Late to the Party

From author Kelly Quindlen comes a poignant and deeply relatable story about friendship, self-acceptance, and what it means to be a Real Teenager. Late to the Party is an ode to late bloomers and wallflowers everywhere.

Seventeen is nothing like Codi Teller imagined.

She’s never crashed a party, never stayed out too late. She’s never even been kissed. And it’s not just because she’s gay. It’s because she and her two best friends, Maritza and JaKory, spend more time in her basement watching Netflix than engaging with the outside world.

So when Maritza and JaKory suggest crashing a party, Codi is highly skeptical. Those parties aren’t for kids like them. They’re for cool kids. Straight kids.

But then Codi stumbles upon one of those cool kids, Ricky, kissing another boy in the dark, and an unexpected friendship is formed. In return for never talking about that kiss, Ricky takes Codi under his wing and draws her into a wild summer filled with late nights, new experiences, and one really cute girl named Lydia. The only problem? Codi never tells Maritza or JaKory about any of it.

"An absolutely stunning, but also incredibly important novel about best friends and discovering who you are." —Mason Deaver, bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best

“Perfectly captures the joys and hopes and thrills of being a real, authentic teenager . . . A fantastic read for queer teens today.” —Kacen Callender, Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story

“Late to the Party is right on time to being your favorite read. I didn’t want my time with Quindlen’s characters to end.” —Sara Farizan, Lambda Award–winning author of If You Could Be Mine

"Kelly Quindlen has written a slow-burning, exquisite book well-worth savoring." —Aminah Mae Safi, author of Tell Me How You Really Feel

"A deeply heartfelt and emotionally honest celebration of late bloomers, queer solidarity, and friendships both old and new. This book has a permanent place in my heart." —Dahlia Adler, author of Under the Lights.

"A love letter to late bloomers, Late to the Party combines teenage angst with first loves and second chances and emphasises that true friends will always be there for you even as you discover new parts of yourself." —The Nerd Daily

"Heartfelt and fun, Quindlen’s latest (Her Name in the Sky, 2014) brings together all the angst, excitement, and uncertainty of the teenage years in an LGBTQ+ friendly package. Fans of Becky Albertalli are sure to love this sometimes painfully relatable heroine and her journey of self discovery. Codi Teller may be late to the party, but readers will be happy she showed up." —Booklist

"Recommended for LGBTQ teens."—School Library Journal

"Quindlen (Her Name in the Sky) deftly conveys both the awkwardness of outgrowing an old life without having a clue how to move toward a new one. —Publishers Weekly