On Rotation is a smart new romantic comedy by Shirlene Obuobi that follows medical student Angie Appiah’s attempts to balance work, relationships, and the expectations of her Ghanian parents. The novel begins with a one-two punch—on the same day her boyfriend dumps her, Angie finds out she’s practically failed Step 1, the most important exam of her career. Her whole life has been about making the grade, and now that the “straight-A overachiever” part of her identity has been thrown into question, she feels lost. Because Angie is nothing if not a fixer, she puts together a plan—a plan that very specifically does not include boys—that keeps her ambitions a reality. However, relationships aren’t to-do items that can be checked off a list, and at just the wrong moment, Ricky Gutiérrez walks into her life. He’s artistic, sensitive, absolutely gorgeous… and the absolute opposite of her parents’ ideal match. On top of that, her best friend Nia is growing a richer life of her own that doesn’t have as much room for Angie, and their relationship seems to be heading for a crossroads. With everything in life pushing her towards change, Angie will have to learn how to trust her instincts if she wants to not just survive these growing pains, but grow into the fullest version of herself.

This debut novel is an absolute joy. I love any rom com with an introvert/workaholic/perfectionist as protagonist, and Angie fills that space with style. She’s more than just a hardworking medical student; she loves anime and Beyoncé, has a tight friend group called the Sanity Circle, and she spends her precious free time at art exhibits and colorful coffee shops. And even though romance features heavily in the book, Obuobi spends just as much time crafting the storylines involving Angie’s parents, coworkers, and friends so that Angie feels like a real person and not just a love interest. I was especially impressed with Obuobi’s nuanced depiction of Angie’s relationship with her immigrant parents, the push-and-pull between wanting to make them proud and needing to set boundaries. At times the novel felt a little long-winded, but only because it covers a lot of material; the writing itself is fun and easy. I loved On Rotation, and can’t wait to see what Obuobi does next.

Also, fun fact: the author is also a physician specializing in cardiology! So all the medical school/hospital aspects of the book are super detailed and informative.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone looking for a novel about navigating young adulthood and all its tricky relationship situations… it’s similar in theme to the movieNo Strings Attached
• Anyone craving something funny, charming, and optimistic… it’s similar in tone to Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
• Anyone who loves compulsively readable, pop-culture-infused writing… it’s similar style to When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord