Ramona Blue: A YA Story of Questioning Your Identity and Finding Love in Unexpected Places

The fourth novel from Julie Murphy, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’―now a Netflix feature film starring Danielle Macdonald and Jennifer Aniston, with a soundtrack by Dolly Parton!

For fans of Rainbow Rowell and Morgan Matson, Julie Murphy has created another fearless heroine, Ramona Blue, in a gorgeously evocative novel about family, friendship, and how sometimes love can be more fluid than you first think.

Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi.

But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool.

But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke.

Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.

She was sure she liked girls. What happens when her male childhood friend comes back to town and makes her question everything?

• Childhood Friends Reunited: He was just a memory, until he convinced her to join him at the pool. Now Freddie is making Ramona question the one thing she's always been sure of.
• Questioning Identity: Ramona has only ever liked girls. But her growing feelings for Freddie make her wonder if love isn't as black and white as she once believed.
• An Atmospheric Post-Katrina Setting: Set in a small Mississippi town still healing from Hurricane Katrina, this is a powerful story about family, responsibility, and finding your place in a world turned upside down.
• A Fearless, Unforgettable Heroine: At over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona has never been afraid to stand out. But fitting in with her own heart is a different challenge entirely.

Julie Murphy splits her time between North Texas and Kansas with her husband, who loves her, and her cats, who tolerate her. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of over twenty books for all ages including Dumplin’ (now a Netflix original film) and the Christmas Notch series cowritten with her best friend, Sierra Simone. When Julie isn’t writing, she’s hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, discovering a new hobby that she will soon discard, and planning her next travel adventure.