Tart

Becki-Jayne Crossley’s bitter sweet debut YA novel is not just a heartfelt, meet cute, friends to queer romance. It bravely explores the detrimental effects of controlling behaviour and slut shaming, the dangers of unprotected drinking and how hiding your identity to fit in can stop you living your truth.

Set in the quaint Stepford style English village of Chipping Hollow where the local school is entrenched in gender stereotypes and the community revolves around religion and conformity, it’s told from the triple perspectives of Sixth formers Dan, Libby and Neha.

Structured in a before and after diary format spanning events from October to January, the book opens with a dramatic prelude entitled The Night It Happened which shapes the rest of the narrative revolving around recollections. Each voice gives the reader a piece of the puzzle. Family dynamics, the tropes of fake dating and Mean Girls style bullying are combined with the embarrassment of crushing on the wrong person, misunderstandings, misjudgements and bisexual panic as teens passionate about art, music, schlocky horror movies, photography and musicals discover themselves through found family and acts of kindness. Conversely, they also have to face decisions about who their real friends are.

Crossley blends the sweet with the sour and aims to keep the reader guessing as the plot unravels. Although predictable in places, her novel is heartfelt without being mawkish and communicates the importance of staying safe on a night out. Tart will appeal to queer and questioning teens and readers of Alice Oseman, Becky Albertalli and Robin Talley as sensitively portrayed characters Dan, Libby and Neha navigate the dramas of dating and the realities of revelations.

Trigger Warnings- References to alcohol, homophobic hate speech, slut shaming, attempted sexual assault and violence.