Dating is tough for teenagers. There’s so much angst, uncertainty, and confusion, not to mention the risk of rejection. These issues are all the more intense if your love interest happens to be an “It” guy or girl; that is, someone who is ultra-attractive and comes from a celebrity family. High school sophomore Emme feels the full weight of these issues in Krysten Lindsay Hager’s Dating the It Guy. It’s during a summer school course on gender and media that Emme catches the eye of Brendon Agretti. the son of a U.S. senator and “possibly the hottest guy in Michigan, okay, the entire western hemisphere.” The two begin to date but it isn’t long before problems arise. For one thing, Brendon is forever being interrupted by phone calls and committee meetings that he always seems to remember at the last minute. For another, he is constantly approached by other girls who, Emme suspects, would like to take her place. Most notable among these potential rivals is Lauren, who actually was his girlfriend in the not-too-distant past.

As her relationship with Brendon develops, Emme must deal with other challenges. Those include the declining health of two grandparents, who she loves dearly, and a creative writing contest that requires her to give an oral presentation to a live audience — something that makes her “more and more nervous” as the event draws closer. Emme is also burdened by memories of John, her first boyfriend, who cheated on her. She finds support from several friends, including loyal Kylie, flirtatious Margaux, and fellow creative writer Darren, who just might like to be more than her friend. By the time the book ends, Emme has learned more about herself. Following the advice of Cheryl, a life coach she meets at a New Age fair, she begins to rely more on her “own good judgment instead of a card or a horoscope.” Emme also discovers that “It Guy” Brendon has more problems and worries than she imagined.

There were a number of things I liked about Dating the It Guy, starting with the crisp, fast-paced dialogue, which sounds like it comes from the mouths of teenagers. Equally likeable is the main character Emme. This girl is filled with insecurity and doesn’t seem aware that she has a lot going for her. Like so many teenagers, she sees the world in hyperbolic terms (“you’re on a million committees”) and relies on a dry sense of humor to protect her feelings (“I’ve seen dogs chase the mail carrier with more dignity.”) Most of all, the plot itself is believable. Non-celebrity high school kids do occasionally have a chance to date an It guy or girl. And any high school relationship — like the one between Emme and Brendon — is often strained by misunderstanding and a lack of communication. Although much attention is given to Emme’s fashion and make-up choices, imagery isn’t a strong point of this book.  But perhaps it doesn’t need to be, since Dating the It Guy is  a thoroughly entertaining and informative read.

I had a brief interview with Krysten at the 2018 Ohioana Book Festival and learned some of the background to Dating the It Guy.

The inspiration for the story came from a TV program she saw on John F. Kennedy, Jr. It prompted her to wonder what it would be like to date such a high-profile guy in a high school setting.

I asked her about the “supporting cast” in the story. According to Krysten, the other characters serve different purposes for Emme. Kiley is sympathetic and supportive. On the other hand, Emme wishes she had Margaux’s self-confidence, and at one point, tries to model her behavior after Margaux’s. Krysten emphasizes that it’s important for you as an author to let your “characters tell you what to do.”

On the question of how she develops her characters’ dialogue, Krysten said it starts with hearing “voices” in her head and becomes a kind of stream of consciousness. However, she has to be careful that one character’s voice — even from a different book — doesn’t intrude on the voice of another. Asked how an author makes teenage dialogue realistic, she said it may require reading up to 100 YA books before an author can do that automatically. (If so, I’ve got a lot of reading ahead of me.)

Could there be a sequel to Dating the It Guy? Krysten didn’t rule that out, especially since a budding relationship between Margaux and Emme’s cousin Austin opens the door to a new plot twist.

Dating the It Guy can be purchased on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Dating-Guy-Krysten-Lindsay-Hager-ebook/dp/B06XBFRX47. It is also available on Krysten’s Amazon author page at https://www.amazon.com/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager/e/B00L2JC9P2.