A 50,000 word YA transgender romance for readers who believe identity is something you create—and that the best meals, and the best lives, are shared. Steven Winters doesn’t fit the mold. He hates soccer practice, hates the locker room one-upmanship, and hates pretending to laugh at sexist jokes that make him feel smaller every time. Alone in his room, he dreams of being someone else—someone softer, freer, someone who feels right. When Steven tries on his mom’s scarf, Stephanie takes her first breath. What starts as a small act of rebellion soon grows into a journey of self-discovery. With the support of a cooking club, an anime-obsessed friend group, a popular boy named Ethan who’s kinder than she ever expected, and a sharp-tongued girl named Susan whose doubts hide surprising loyalty, Stephanie learns what it means to live as her true self. But the world isn’t always kind to girls like Stephanie. Between locker room humiliation, family pressure, and whispers in the hallway, she has to find her courage—not just to be seen, but to be loved. And when a rain-soaked night ends in a kiss that changes everything, Stephanie realizes her story is just beginning. Cooking Up a New Girl is a heartfelt YA transgender romance about friendship, family, and first love.