Virtuosity

Now is not the time for Carmen to fall in love. And Jeremy is hands-down the wrong guy for her to fall for. He is infuriating, arrogant, and the only person who can stand in the way of Carmen getting the one thing she wants most: to win the prestigious Guarneri competition. Carmen's whole life is violin, and until she met Jeremy, her whole focus was winning. But what if Jeremy isn't just hot...what if Jeremy is andlt;iandgt;betterandlt;/iandgt;? andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Carmen knows that kissing Jeremy can't end well, but she just can't stay away. Nobody else understands her--and riles her up--like he does. Still, she can't trust him with her biggest secret: She is so desperate to win she takes anti-anxiety drugs to perform, and what started as an easy fix has become a hungry addiction. Carmen is sick of not feeling anything on stage and even more sick of always doing what sheand#8217;s told, doing what's expected. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Sometimes, being on top just means you have a long way to fall....

and#8220;An intoxicating blend of passion,vulnerability, and the desire to have it all, no matter the cost. A mesmerizingread.and#8221; and#8212;Lauren Myracle, bestselling author of andlt;Iandgt;Shineandlt;/Iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;ttylandlt;/Iandgt;

"Passionate and true,

"Beautiful writing, a swoon-worthyromance, and tension that will keep you turning the pages.

"Heartfelt, gripping, and unflinchingly authentic.VIRTUOSITY will change the way you think about music." --Antony John,author of andlt;Iandgt;Five Flavors of Dumbandlt;/Iandgt;

"Martinez brings this overwrought world totense, quivering life and guides readers through it confidently. A brilliantdebut." - andlt;iandgt;Kirkus STARRED REVIEW andlt;/iandgt;

and#8220;Riveting... A beautifully written storyand#8230;.The portrayal of Carmenand#8217;s world, in which every performance is terrifying and even one stumble could end her career, is unique and convincing. The novel builds to a satisfying finish as the competition arrives and Carmen discovers a terrible secret. Even readers without much interest in music will enjoy this exceptional novel.and#8221; -- andlt;Iandgt;School Library Journalandlt;/Iandgt;

and#8220;This story of violin prodigies will elevate readers, lifting them above the standard YA romance offerings and delivering a wise yet endearing love storyand#8230;.Well-developed, with flawed but likeable characters. Any teen who has felt pressured to succeed will easily identify with Carmen and Jeremy, and romantics will find themselves cheering for the star-crossed lovers.and#8221; - Library Media Connection

and#8220;Martinez has a gift for making classical violinaccessible and understandable to even the most tone-deaf reader. The twists inthe pairand#8217;s love affair, combined with the turns in their careers, catapult thisnovel from sweet romance to tour de force. Decisions are never easy, but willthe cost of winningand#8212;or losingand#8212;be too high?and#8221; and#8212;andlt;Iandgt;Booklistandlt;/Iandgt;

andlt;divandgt;"Passionate and true,

and#8220;Beautiful writing, a swoon-worthyromance, and tension that will keep you turning the pages. andlt;Iandgt;Virtuosityandlt;/Iandgt; ispitch-perfect.and#8221; and#8212;Lauren Barnholdt, author of andlt;Iandgt;Sometimes It Happensandlt;/Iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;Two-wayStreetandlt;/Iandgt;

"Passionate and true,

"Passionate and true,

and#8220;Passionate and true, andlt;Iandgt;Virtuosityandlt;/Iandgt; singsfrom first page to last.and#8221; and#8212;Sarah Ockler, author of andlt;Iandgt;Fixing Delilahandlt;/Iandgt; and andlt;Iandgt;TwentyBoy Summerandlt;/Iandgt;

Jessica Martinez was born to two music lovers in Calgary, Canada. When she was just three years old, they put a violin under her chin. Miraculously, it stuck.  She went on to play across Canada and the United States, perform as a soloist with professional symphonies, and travel the world over for music. Jessica studied English at Brigham Young University, and now lives in Florida with her husband and two children. Her days are spent writing, running, and teaching her children to be music lovers too. She loves strawberries and crossword puzzles. She hates the last bite of dessert and having to apply sunscreen several times a day. Her greatest hope is that someday her five siblings will quit harassing her about ruining their childhoods with her violin-ing. Virtuosity is her first novel. Find out more at jessicamartinez.com and follow her on Twitter at @jlmarti1.