Elise Bryant is an American author of young-adult romance and adult mystery and a former special-education teacher. Her books include Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling, and It’s Elementary.
From the author of Happily Ever Afters comes another irresistible YA romantic comedy full of self-discovery and Black love—and a dreamy European cruise. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances. Lenore Bennett has always been a force. A star artist and style icon at her high school, she’s a master in the subtle art of not giving a . . . well, you know what. But now that graduation is here, she’s a little less sure. She’s heading to NYU in the fall with a scarlet U (for “undeclared”) written across her chest. Her parents always remind her that Black kids don’t have the luxury of figuring it out as they go—they have to be 110 percent prepared. But it’s a lot of pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams when Lenore’s not even sure what her dreams are yet. When her family embarks on a post-graduation Mediterranean cruise, her friend Tessa is sure Lenore’s in for a whirlwind romance. But Lenore knows that doesn’t happen to girls like her. Then she meets Alex Lee. After their parents bond over the Cupid Shuffle, she ends up stuck with him for the remainder of the cruise. He’s a hopeless romantic and a golden boy with a ten-year plan. In short, he’s irritating as hell. But as they get to know each other during the picturesque stops across Europe, Alex may be able to help Lenore find something else she’s been looking for, even if she doesn’t want to admit it to herself: love. He’s everything she’s not. What could possibly go wrong on a twelve-day cruise across the Mediterranean? Opposites Attract: A cynical artist who’s not sure of her future and a golden-boy romantic with a ten-year plan. She thinks he’s irritating as hell. He might be exactly what she needs. Forced Proximity: When their parents become cruise besties, Lenore and Alex are stuck together for the entire trip. Close quarters on a ship in the middle of the Mediterranean will test their patience—and their resolve. Coming of Age: Feeling the pressure to be her ancestors’ wildest dreams, Lenore is on a journey to figure out her own. The picturesque stops across Europe provide the perfect backdrop for finding herself—and what she truly wants out of life. Black Love: A heartfelt and humorous celebration of Black joy, family, and romance, perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han.
From the NAACP Image Award–nominated author of Happily Ever Afters comes a heartfelt and hilarious dual POV YA rom-com about Reggie and Delilah, who fall in love through missed connections and chance meetings on holidays over the course of a year. Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Jenny Han, with crossover appeal for readers of Jasmine Guillory and Talia Hibbert romances. Delilah always keeps her messy, gooey insides hidden behind a wall of shrugs and yeah, whatevers. She goes with the flow—which is how she ends up singing in her friends’ punk band as a favor, even though she’d prefer to hide at the merch table. Reggie is a D&D Dungeon Master and self-declared Blerd. He spends his free time leading quests and writing essays critiquing the game under a pseudonym, keeping it all under wraps from his disapproving family. In this charming Black love story, these two opposites attract and meet for the first time on New Year’s Eve. And then again on Valentine’s Day. And then again on St. Patrick’s Day. It’s almost like the universe is pushing them together for a reason. Delilah wishes she were more like Reggie—open about what she likes and who she is, even if it’s not cool. Except . . . it’s all a front. Reggie is just role-playing someone confident. The kind of guy who could be with a girl like Delilah. As their year of chance holiday meetings continue, the two begin to fall for each other. But what happens once they realize they’ve each fallen for a version of the other that doesn’t really exist? Chance Meetings: A punk singer and a D&D Dungeon Master keep bumping into each other on New Year’s, Valentine’s, and St. Patrick’s Day. Is it fate, or just a coincidence? Secret Identities: Delilah is pretending to be a confident frontwoman, and Reggie is role-playing the cool guy he wishes he could be. They’re perfect for each other... except they’ve only met the characters, not the real people. Finding Your Voice: As Delilah learns to own the stage and Reggie embraces his inner Blerd, they have to figure out if they can love the person the other is becoming. A Sweet YA Romance: Perfect for fans of heartfelt and funny stories about identity, family, and falling in love when you least expect it.
Elise Bryant is an American author of young-adult romance and adult mystery and a former special-education teacher. Her books include Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling, and It’s Elementary.
Connected canonical Works reviewed: One True Loves; Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling.
The retained bibliography connects this profile to One True Loves, Reggie and Delilah's Year of Falling. These title relationships remain candidate editorial evidence and do not create or alter canonical Works.
The research records NAACP Image Award — nominee — 2022 — Happily Ever Afters; NPR Best Books — selection — 2022 — One True Loves; Indie Next — selection — 2022 — One True Loves. Each item remains tied to its retained source for editorial verification.
Coverage retained for the profile includes Publishers Weekly Q&A with Elise Bryant: Retained interview coverage linked to the exact author or connected Work.; The Nerd Daily interview about One True Loves: Retained interview coverage linked to the exact author or connected Work.; All About Romance review of Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling: Retained review coverage linked to the exact author or connected Work.; First Draft Episode #287: Elise Bryant: Verified exact-author guest, reading, interview, or recorded appearance..
