By Amber Padilla
Sugar Coated
(Graphix, June 2027)
One of Book Riot‘s 2027 Latine YA Books for Your TBR
Readers are in for a treat with this sweet YA romance by debut author-illustrator Amber Padilla. Perfect for fans of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before!
Sugar and spice and nothing but lies!
Friendless and longing for connection, sixteen-year-old Annabelle Romo creates a fake social media profile, using photos of her favorite fashion influencer. Suddenly, friend requests come pouring in, including one from a cute boy named Luis.
At first, Annabelle loves the attention. And she’s pleasantly surprised when Carmen and Sarah — two girls from school — want to be her friend. But as Annabelle’s feelings for Luis get real, and her friendship with Carmen and Sarah grows, Annabelle can’t escape the feeling that she is lying to her new friends…and catfishing Luis.
Will Annabelle continue to sugar-coat the truth and hide who she really is? Or will she realize that there’s nothing sweeter than being herself?
Amber Padilla is an author and cartoonist, best known for her work in the independent zine scene, Marvel, and graphic novels, including The Secret Garden on 81st Street, which she co-created with Ivy Noelle Weir. Raised on a steady diet of animation, soap operas, science fiction, and Japanese anime and manga, Amber balances her professional projects with a love for crafting (current obsession: sewing) and quiet days at home with her husband, family, friends, and cat. Originally from Santa Ana, California, Amber earned her master’s degree from the California College of the Arts comics program and now resides in Venice Beach. Learn more about Amber at amberpadilla.com.