I Kissed Alice

Rhodes and Iliana attend an elite arts school in Alabama where they are fierce academic rivals competing for a scholarship. Unknown to each other, they have also become close friends online through a collaborative webcomic project where they work together as artists under pseudonyms. In real life, their competition and past grievances fuel an intense mutual dislike as they navigate their senior year and the high-stakes scholarship competition. Through their anonymous online friendship, they share their artwork, dreams, and growing romantic feelings, not realizing they are falling for their real-life enemy. The story moves between their hostile in-person interactions at school and their deepening virtual connection as they co-create their webcomic "I Kissed Alice." Their dual relationships raise questions about authenticity, forgiveness, and how people present themselves differently online versus in real life. Hidden identities and the intersection of art, rivalry, and romance drive this contemporary YA novel that examines how the digital world both connects and divides us. The narrative explores the complexities of creative collaboration and the challenge of truly knowing someone in an age of carefully curated personas.

Readers describe this as a rivals-to-lovers romance with strong art themes and LGBTQ+ representation. The online webcomic storyline parallels the main plot in creative ways. Readers appreciated: - The art school setting and descriptions of creative process - Natural development of the romance - Authentic portrayal of fandom and online friendships - Relatable teenage dialogue and emotions Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the first half - Predictable plot progression - Limited character development beyond the two leads - Repetitive internal monologues Ratings: Goodreads: 3.5/5 (4,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (120+ ratings) StoryGraph: 3.5/5 (800+ ratings) "The dual storylines blend seamlessly" - Goodreads reviewer "Too much focus on the rivalry, not enough on the romance" - Amazon reviewer "Captures online relationships perfectly but drags in the middle" - StoryGraph reviewer

Fan Art by Sarah Tregay Two art students navigate rivalry, romance, and self-discovery at their competitive high school while collaborating on a comic.

She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen A basketball player and cheerleader fake-date for revenge but develop feelings while creating social media content together.

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Late to the Party by Kelly Quindlen Two girls bond over art and identity while keeping their growing relationship hidden from their friend groups.

The Love Code by Rishab Mathur Two competing computer science students fall for each other while developing rival AI projects for a prestigious tech competition.

🎨 The novel features gorgeous digital illustrations woven throughout, created by author/illustrator Victoria Ying, helping bring the online world of the story to life. 🎮 The anonymous online romance between the main characters develops through a massively multiplayer role-playing game (MMORPG) centered around Alice in Wonderland. 💕 While marketed as LGBTQ+ YA romance, the book also explores complex themes of art, competition, creativity, and how online personas can differ from real-life identities. 🏆 The story revolves around a prestigious art scholarship competition at the Alabama Conservatory of the Arts, reflecting the intense pressure many young artists face in competitive academic environments. 📚 The book's title is a play on the Christian relationship guide "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" by Joshua Harris, subverting its message by celebrating queer romance and self-discovery.