This Above All

by Rachael Quisel

Roo Eaton slapped a no-entry sign on his dating life—being asexual in a high school the size of a fishbowl isn't exactly romance-friendly. But then, on a typical who-set-off-the-alarm-now escapade, he runs into Kate Fontaine—she’s Crestmont U-bound, the holy grail of theater schools, and Roo is plotting his own path there, too.

Juggling directing their senior year play, catching feels, and Kate's closet full of skeletons (like, metaphorically, but with this girl, who knows?) Roo dives heartfirst into a mystery that would make even Sherlock raise an eyebrow. As he untangles this spaghetti bowl of secrets, he's got to figure out how far he’ll go for a chance at being with his person at his dream school.

Will he update his relationship status, or just his understanding of who Kate really is? Packed with humor, heart, and aha moments, Roo's story is about finding your own spotlight, even when everyone else seems to have written your script for you.

262 pages, Paperback

Published November 17, 2024

About the author

Hi, I’m Rachael Quisel! That rhymes with Ms. Frizzle, and we share the same motto, "Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!" I get to do this every day in my role as a Workflow Consultant with XRay. Puzzling solutions to fascinating challenges with the support of an amazing team of people is the best thing ever. I am constantly wondering what I did in my previous life to get so lucky in this one!! I live with my spouse, Tom, in Santa Barbara, CA. He launched his startup, Musubi, a few years ago, and you'll find us sharing take out, bent over our computers, late into the night. When not grinding it out (Grinding out work! What were you thinking?), we are at the behest of the meow-mandates of our three companion animals: Gandalf, Fern, and Clover. Maybe one of these days they'll lay off, so I can dedicate time to getting my other four novels published.

Reviews

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly, this was one of the first books set in high school with an LGBTQ+ character that actually felt normal to me! Often, when reading or watching teen media, there always seem to be experiences that so many teens genuinely aren’t a part of, making it difficult to connect with YA books centered in high school.

I truly recommend this book for anyone looking for asexual representation in a high school setting, especially if you want one with relatable experiences! You can truly put yourself in Roo's (the main character's) shoes. I can't express how much I adore this book. It’s also the perfect gift for friends, siblings, or parents who know any young people looking for a form of media that will make them feel comfortable in their high school experiences and sexuality!

[aspeccharactersoftheday]

Kate Fontaine from This Above All is asexual!
Roo Eaton from This Above All is asexual!

https://aspeccharactersoftheday.tumbl...