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Kelis Rowe

“I write novels about bookish, brooding Black girls who are stronger than they know
and the sweet, sensitive Black boys who just want to love them.”

On Sale
January 12, 2027

From the author of the award-winning YA novel, Finding Jupiter comes a powerful new novel about self-discovery, healing, and first love.

Sixteen-year-old Skye is an expert at pretending to be okay. Ever since a family tragedy almost a year ago, she’s hidden her pain behind a fake smile—for her parents, her therapist, her friends, and her seemingly perfect boyfriend, Malik. 

When a viral video at prom exposes a huge betrayal in front of the entire school, Skye’s carefully curated life unravels.

Suddenly, she is at the center of a life she no longer recognizes. Meanwhile, she feels an unexpected connection to the writings of Sylvia Plath and, while completing a project based on the The Bell Jar, she meets Ace, the quiet new boy who should be off-limits but seems to understand the parts of her that she works hardest to hide. As their connection deepens, Skye must decide whether she’s ready to stop pretending and confront what she’s been hiding from.

Okay Girl is a powerful and moving novel that sensitively explores one Black teen’s journey toward love and healing after trauma. The back of the book features an afterword about mental health support and resources from child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Nakia Scott.

Okay Girl is giving I’m Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower with a taste of Girl Interrupted, but make it Black and #bookish. Perfect for fans of The Sky Is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson and The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. PRE-ORDER HERE.