She lives with her girlfriend and their loud cat in the Pacific Northwest. They studied evolutionary biology and creative writing (not as different as you might think) at Barnard College. Moderator Jake Maia Arlow (they/she) is a Stonewall Honor author, podcast producer, and bagel connoisseur. She is the author of Ophelia After All, You Don’t Have a Shot, and many unfinished first drafts.

She received a BA in English with an emphasis in creative writing and a minor in gender and sexuality studies from the University of California, Irvine. Racquel Marie (she/her) grew up in Southern California, where her passion for storytelling of all kinds was encouraged by her friends and big family. Sharp, romantic, and deeply emotional, You Don’t Have a Shot is a rivals-to-lovers romance about rediscovering your love of the game and yourself, from the author of Ophelia After All.

When the growing pressure, friendship friction, and her overbearing father push Vale to turn to Leticia for help, what starts off as a shaky alliance of necessity begins to blossom into something more through a shared love of soccer. But the competition might be stiffer than expected, so unless they can get their rookie team’s act together, this second chance-and any hope of playing college soccer-will slip through Vale’s fingers. But after she incites a fight during playoffs with her long-time rival, Leticia Ortiz, everything she’s been working toward seems to disappear.Įmbarrassed and desperate to be anywhere but home, Vale escapes to her beloved childhood soccer camp for a summer of relaxation and redemption…only to find out that she and the endlessly aggravating Leticia will be co-captaining a team that could play in front of college scouts. Her friends, her future, and her father’s intense expectations are all wrapped up in the beautiful game. Valentina “Vale” Castillo-Green’s life revolves around soccer. I don't think anyone will be surprised when I say that Racquel Marie has done it again: this is truly young adult contemporary at its best.' -Jonny Garza Villa, author of the Pura Belpré Honor Book Fifteen Hundred Miles from the SunĪ queer YA romance about rival soccer players from author Racquel Marie, perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy. It's a story of grief and loss, of legacy, of culture, of holding the things and people that bring us joy close. You Don't Have a Shot ' You Don't Have a Shot has every ingredient that makes rivals-to-lovers such a great trope, but it's also so much more.

Almost Flying by Jake Maia Arlow