My Week with Him by Joya Goffney

My Week with Him by Joya Goffney. HarperTeen, 2023. 9780063254749  
Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4.5
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Realistic fiction/Romance
What did you like about the book? 18-year-old Nikki is two months away from graduation.  She lives with her mother and younger sister, Vae, in a trailer in a small town in rural Texas. Her mother has always been distant, and many times, downright hostile. Nikki has an audition in Los Angeles on the weekend as a lead singer of a new all-girl band.  She is very excited about it until a run-in with her mother gets her kicked out of the house.  She is all set to head off for LA feeling homeless but ends up spending the night at her best friend Mal’s house instead.  She has known Mal (Malachai) since 8 th grade, always hoping their relationship were romantic which it never has been.  Mal is incredibly devoted to Nikki, inviting her to stay at his house and taking her on her first trip out-of-state to Colorado.  Mal confesses that he has always been attracted to Nikki.  Forced back to Texas because her sister has gone missing, the search for Vae ensues.
The character development is realistic, Nikki, Mal and Vae coming fully to life along with Nikki’s mother and stepdad. Emotions run high as all manner of complications arise.  Though nearly 400 pages long, the story moves quickly, aided by very short chapters and Nikki’s Note to Selfs.   All characters present as Black.
Anything you did not like about the book?  No.
To whom would you recommend this book? So many teens ask for romance stories, well this is one, along with being a realistic representation of a teen girl growing up poor, trying to realise her dreams, while dealing with the lack of love from her mother.
Who should buy this book? Public and high school libraries
Where would you shelve it? YA fiction
Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes.
Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review
Date of Review:  August 8, 2023