A girl’s summer plans to get her crush to notice her are upended by a surprise guest in this entry in the new tween middle grade rom-com Spotlight Sprinkles series!
Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Lee Heart’s Meet Me at Sunset, which is out May 6th 2025.
This is going to be the summer Julie finally catches the attention of her crush, James! She has the perfect outfits, ice-breaking jokes, and a list of places she can oh-so-casually run into him. At least that was the plan until Julie’s parents decided to surprise her by inviting a friend to their beach house for the next three weeks.
Honestly, Julie’s not even sure she would call Sophia a friend, but one thing is for sure: having to play nice with Sophia who is always hanging around was not on the agenda. Now, Julie has no idea how this summer is going to go—especially since she’s unexpectedly feeling flutters around a new friend, Liam…and she thinks he might like her, too.
Can Julie figure out how she feels about James and Liam? Or will having Sophia around ruin everything?
Chapter 1
As I look down at my phone screen, my nerves start to get the best of me and I absently chew the eraser on my pencil. I have to reread the question. Is the answer A or B? Or even C? I feel so unprepared. Like one of those bad dreams where you walk into class and the teacher puts a test in front of you and you realize you are totally clueless. This is so unlike me. I’m almost always prepared for whatever test or quiz I have to take in school!
Just breath, Julie. I tell myself. With a clear head, I choose an answer and tap B with confidence.
Now that all the questions are answered, I go back and carefully score myself against the answer key at the bottom of the article. When I see my results I can’t help but smile ear to ear! I’ve been right all along! I am meant to be with James Carter Jr.!
The quiz is called “Is He Your Soul Mate?”
I guess you could say that I rely on the monthly quizzes on the Chic Chick blog I subscribe to for guidance on all things related to James Carter Jr.. When this month’s issue came out and I saw the title of the quiz, I hoped deep down that it would erase all of my doubts. And now that I have taken—and aced—the quiz, I was right—there is no doubt that James is my soul mate!
“James,” I whisper out loud, slowly, and dreamily as I lay back on my bed. It has such a perfect sound to it. The “J” of James, then the “-ames,” the two-syllable last name a lilting triplet, the first and last names just right together. Like a little song. It’s the perfect name for the perfect boy. I turn over onto my stomach and open the notes app on my phone. In it I doodle in large loopy letters. “Julie Carter.” Then: “Julie & James.” “James & Julie.” We already sound like a couple. Not to mention, his name starts with J, my name starts with J. J+J. Our names fit together perfectly, as if it were meant to be. Because, of course, it is. Julie and James TLF. True Love Forever.
I roll off of my bed and head straight for my desk and open the drawer. I pull out the oversize pink index card that was face down and shoved toward the back. I turn it over and study it.
THE LOVE PLAN:
OPERATION CELL PHONE
On this index card I have carefully drawn out a neat flow chart, just like the ones I learned to draw in science class last spring. The arrows point from one box to another: If yes, go to this box. If no, go to that box. They all end up at the heart-shaped goal at the bottom:
James + Julie = TLF
I love plans. I love organizing things, making lists, and having everything in its place. My mom always jokes that it’s because I’m an only child and like things the way I’m used to them, but my dad says that it’s because I’m just like him. We’re both “very precise” he says. But being an only child does help keep things just the way I like it. There’s no one here to mess up my room or to make my parents veer off schedule. It’s simply always calm and quiet at the Garcia house, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve been to friends’ houses where it’s total chaos, and I truly have no idea how they live like that. My one friend Sadie has two younger brothers and a little baby sister. There’s always so much yelling and noise that I sometimes make excuses not to go when I’m invited there. My dad is the one who taught me about plans. We always have a plan in this family. For cleaning out the basement, for juggling the chores, even for our summer vacation, which is starting today with three weeks at the beach. My dad has the plan all mapped out. He’s calling it “Operation Get out of Town,” and we’ve both been packed and ready to go for days now. See, I know that at exactly three o’clock Dad will be in the driveway with the car all packed up, waiting for Mom, who is most likely going to be running around making sure that all the appliances are turned off and that the plants have been watered. My mom is less of a planner and more of a “make it up as one goes along” kind of person. At least that’s how Dad describes her. But I’m just like my dad, a planner for sure. And I had a plan of my own this summer. It has a name too, the “Love Plan”. My Love Plan is foolproof. It’s how I’m going to get James to notice me. Then talk to me. And once he does, I know he’ll realize that we’re meant to be together. I’ve spent months figuring out every angle and anticipating every scenario. I can be a bit of a worry wart. Sometimes I worry that the Plan won’t work, or, if it does and James notices me, he might not like me after all. This is why plans are good. If you plan for it, then you’ll be prepared and there is virtually nothing to worry about! Besides, I’m a pretty nice girl. What’s there not to like?
Excerpt from Meet Me at Sunset by Lee Heart Text copyright © 2025. Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
