When Chloe Chang gets dumped via USPS after moving across the county from NYC to LA, her first instinct is to throw her box of memories in the garbage. Instead, she starts buying other teenagers' break-up boxes to create an art exhibit, Heartifacts. Opening night is going great, until she spots Daniel Kwak illicitly filming his best friend's reaction to his ex's box. When she tries to stop him, an intense discussion ends up launching a creative partnership and friendship. and a major crush for Chloe.
There's just one problem: Daniel is dead set on not being another rebound.
Five times he's been the guy who makes the girls he's dating realize they want to get back with their ex. And he refuses for there to be a sixth. She insists she's over her ex, but when he shows up unexpectedly with his new girlfriend, it turns out Daniel was right. She isn't ready for a new relationship.
She throws herself into making Heartifacts successful, but flashy influencers threaten her original vision of the exhibit. To create the exhibit she's always wanted, Chloe needs to go back to basics, learn to work with artists in a more collaborative way, and discover what love can be. Only then will she convince Daniel she's truly ready for everything they could be to one another.
Jennifer Chen's Artifacts of an Ex is a story of love, art, and finding your way when everything you know has changed completely.
About the Author :
JENNIFER CHEN (jchenwriter.com) is a freelance journalist who has written for Today, New York Times, Oprah Daily, Real Simple, and Bust. Jennifer has a MFA and BFA in dramatic writing from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. She is a proud volunteer for WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring organization. She lives in Los Angeles with her TV writer husband, twins, two pugs, and a cat named Gremlin. Follow her on Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram at @jchenwriter.
Review :
Book Riot, "10 of the Most Exciting New YA Books Out November 2023" and "The Best New Book Releases Out November 14, 2023"
Goodreads, "Our Big Preview of Fall's Most Anticipated Young Adult Books"
PopSugar, "Young-Adult Books to Add to Your Reading List in November"
She Reads, "Most Anticipated YA Romance of the Fall"
"[A] jubilant debut...Richly detailed prose makes for an amorous atmosphere, while Chloe's artistic eye and determined, optimistic first-person POV renders a vivid world in this lighthearted romance." - Publishers Weekly
"Equal parts romance and tribute to Los Angeles, this charming debut combines a strong sense of place and community with well-developed supporting characters, a lovely intergenerational family, and a just-kiss-already love story...An endearing exploration of loss, love, and the transformative nature of art." - Kirkus
"While Chen participated in the First-Year Orientation collection earlier this year, this is her first solo novel, and it seems to have everything a reader could want: love, hate, family drama, art, and more." - Booklist
"With an artist's precision, Jennifer Chen shades the sweet, swoony sides of romance with the hilarity and heartbreak that often accompanies falling in love. Artifacts of an Ex is the perfect read for anyone who knows what it's like to have big ambitions and a big heart." - Brian D. Kennedy, A Little Bit Country
"From boxes documenting messy breakups to a quest to figure out the perfect pineapple cake recipe, Artifacts of an Ex is an honest and complex portrayal of love in all its shapes and forms. A heartfelt love letter to Los Angeles, the creative process, and love itself." - Lyla Lee, author of I'll Be the One and Flip the Script
"Adorable Alert! Artifacts of an Ex is sure to delight YA romance lovers with well-drawn characters, a rich cultural backdrop, and a sweet love story to root for. A charming debut." - Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea and Tomorrow
"Artifacts of an Ex offers everything you love in a YA romcom: heartbreak, heartache, and a heartfelt, satisfying ending. With on-point discussion about LA vs. NYC life, this good-humored read will have fans of Gloria Chao, Maurene Goo and Susan Lee clamoring." - Suzanne Park, author of Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous
"A wonderfully unique and moving romance about staying true to yourself, Artifacts of an Ex will do exactly what Jennifer Chen's bold protagonist Chloe sets out to do... and that's capture your whole heart." - Eric Smith, author of You Can Go Your Own Way
"A book for anyone who has ever wanted to spin the prickly straw of grief into gold. Artifacts of an Ex reminds you of your favorite Taylor Swift song: Picture perfect descriptions of hearts breaking and hearts healing set to a catchy beat you're not going to forget anytime soon." - Ashley Schumacher, author of The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway
