From Jason June, author of the breakout teen debut novel Jay's Gay Agenda , comes Out of the Blue , an instant  New York Times  bestselling stand-alone dual POV queer rom-com that asks if love is enough to change everything you've grown up believing. Perfect for fans of Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas and Deep Blue by Jennifer Donnelly.  Crest is  not  excited to be on their Journey: the month-long sojourn on land all teen merfolk must undergo. The rules are simple: Help a human within one moon cycle and return to Pacifica to become an Elder—or fail and remain stuck on land forever. Crest is eager to get their Journey over and done with. Humans are disgusting . They've polluted the planet so much that there's a floating island of trash that's literally the size of a country. In Los Angeles with a human body and a new name, Crest meets Sean, a human lifeguard whose boyfriend has recently dumped him. Crest agrees to help Sean make his ex jealous and win him back. But as the two spend more time together, and Crest's perspective on humans begins to change, they'll soon be torn between two worlds. And fake dating just might lead to real feelings . . . This sophomore novel from Jason June dives into the many definitions of the word home and shows how love can help us find the truest versions of ourselves. Gr 9 Up-In this LGBTQIA+ and sex-positive stand-alone novel, Crest is a male-presenting Mer who goes on the traditional Mer Journey, above "the blue" to help a human on land for four weeks. During this time Mers have a choice to stay on the land and lose their tails forever, or return to the blue when their Journey is complete. When Crest's Journey becomes about helping handsome human Sean makes his ex jealous, Crest begins to wonder what life would be like on land forever. June once again brings readers refreshingly authentic teen hormones and emotions, while adding a queer spin on a classic dating trope. Crest does not have a gender, but is male-presenting, and Sean identifies as gay. Additionally, all of the secondary characters are LGBTQIA+. There are a few explicit sex scenes, though the characters remain safe and consensual, reaffirming the importance of both to teen readers. However, there are enough similarities to the author's debut title Jay's Gay Agenda (including lists throughout, similar naïve protagonists accidentally making a huge foolish hormone-fueled mistake, and the sex scenes taking an explicit turn out of nowhere) to wonder if the book has enough stand-alone merit; it is unclear if this is a stylistic choice or the author playing it safe. VERDICT While June is well on his way to being a must-read YA author, this book is not there yet. Recommended purchase for large collections and where LGBTQIA+ books are popular.-Elizabeth Portilloα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Merfolk legends get a queer makeover. June’s approach to nonbinary gender as a central facet of merfolk culture, creates a fresh way to explore gender presentation and identity. An upbeat romantic fantasy with serious themes. - Kirkus Reviews Jason June’s fast-paced sophomore novel will appeal to genre fans who didn’t fully understand Ariel’s decision to become human in The Little Mermaid. The world building around merfolk gender identity is both beautiful and deeply necessary for young readers. Fans of Jay’s Gay Agenda (2021) will connect with this sex-positive LGBTQIA+ merfolk story that is a delightfully fun summer read. - Booklist “OUT OF THE BLUE is a hilarious and heart-warming modern update of  The Little Mermaid . Splashy, voicey, and prescient, this fish-out-of-water tale (pun intended) is the perfect rom-com to have in your beach bag this summer.” - Sarah Henning, author of the SEA WITCH duology Out of the Blue is a sweet, sparkly story that'll make you smile so big your cheeks hurt! - Elise Bryant, author of Happily Ever Afters and One True Loves Readers who are drawn to the whimsical premise will stay for its emotional truthfulness about the earth-shattering intensity of first, if not forever, love. - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Merperson Crest begrudgingly embarks on a rite of passage in June’s ( Jay’s Gay Agenda ) optimistic take on  The Little Mermaid , a romance packed with subplots and classic rom-com tropes. June hilariously highlights the often messy realism of interpersonal relationships, and uses that realistic grounding to build toward a true-to-life—rather than picture-perfect—conclusion. - Publishers Weekly Jason June (it's a two-name first name, like Mary-Kate without the hyphen or the Olsen twin) is a bestselling author of young adult contemporary rom-coms that celebrate queer love and lust and chaotically gay shenanigans. His works include  Jay’s Gay Agenda , Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball ,   and the instant  New York Times  bestseller  Out of the Blue.  When not