Third State Books

Dani Tsai grew up with Parker Tran. He was the quintessential boy next door: charming, popular, and destined to be a football star. Their childhood in middle-of-nowhere Silverpine, Oregon made them inseparable, and it was meant to stay that way—until they left for college and their friendship came to an unexpected end.

In the seven years since, Dani moved on to pursue a writing career in New York City, where she’s determined to keep her distance from the boy she once called her best friend, even if it means staying away from her hometown.

Years later, a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with Parker again, who is now a hotshot sports marketing director on a temporary assignment in New York. He’s traded his jersey and cleats for designer suits and an Aston Martin, and even more puzzling is that he seems to think they can be friends again. Try as she might, Dani can’t resist his pull. Sparks fly, and an impulsive kiss leads to heated nights in his hotel suite. They make a tentative agreement: Until Parker leaves New York, they’ll keep things casual—just sex, no strings attached.

In this second-chance, open-door romance, the lines begin to blur between lust and something deeper. As walls begin to crumble, Dani and Parker find themselves far too close for casual.

"Historic contributions and stories of resilience are shared in this dynamic graphic novel. An informative and engaging read!"
—Maia and Alex Shibutani, two-time Olympic medalists and authors of Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history is American history. The unique experiences, challenges, and contributions of AANHPIs are an integral part of our country’s development, but they are rarely taught in American schools.

Even today, over 70% of Americans have little knowledge about AANHPI history or confuse it with Asian history. Yet, according to The Asian American Foundation, better education about AANHPI history in K–12 schools is one of the best ways to combat racism. 

Fighting to Belong! Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History, 1900–1970, written by bestselling writer Amy Chu (Wonder Woman, Deadpool, Ant-Man, Iron Man), Alexander Chang, and The Asian American Education Project and illustrated by Louie Chin (Bodega Cat), shares this important and dynamic part of the American experience in an accessible and engaging graphic novel format. In this book, the second volume of a three-book series, our middle school protagonists Padmini, Sammy, Joe, and Tiana and their guide, Kenji, and his grandfather, Frankie, embark on an amazing journey through time to witness key events in AANHPI history, from the Philippine-American War to the incarceration of some 120,000 Japanese Americans during World War II.

Fighting to Belong! Volume II helps new audiences young and old, AANHPI and non-AANHPI, understand how these stories are truly interwoven within the fabric of America.

"Historic contributions and stories of resilience are shared in this dynamic graphic novel. An informative and engaging read!"—Maia and Alex Shibutani, two-time Olympic medalists and authors of Amazing: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Who Inspire Us All

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander history is American history. The unique experiences, challenges, and contributions of AANHPIs are an integral part of our country’s development, but they are rarely taught in American schools.

For many Americans of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander descent who grew up in the United States, there continues to be a startling lack of opportunity to learn about our own history in our country. Even today, over 70% of Americans have little knowledge about AANHPI history or confuse it with Asian history. 

Fighting to Belong! Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders from the 1700s Through the 1800s, written by best-selling writer Amy Chu (Wonder Woman, Deadpool, Ant-Man, Iron Man) and Alexander Chang and illustrated by Louie Chin (Bodega Cat), shares this important and dynamic part of the American experience in an accessible and engaging graphic novel format.

In this book, the first volume of a three-book series, our middle school protagonists Padmini, Sammy, Joe, and Tiana and their guide, Kenji, embark on an amazing journey through time to witness key events in AANHPI history. 

They witness the arrival of the "Manilamen" to the United States in the eighteenth century and fly through significant moments in the next 150 years. Fighting to Belong! helps new audiences young and old, AANHPI and non-AANHPI, understand how these stories are truly interwoven within the fabric of America.

KIRKUS’  BEST OF 2024 PICKS

Library Journal's Best Books of 2024

Named Booklist’s Top 10 Romance Fiction of 2024

"In a world with so many Pride & Prejudice adaptations, a new one has to be truly special to stand out, and this one is... A warm, sweet story with all the witticisms Austen fans savor." — Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews 

When perspiration meets privilege, love might just school them both. 

She’s working two jobs to get through college. He’s the golden boy who doesn’t know the meaning of struggle.

One fateful night at the family’s restaurant, Lissie Cheng accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish to an allergic customer, running afoul of the wealthy Lin family and wonder boy Preston in particular. Preston Lin, star swimmer and Stanford Ph.D. student, who is as handsome as he is self-righteous. When his response to the incident threatens the family livelihood, Lissie must scramble to outwit him. If only he didn’t keep popping up in her life, so she could despise him in peace!

Preston’s life hasn’t always been picture-perfect. Before Lissie came on the scene, he worked hard not only at school and at swimming, but also at burying a few things he’d rather forget. But that girl–! The past isn’t the only thing she’s stirring up.

In this sparkling contemporary riff on Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, the beloved story gets a fresh spin. Who will prevail over Lissie’s heart? Her pride or Preston Lin?

"Compulsively readable." — Publishers Weekly

"Like Crazy (not) Rich Asians meets Jane Austen, Pride and Preston Lin is a delightful retelling of a beloved classic that had me smiling from page one." — Evelyn Skye, New York Times bestselling author of The Hundred Loves of Juliet