I Was Told There Would Be Romance

I Was Told There Would Be Romance is a humorous and heartfelt coming-of-age novel about 15-year-old Fancy Augustine, a Haitian American girl navigating the complexities of friendship, love, and self-identity. Fancy has two main goals: to secure an invite to Imani Park's highly anticipated birthday party, and to find a boyfriend. When Fancy learns that her best friend, Tilly, has been invited to the party and has a secret boyfriend, she becomes determined to find a way to make her dreams come true.

To achieve this, Fancy makes a deal with the popular but manipulative Imani: she'll get an invite to the party if she can bring a boyfriend. Fancy, eager to make this happen, convinces her crush, Rahim, to pose as her boyfriend by promising to make a voodoo potion for him. As she juggles this fake relationship, her schoolwork suffers, and her friendship with Tilly begins to unravel. On top of that, Fancy fears her parents might send her back to Haiti if she doesn't live up to their expectations.

The story explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the messy realities of growing up, with a focus on how far Fancy is willing to go to find romance and acceptance, even if it means risking the relationships that matter most.