Review by Booklist Review
Kalvin Shmelton's entrepreneurial spirit is setting him up for life. After witnessing the shortcomings of the student government's candygram fundraisers, he decides to create friendly competition and make a name for himself as the Candy Guy (not to be confused with the Candyman). And while business is good, it isn't as good as he needs it to be. Kalvin's therapist parents are well-known for their popular relationship podcast, but there is trouble in paradise. Luckily, he knows that a romantic trip to Hawaii will help them find the spark again; he just needs $11,000 to make it happen. He finds a new stream of income when his peers, including his crush, Sterling, start paying him for relationship advice. Kalvin's desire to fix people and their problems eventually strains his relationships with family and friends, and he learns that life doesn't need to be perfect to be good. Wasson's feel-good debut deftly balances humor with common teen concerns, making this a joy to read. With an emphasis on controlling only what you can control, this will speak to many readers and leave them feeling hopeful about facing their own problems. Fun, relatable, and with a dash of romance, Wasson's novel hits the mark.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A Black teen offers relationship advice in exchange for cash and loses sight of his own affiliations in this spot-on rom-com. Sixteen-year-old Kalvin Shmelton runs a secret candy-gram business from a utility closet at school. He's saving up for a vacation to Hawaii, hoping that the getaway will help rekindle his psychologist parents' marriage; though they run a successful couples therapy podcast, the pair seem to be heading toward divorce. When Kalvin offhandedly gives advice to his longtime crush on her relationship, classmates start coming to him for aid. Seeing a chance to reach his goal sooner, Kalvin begins charging for the impromptu flash therapy sessions. But as he becomes more preoccupied in helping others overcome their relationship hurdles, he badly screws up his closest friendships with harsh, ill-timed truths. After his fears about his parents' marriage are confirmed, Kalvin must reconcile his similarly crumbling relationships if he hopes to have his friends' support in navigating this difficult life development. Wasson assuredly handles the vulnerable emotional landscape of adolescence and parental divorce via Kalvin's seemingly effortlessly charming first-person narration and a heartwarming premise, simultaneously weaving in conversations of class and racial dynamics to craft a full-bodied, thought-provoking debut. Ages 13--up. (Dec.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Wasson puts together a clever novel that crafts a unique pathway to teen romance and places Black characters at the forefront of the plot. Kalvin Shmelton is a high school sophomore just doing his best to make some extra money selling candy to his fellow students when his secret crush, Sterling Glistern, stumbles into his life. In comes the awkward situation when Sterling asks Kalvin for advice to fix her relationship with her boyfriend, not knowing just how hard he has crushed on her. In his infinite wisdom, he decides if it gives him a reason to keep seeing her, he'll offer some advice pulling what he's learned from his professional therapist parents. This kicks off a wild ride where Kalvin finds himself offering rewarding and helpful advice to the student body while avoiding an arch rival wrecking his life and trying to find a way for his dream girl to realize he's right for her. Readers will enjoy how fleshed out all the characters are, including Kalvin's friends Dino and Rod, and the comical exchanges that occur throughout. Wasson does a terrific job centering the feature characters' Blackness and their experience at their mostly white school, making this an excellent selection of diverse representation in YA. VERDICT A must-add to any YA collection.--David Roberts
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A business-savvy high school sophomore in suburban North Carolina tries to mend his parents' broken marriage and woo his crush. Sixteen-year-old Kalvin Shmelton is in high demand, thanks to the candygram service he runs out of a school utility closet. Kalvin's side hustle is booming, but the profits aren't about self-gain. His parents, psychologists who host Right the 'Ship, a couples therapy podcast and YouTube channel, are (ironically) on the brink of divorce. But Kalvin has a plan--he'll put his earnings toward a family vacation in Hawaii, where he hopes his parents will fall in love again. When Sterling Glistern, Kalvin's longtime crush, tearfully takes refuge in his closet headquarters, she opens up to him about her anxiety and insecurities. After his heart-to-heart with Sterling, Kalvin becomes known as the school's unofficial mental health counselor, and he turns the candy closet into a makeshift therapist's office. As Kalvin's client list grows and his feelings for Sterling deepen, he learns that to be human is to be imperfect. Wasson's debut features an empathetic protagonist who advocates for the destigmatization of mental health care. Kalvin's need to solve the problems of his family and classmates--even at the expense of his own emotional struggles--will resonate with many readers. Kalvin and Sterling, who are Black, attend a predominantly white school and connect over their shared cultural identity. An effervescent story of self-discovery that showcases the importance of finding strength in vulnerability. (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
