I Was Told There Would Be Romance

By: Marie Arnold

Narrated by: Melinda Sewak

For fans of Never Have I Ever and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before comes a hilarious and heartfelt novel about a young Haitian girl navigating high school, friendship, and crushes.

Fifteen-year-old Fancy Augustine is a Haitian American girl with simple desires. She’d like to trade in her floppy, oversize boobs for cute, perky ones. She’d love a boyfriend. And she’s desperate for an invite to the biggest event of the school year: Imani Park’s birthday party. When Fancy learns her BFF, Tilly, has received a coveted invite and has a secret boyfriend, she is (understandably) devastated and wholeheartedly determined to do whatever it takes to get her own happily ever after.

So what if she makes a deal with the devil (Imani) that guarantees her an invite—but only if she can bring a boyfriend? And what’s so bad about letting her crush, Rahim, believe that she can create a voodoo potion for him in exchange for him posing as her boyfriend? And, yeah, maybe she’s destroying her friendship with Tilly and falling hopelessly behind in her schoolwork, but Fancy knows it’ll all be worth it in the end. Plus, it’s not like Fancy’s parents would really make good on their threats of sending her back to Haiti...right?

Instant favorite

A genuine, good hearted hilarious work of literature. I’m in love with the way this author writes now and can’t wait to read more.

Skeptical at First, Obsessed by the End

I have to admit, when I first started this book, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I was a little skeptical about whether I would truly enjoy it. But as the story unfolded and I got deeper into the middle, something shifted — I found myself completely invested. By the end, I genuinely loved it.

As a Haitian woman, it meant so much to read a story where I could see parts of myself reflected in the main character. That connection made the experience even more special — even though she definitely lied a lot, lol.

This book reminded me why I fell in love with romance stories growing up. Now at 33, it feels just as magical, just in a different way. I’m really looking forward to reading more from Marie Arnold.