Jen Ryland, YA Romantics, and Small Damages

It doesn't matter how many books you've written or reviews you've read; breath holding is a writerly prerequisite.  You wait.  You worry.  You otherwise distract yourself.  And then your sweet Philomel publicist, Jess, sends you a link to something that she thinks you would perhaps like to see.

Goodness.  It was nice to see this—a review from the hugely popular Jen Ryland of YA Romantics, who received an early copy of Small Damages in an ARC trade and blessed me with the generosity of her good opinion. 

It's a wonderful review.  I'm very lucky.  I love that Jen loves my cranky Estela (I worked with her for a decade or more until I got her just right).  I love, in particular, Jen's final words.  The whole review is here.  I tease you with its close: 

Sometimes I think reading so much makes me jaded. I open new books thinking: "yeah, book, how are you going to impress me?" This book didn't employ a single gimmick -- no razzle-dazzle premise or jaw-dropping plot twists or other trendy literary pyrotechnics.  It just told a story, movingly and beautifully. I highly recommend it!