
Slow Burn
Candlewick Press · Hardcover · March 3, 2026
A sporty, feel-good, body-positive rom-com pits a plus-size teen against her bullies to prove what she already knows—that she has exactly the right stuff.
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- Who it’s for
- Ruby takes on a 5K with support from Ollie, while holding onto her body confidence.
- Genres
- Romantic Comedy for Teens, Eating Disorders & Body Image for Teens, Sports Stories
- Published
- Candlewick Press, March 3, 2026
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Start with this bookAbout this book
A sporty, feel-good, body-positive rom-com pits a plus-size teen against her bullies to prove what she already knows—that she has exactly the right stuff. Sixteen-year-old Ruby has worked hard to be happy in her body, even when other people—including her brother and her PE teacher—insist there's something wrong with her for being fat. All Ruby cares about is hanging out at the skate park this summer with friends.
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But her brother’s bullying words get under her skin, and in order to prove to him (and her impressionable little sister) that fat girls can do anything, Ruby finds herself signed up for the annual 5K Dawson Dash. There’s just one problem: She can’t run. The cute new boy next door can, however, and when Ollie offers to help her train, Ruby takes him up on it, even if it means he'll see her at her sweatiest and most vulnerable. Young athletes of all stripes, especially those marginalized in sports due to body differences, will find a hero in good-humored Ruby. With its all-audience appeal, her joyful story delivers upbeat romance and affirmation that our bodies are just right, just the way they are.
Ruby’s 5K
Ruby takes on a 5K with support from Ollie, while holding onto her body confidence.
Come here for
- Ruby’s summer at the skate park and her training for the Dawson Dash
- A budding romance with Ollie, who offers to help Ruby train
Expect
- A plus-size teen facing bullying from her brother and PE teacher
- A body-positive story with romance and the annual Dawson Dash
Where it sits
| Romantic Comedy for Teens | 82% |
|---|---|
| Sports Stories | 56% |
| Eating Disorders & Body Image for Teens | 42% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Romantic Comedy for Teens
- Finding Your Footing
- Track & Field
- Authors
- Bethany Rutter
- Publisher
- Candlewick Press
- Published
- March 3, 2026
- Format
- Hardcover
- Reading lane
- Romantic Comedy for Teens