Emily: a YA spin on Austen’s Emma

Emily Holzhaus, beautiful, clever, and popular, had lived nearly ten and seven years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

…Except, with her sister moving out and getting married, how can Emily apply to UCLA? Her father dreads an empty house, and he expects Emily to stay close.

…And then there’s Blake, who persists in his frowny face disapproval of what will be Emily’s matchmaking triumph: the sweet and zany Harryet with the smooth yet vulnerable Elton. Blake tells Emily to stop meddling, but he can’t see the magic like Emily can.

…Ooh, and perfect Jane Santiago, who’s hiding a secret boyfriend. Who wouldn’t be distressed or vexed (or, okay, intrigued) by that? “Just leave it alone, Em,” Blake says, but flawless, thousand point GPA Jane has a clandestine romance? As if there’s anyone in the world who can leave that alone.

But when Emily’s matchmaking and sleuthing reveal unexpected truths, she is forced to reevaluate what is most important in a friend—and what to do with longstanding friendships that are rancid beneath the surface.

Humorous, smart, and fun, Emily is a YA spin on Austen’s Emma about what happens when plans unravel, friendships evolve, and secrets explode.

About the Author:

Kirstin Odegaard, loves tea, books, Swedish fish, and Goldfish crackers. (All four together = bliss.)

She studied at Berkeley and Harvard and taught preschool, high school, and college English. She now runs a tutoring center and enjoys getting paid to give her students advice on their love lives (oh, and also to teach them stuff).

She’s the mother of three: a son who talks about Legos, a daughter full of stories about her stuffed lamb (and Lambie is not the quiet, meek sort), and a baby who makes sure he is heard. She also has a husband who has a lot to say about robots. And a dog who barks and barks.

There wasn’t a lot of talking space left, so she started writing. First Impressions is her debut novel.