), this time with baseball and softball at the center instead of football. And the formula works. Parker Shelton considers herself a good Christian girl; she is a talented athlete, a churchgoing virgin, and the valedictorian of her class. But while she should be worry free, the drama has just begun. To start with, Parker's flirtatious ways have resulted in a not-so-favorable reputation. While it isn't entirely based on fact, Parker does start secretly dating both the 23-year-old high-school baseball coach and the captain of the team. Her usual support system-her best friend, her church, her family-has grown distant for a variety of reasons, leaving her to flounder. By the end, though, Parker has recommitted to protecting herself and doing what is right for her, and has reconnected with some of the strongest people in her life. The teen finds herself in tough situations not because she is foolish or a victim but because of complicated interpersonal, familial, social, and religious reasons, inviting readers to empathize with and not judge her and her peers. Kenneally's respect for her characters is clear, making both Catching Jordan and Stealing Parker positive additions to the teen romance genre.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA

Kirkus Reviews

Readers of this teen novel will appreciate its realistic and witty dialogue as they navigate its tightly packed plot. High-school valedictorian Parker's life has been a crush of sad confusion since her mother left the family to move in with her girlfriend. Ostracized by many of her friends and her church, Parker has quit the softball team and taken to making out with random guys in a heartbreaking effort to prove to her tormentors she's not a lesbian like her mom. When she meets a hot 23-year-old assistant coach at her school, he seems to be a kindred spirit. As things progress and they become physical, however, he seems more interested in trying to convince her to have sex than in talking. Bits of Parker's journal-style writing featured throughout very effectively serve to bring readers into her corner. In a sweetly described romantic turn, she also begins to fall for a longtime acquaintance, but her best friend Drew finally comes out to her and drunkenly confesses a secret crush on him. All of this, plus the poignant details of her home life with a depressed father and drug-abusing brother, eventually drives her to contact her mom and face herself. With characters this nuanced, many teens won't mind all the issues flying fast and furious. (Fiction. 14 & up)