An Otherwise Perfect Plan: A Novel of Mystery, Love, and Chocolate that Defies Description (Winner of Best YA by Kindle Book Awards 2024)
"GET READY TO BE SWEPT AWAY BY GWEN'S UNIQUE VOICE AND HER EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEY"
Midwest Book Review (verdict: MUST READ)
Join Gwen Pendergrass on an unpredictable, laugh-out-loud adventure of self-discovery that is "as amusing as it is engaging" (Booklife Prize). Whether you’re currently a teen, or can barely remember being one, this is a coming-of-age story that will make you laugh, make you care, and take you on a ride you won’t soon forget.
WINNER OF THE 2024 BEST YA NOVEL IN THE KINDLE BOOK AWARDS
At sixteen, Gwen knows exactly one thing about her dad: he must have existed. Though her mom confirms this rather obvious conclusion, she refuses to add anything else about him. Annoying certainly, but honestly, Gwen is fine with it. Really, what would be the point of digging up a past that’s never been part of her present?
The universe, however, has other plans. When Gwen kind of, unexpectedly gets her mom a full-ride scholarship to Yale, it comes with one tiny, little hitch. Her mom plans to turn it down because of her "Parental Responsibilities." Translation: because of Gwen.
Heartsick at being the one thing standing between her mom and her dreams, Gwen is fiercely determined to make it work, one way or another. But try as she might, all she can come up with is one crazy, desperate solution: find her dad.
Armed with nothing but determination, Gwen ropes her ever-loyal, best friend Peter into a whirlwind of white lies, unexpected allies, and laughably disastrous moments. As her quest grows more chaotic by the day, Gwen must navigate family secrets, her own wildly changing emotions, and the mounting pressure to succeed before everything unravels.
Will Gwen get her mom her “happily ever after”, or will her otherwise perfect plan spectacularly crash and burn, taking Gwen’s friendship with Peter and her hopes of love along with it?
A Charming, Inventive YA Novel About Discovering Who You Really Are
In Schafer’s YA novel, a plucky teenage girl ... Gwen narrates the story in first person, and her chatty, incisive voice quickly enthralls the reader... there’s a timeless, almost cinematic quality to the characters and story structure that many readers will happily sink right into.
KIRKUS REVIEWS Verdict: GET IT
Get ready to be swept away by Gwen's unique voice and her extraordinary journey.
Ken Schafer has written a must-read for anyone seeking a heartwarming and humorous tale of self-discovery.
Midwest Book Review Verdict: MUST READ
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Must Read Razor-sharp, equal-parts poignant, funny and perfect
Gwen Pendergrass, the novel’s protagonist, [..a] precocious 16-year-old girl who doesn’t have much, except her books and a vivid imagination which she uses to draw people and situations in her head — pictures that at times, don’t come close to an iota of actuality, but you have to give her props for her brilliance. When she's tasked with a life-changing assignment to pen an essay about the father she never knew, the story takes on a life of its own — a story within a story — as her inquisitive and Einstein-like sleuthing takes her on a brave quest to find him.
Lianna Albrizio, Reedsy Discovery
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ This story is funny, clever, and even poignant
...subtly hilarious, with a compelling plot. In other words, you can't put the book down.
Peggy Lang, Author, Independent Writing and Editing Professional
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ A Fiercely Intelligent, Introspective, And Laugh Out Loud Funny Coming-Of-Age Story.
This coming-of-age story about a teen negotiating her changing feelings for her best friend while tackling life-changing family issues is brilliantly written with a wry wit that perfectly captures the teen protagonist’s cynical yet hopeful view of her world.
Tara Lewis - Book Sirens Review / Former Director, Global Marketing Disney Worldwide Publishing
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Just Wow...
This is one of the best books to have ever crossed my desk; the kind of book that makes you want to read it in one sitting or read it again and again. Truly Amazing.
Sandi Hansen, Seven-Year Veteran Multi-Site Book Reviewer
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