Marie McGrath, author of THE FATE OF A CRUSH, shares advice she would give her teenage self.

The Fate of a Crush (Rosewood County, #1)
by: Marie McGrath

Series: Rosewood County
Genre: YA Romance
Release Date: October 11, 2022
Publisher: Creative James Media

Falling in love with a senior was risky … especially when he was your best friend’s brother.

Allie Duncan started sophomore year with two aspirations, make her school’s volleyball team and keep her crush on Hunter Baylor, her best friend’s brother, a secret. If Mia found out, she would feel betrayed. The crush was useless anyway. Hunter was a star basketball player and she was a nobody. Or so she thought until his attention was piqued after Allie went on the Baylors’ summer vacation. When Hunter goes to homecoming with Allie’s sophomore rival, she’s devastated and her confidence is destroyed, especially after his date tells her the Baylors pity her. Hunter tries to make it up to Allie, which leads to a kiss, leaving Allie confused.

Can she push this crush out of her heart to save her friendship? Or is Hunter worth the risk?

1. Be Yourself. You’re the only one who is meant to be you, so be you. I spent so much time worrying about what others thought, but I should have focused on what I thought.

2. Do what you love. Life is hard, but it is infinitely easier to get up every morning when you are doing what you enjoy. So find that thing that you love and fight to do it every day.

3. It’s okay to not take it as seriously. Yes, it is important for your foundation for adulthood, but living a little won’t sacrifice that.

4. Moments will fade. In the moment, everything feels finite, like it will always feel that strongly and that emotional. And well, it doesn’t. Sure you remember the emotions, but the feeling of them fits differently as you age.

5. Keep reading. In fact read more and read wider than what you are right now.

6. Keep dreaming. Dreaming isn’t just for teenagers, so keep doing it for your whole life.

7. Learn something new every day. You are never too old or too young to learn something.

8. Fail more. Phew, this one is hardest for me. I am a perfectionist, but I have learned that failing is the BEST way to challenge myself into growth I didn’t know I could have.

9. Keep your heart open. It feels like so many people aim arrows at your heart in high school, but it isn’t as personal as it feels. So keep yourself open to others, even when there is pain.

10. Love yourself first. My confidence was shaky at best in high school. It wasn’t until my later twenties that I felt comfortable with who I was. I wish I would have loved myself more, because I can never get her back once I leave the present.

“You came out to the shore without Mia? That’s dangerous in the dark.”

“So did you.”

“And?”

“And what? I’m some defenseless girl who needs a chaperone?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

I retreated to my flip flops and plopped into the sand. I kept my gaze on Hunter’s back as he stared into the water. Of all the places on the beach, he had to stand at this one? This was my escape from my feelings, and I hated that the other part of me was secretly excited that we were here … alone. What did I expect to happen? I was his sister’s best friend. Some useless sophomore. This was just a convenient spot, directly in front of the house.

I stood and slipped my feet back into my flip flops. “I’m heading back. Have a goodnight.”

“Duncan, wait. I didn’t mean to crash your walk and then insult you.”

“No harm done, Hunter. I should head back anyway.”

“I can walk with you.”

I waved the flashlight, sending it haphazardly across his chest. “I’ll be fine. Enjoy the view.” I turned to walk back.

I would be lucky if I could sleep picturing what could have happened on that beach. What I wished would happen. If only we were different people, and it wasn’t forbidden.

Excerpted from The Fate of a Crush by Marie McGrath. Copyright © 2022 by Marie McGrath. Published by arrangement with Creative James Media.