Part One: The Teenage Life of Juniper Justice

by Larae M. Sanchez

Juniper Justice is the youngest child of Clarissa Clyde, the Hollywood IT girl of the 1980s to the early 2000s. After Clarissa's accidental overdose when Juniper was only six, Juniper was left under the guardianship of her oldest sister, Joanne, and her husband. Because of what happened to their mother, Joanne hates the idea of acting, film, and Hollywood. Now Juniper is in high school and out of all of her siblings, she is the only one to look IDENTICAL to their mom and the only one to share the same passion as their mother.

While trying to reach her wildest dream, Juniper falls in love with high school football star, Ryan Knox. Making Juniper more like her mother, other than their love for acting. This is the first part of how Juniper becomes as Legendary as her mother was...

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2024

Reviews

[Keri M · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an adorable coming of age story! Juniper is trying to find herself while navigating all the things teenagers have to navigate, with the added task of being a celebrities daughter. A great story with characters that you will thoroughly enjoy!

[Brandi Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very cute romance. Loved following the story of Juniper as she was growing up and dealing with life through high school and college.

[kimiwheelielovesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a heartwarming story about your first love and all the emotions that come with it.

In The Teenage Life of Juniper Justice we follow Juniper as she manages High School as a clone of her very famous mother. She's been sheltered from the limelight as a result of what her mother went through, being famous isn't for the faint of heart. Juniper's family is extra protective since she not only shares her mother's looks by drive to be in the limelight.

Well, we all know High School isn't easy especially if you're more shy and reserved. In walks Football star Ryan who takes a special interest in Juniper and as their romance develops, so do both of their passions. And as they both approach College will they be one of the lucky ones that make it or will a secret come out and tear them apart?

Tropes:
- First Love
- Sports Romance
- Second Chance
- Small Town Romance
- Little Rom-Com Vibes

Triggers:
- Mature Content
- Unfaithfulness
- Sexual Content (Not Explicit) 🌶️.5-🌶️

Thank you to Larae for letting me be apart of your ARC Team, I can't wait for Part 2 of Juniper's story!!

[DesanaRose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received "The Teenage Life of Juniper Justice" as an ARC. It follows Juniper, who is adopted by her siblings after the untimely death of her famous mother. Her mother was a beloved actress but had a notorious reputation for bad luck in relationships, resulting in, I believe, 10 children (some through marriage).

Juniper, the youngest, is shy, smart, and driven. She happens to look the most like her mother. She secretly wants to follow in her mother's footsteps as an actress but keeps this desire hidden due to her siblings' potential disapproval, given their mother's history and how she died.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I appreciate that, despite the tragedy, the family, including extended members, stayed together. I won't reveal more to avoid spoiling the book😉

[Julia Heart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an inspiring read, offering a unique take on the coming-of-age story. It focuses on a shy girl’s transformation and how she navigates high school-aged challenges. The book’s refusal to portray the main character as a dim-witted damsel in distress or to indulge in melodrama is genuinely refreshing and uplifting.

Our main character, Juniper, faces the daunting task of following in her mother’s footsteps while staying true to herself. The book beautifully navigates this journey of personal growth with grace and style, a critical aspect that will surely resonate with readers.

I spent every page rooting for Juniper and enjoyed getting to know her. I can’t wait for the second book!!

[Mabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Follow Your Dream

Larae has written a charming and relatable coming of age book.

During the ages of 15-18 we see the challenges that a teen could encounter. Her first love was a huge challenge. She needed to be free to make decisions on her own and to go at her pace. Fortunately, she fell in love with a respectable football player, Ryan. He let Juniper set the pace for their relationship.

Ryan also encouraged Juniper to follow her dreams of becoming an actress.

You discover how distance can affect a relationship and also discover that true love can prevail.

Looking forward to the next two versions to see where life leads Juniper Justice.

[Emilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminds me of Selena Quintanilla’s life. There are obviously differences between this book and her life, but it really reminded me of the singer. The singer had a bond with her family unlike any other, and she was so talented. I am a huge fan of Selena and I appreciated that this story reminded me of her a little bit.

This story is about your first love, going for your dreams and the bond of family. Definitely an emotional punch and a coming of age story.

Not what I would normally pick up to read, but I enjoyed it a lot.

[Kristy Mullins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a coming of age story that gave you all the feels. It will take you back to those teen years with all of the emotions. It was written from the perspective of a 15-18 ( as she aged) and that was captured well. It did have a lot of spice, so is for a more mature audience. I enjoyed the book and look toward to seeing what the future holds for Juniper!

[Lyra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a sweet trip back to high school and college. It’s fun to follow Juniper as she finds a way to love up to her life long goals while navigating family, friends, and school. She and Ryan are such a cute couple! There are plot twists I didn’t see coming at all, cute and sweet scenes between Juniper and Ryan, and leaves you waiting for the rest of her story.

[Jessica Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was one of the ARC Readers for this book and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed it! I’m not one for this type of genre usually but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy the story. I loved the MC a lot and loved how we were given a backstory on her right from the offset.
I also have a review on my TikTok of this particular book. 📕

[AbbieReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story brings out all the emotions! We follow Juniper Justice navigate loss, first love, heartbreak and see her discover who she really is! I was so sad it ended and I can’t wait for the next book!

[Wendy Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

sweet coming of age story

Juniper is growing up in the shadow of her famous mother. Getting through high school is hard, falling in love the first time is thrilling, and chasing your dreams can be scary. Very sweet and relatable.

[Shawna Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to Life

I know it’s fictional but it took me right back to high school. Filled with first loves and drama. Can’t wait to see what Juniper does next and if Ryan continues to act right!

[Hollie Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binged this in a day! All I can say is, WHATS NEXT OMGGGGG

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book 📖. I can't wait to read the part two of this series.

[Hazel_Lee_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

A heartwarming story about family bonds, going for your dreams and your first love. I enjoyed reading this book. Can't wait till book 2.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was beautifully written & recaptures the nostalgia of high school, falling in love for the first time, all while finding the courage to become an actress, just like her mother, who like many others, fell victim to the limelight and everything that comes along with it.

I fell in love with Juniper’s resilience as she navigates the path to her dream while facing adversity from family members who want to protect her from falling down the same path as her mother.

The love story between Juniper & Ryan, and the support they have for one another and their dreams is truly one to admire. But as with any high school romances, seasons change & reality hits when Ryan goes to college.

This story resonates on that personal level for me because I know all too well how it feels to not have that support. Very well done Larae!!!👏👏👏

I look forward to reading part 2!

[Rose Brate · Rating 5 out of 5]

She has her mother’s face, her mother’s passion… and maybe her mother’s fate.

Juniper Justice is a heroine you won’t forget. From the very first page, I was swept into her world, full of ambition, love, and the shadow of a Hollywood legacy that both inspires and haunts her. This author, the talented Larae Sanchez, paints Juniper’s journey with cinematic beauty, every scene vivid enough to play out in your mind. Her romance with Ryan Knox is tender yet electric, and the echoes of her mother’s story give the narrative a pulse that kept me turning the pages. This isn’t just a coming-of-age story; it’s the start of a legend in the making. And lucky me, I have the second book in the series. I can't wait to continue Juniper's journey. Very well done, Larae Sanchez. Bravo!

[Christine Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part One: The Teenage Life of Juniper Justice was a great coming of age story!

It follows, Juniper Justice, the daughter of a famous movie star and large blended family as she navigates being a teenager, high school, finding her first love while also figuring out how to make her own dreams of becoming an actress one day come true.

There are a lot of relatable characters and situations that will make you, laugh, cry, get a little angry but are very nostalgic of that time in your life and what being a teenager was like.

Highly recommend and cannot wait to read book 2!

[Margaret Weber · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a heartwarming story following the life of Juniper Justice, who is the youngest child of Clarissa Clyde, an actress who was legendary and died from addiction. This follows Juniper through high school, where she meets and falls in love with Ryan. Can their love overcome heartbreak when Juniper learns a secret of Ryan's? I recommend this book, especially if you love ya, true love, blended family dynamics, and just an overall sweet coming of age story. I will definitely be reading book 2 to find out more about Juniper and Ryan and Juniper's acting career.

[Ashley Calvert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was a good book! I love a good coming of age love story.

Juniper lost her mom at the age of 6. She was a famous actress and Juniper wanted to be an actress too. She met and fell in love with her high school, football player, boyfriend, Ryan. Ryan was the perfect gentleman and Juniper was so in love with him.

This story had the perfect amount of relationship buildup and navigating life as a celebrity daughter. I would definitely recommend reading this. The story ended well and leaves me wondering what’s next for Juniper.

[J.M. Gokey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic coming of age story! Imagine going through high school as a shy awkward teen forced to live in the shadow of your famous actress mother who met a tragic end. High school is difficult enough as it is. Part One shows Juniper’s experience navigating through high school in very formative years including first love and heartbreak

This was a well thought out read and I’m excited to continue the series!