Warm and funny, this coming-of-age romcom from teen author Yvonne Woon is set in Silicon Valley and delves into the questions we all ask when making mistakes—in life and in love—perfect for fans of Emergency Contact and When Dimple Met Rishi. Now available in paperback.
“This page-turner offers a peek into the dark side of Silicon Valley and sheds light on issues hidden beneath the glitz of startup culture, including old-boy networks, unsustainable lifestyles, and the lure of promises that are too good to be true. A riveting cautionary tale." -Kirkus Reviews
Xia is stuck in a lonely, boring loop. Her only escapes are Wiser, an artificial intelligence app she designed to answer questions as her future self, and a mysterious online crush she knows only as ObjectPermanence.
Until one day Xia enrolls at the Foundry, an app incubator for tech prodigies in Silicon Valley, and suddenly anything is possible. Flirting with Mast, a classmate also working on AI, leads to a date. Speaking up generates a vindictive nemesis intent on publicly humiliating her. And running into Mitzy Erst, Foundry alumna and Xia’s idol, could give Xia all the answers.
And then Xia receives a shocking message from ObjectPermanence. He is at the Foundry, too. Xia is torn between Mast and ObjectPermanence—just as Mitzy pushes her towards a shiny new future. Xia doesn’t have to ask Wiser to know: The right choice could transform her into the future self of her dreams, but the wrong one could destroy her.
- A Smart, Techy Romcom: Xia’s a coder who’s more comfortable with an AI than people. When she lands a spot at a prestigious Silicon Valley incubator, she has to navigate code, crushes, and competition.
- Rivals to Romance: Mast is her brilliant, charming competitor in the AI space. Flirting with the competition is a bad idea… right?
- An Online Crush IRL: She’s been falling for ObjectPermanence for a year online. Now he’s at the same incubator, and she has no idea who he is.
- High-Stakes Competition: At the Foundry, only one student will win the funding to launch their app. With a nemesis trying to sabotage her and a complicated mentor, Xia will have to fight for her future.
