Fleabag meets I’m Glad My Mom Died in this fresh and witty debut novel about a former child star trying to step out from the shadow of the character she’s famous for, set against the tabloid culture of the aughts.
Michaela Turner wants you to know one thing: she is not Daisy Breyer, the character she played as a child on the hit TV series Breyer’s Town.
Who she is otherwise? She’s still figuring that out.
A decade and a half after her show’s cancellation, Michaela is doing her best to prove that she has escaped the trappings of former child stardom. She’s paid to party at New York’s trendiest clubs and she’s dating the hottest guy in baseball, even if she only sees him when his team passes through town. No one needs to know that behind the role of Queen of the Social Scene, she’s just a girl looking for life’s answers – a girl who can tell you every detail of “Daisy’s” history, but can’t tell you her own favorite color.
After a fall from grace in the tabloids and an embarrassing public breakup, Michaela must face the fact that she may not be fooling anyone, least of all herself. And when her newly engaged rock star ex seeks her guidance with an identity crisis of his own, Michaela finds her chance to rediscover the girl she once was – even if that means opening herself up to the one person who smashed her heart more than once.
Unfortunately it’s really not the ideal time for her estranged stage mother to resurface, looking to cash in on her genetic lottery ticket, but nothing about her mother has ever been ideal.
Torn between everyone’s concepts of who she is meant to be, Michaela faces a crossroad. Will she continue to let her past define her, or will she find the strength to step out of Daisy’s shadow and create her own path, unscripted?
Topics Coming of age. Friendship. Performing arts. Film and television. Child stars. Dating.
Trim Size 9 1/2" x 6 1/2"
JLG Span Spring
Language English
Rights type Print
Publication date 2025-12-08
JLG Release Date Mar 2026
Minimum grade 11
Maximum grade 12
Reading level High
Format Print
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus (Grades 11 & Up)
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus
Adult Fiction for Teens Plus (Grades 11 & Up)
For Grades 11 & Up This collection features 14 adult fiction titles per year selected for strong appeal to older teens. Selections emphasize accessible storytelling and compelling narratives, centered on relatable characters facing challenges and themes that resonate with readers ready to move beyond traditional YA fiction. Some selections may explore identity, relationships, and real-world challenges, including LGBTQIA+ themes, strong language, social issues, and sensitive topics such as sexual abuse and suicide.
Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Language: Mild Language,Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes,Social Issue: Slavery in Historical Context,Violence: General