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Red Flags and Butterflies
Straight A student, swim team star, talented painter ― tenth-grader Lexie has worked hard to become the perfect applicant for Sunridge High’s prestigious fine art program. She’s even got a shot at a swimming scholarship. Everyone she loves is supportive of her application.
Everyone, that is, except her dad.
Lexie’s dad doesn’t see the point of some overpriced art school. He wants Lexie and her brother, Jonah, at home to help launch his new renovation business. The work will cut into Lexie’s already overloaded schedule, but the idea of refusing her dad makes her stomach churn with anxiety. So she agrees to help, just for a little while. If she supports his plan, then he’ll have to support hers, right? It’s only fair.
But Lexie and her dad have different definitions of fair. Soon, Lexie must make an impossible choice between being who her dad wants her to be, and being true to herself.
Everyone, that is, except her dad.
Lexie’s dad doesn’t see the point of some overpriced art school. He wants Lexie and her brother, Jonah, at home to help launch his new renovation business. The work will cut into Lexie’s already overloaded schedule, but the idea of refusing her dad makes her stomach churn with anxiety. So she agrees to help, just for a little while. If she supports his plan, then he’ll have to support hers, right? It’s only fair.
But Lexie and her dad have different definitions of fair. Soon, Lexie must make an impossible choice between being who her dad wants her to be, and being true to herself.
258 pages, Paperback
Published October 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 3, 2025
Wonderfully written story full of symbolism dealing with an all too common issue. Highly recommended.
September 3, 2025
Great read. Brings light to so many challenges youth are facing today.
August 27, 2025
A great read and a stand out for teens and pre-teens. I’ve not previously found a book that addresses the important but overlooked topic of coercive control dynamics and subtle manipulation within families (that isn’t focused on the adults), and this book does it well. The author captures the teen voice very authentically with a story that is likely relatable to many and will be eye-opening to others. Highly recommend.
September 3, 2025
Loved it!
October 26, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! The writing style was quick, easy to follow, and really pulled me in. It shines a light on toxic, narcissistic behaviour in families and relationships, something so many women can relate to or have seen in their own lives. Such an important story that brings awareness to a tough but real subject. I’d love to see this book in junior high and high school libraries. Highly recommend!
December 8, 2025
I rarely give any book five stars, heck I rarely give any book four stars. This book deserves it. Powerfully moving, not harsh but truthful. Still digesting the depths discovered in main character.
January 31, 2026
An engaging read with a valuable message for everyone. Highly recommend for teens.
January 21, 2026
Not a huge fan of the message of self-empowerment/I need to choose me/I can be whoever I want to be, but that's our society these days.
This book's strength is clearly showcasing how hard it can be to see how a loved one, especially a parent, abuses you in a non-physical sense. Lexi's father's manipulation is clear - lying to his kids' face about their mom being on meds or crazy or hating them, pitting the kids against each other for his affection, mood swings on them, withdrawing Lexi from her school acceptance using her phone, faking a heart attack to get her to come see him, lying to social workers, etc. We also see the clear parallel for how this leads to Lexi struggling in other relationships in her life, like with other boys, because she believes that the pattern she sees in his father is love when it isn't. The title is apt - how red flags can easily look like butterflies when someone can't tell the difference. I also appreciated how they showed Lexi - a stellar student and athlete and a loving family member, struggling under the weight of all the expectations of others, particularly under what her father puts her through.
This book emphasizes that therapy can really help someone identify abusive patterns. It introduces kids to terms such as gaslighting to help describe what may be happening to them. The part where Rhys (the toxic boyfriend) jokes around and tells her that she's overreacting was a yikeees for me because definitely had that happen before, so that scene was well-written and also fleshed-out as gaslighting afterwards.
I wish there was more relationship development and a bit more exploration of Lexi's inner thoughts/inner world. The prose is simple. I enjoyed her friendship with Nate that turns into a romantic relationship that is safe and warm and easy. I loved her friendship with old Mr. Harris and I teared up when she finds out she's in his will and that he got her a bright plant. I enjoyed Lexi discovering that as badly as she craves her father's love and as deeply as she grieves that her father is not who she wants him to be, that she has so much love from others in her life and that others fill that father role for her - Mr. Harris, Coach, etc.
Realistic story about a girl being manipulated/mistreated/abused by her father in a non-physical way and her learning how to come into her own life, making decisions about her future.
Some cursing. Parental manipulation/abuse. Red flags in relationships. Mention of drugs.
Liked the end notes about how the author passed away from cancer shortly after the advertising materials went out but that she got to know her work was being published. Loved how her loved ones wrote the ending bio part about her!
This book's strength is clearly showcasing how hard it can be to see how a loved one, especially a parent, abuses you in a non-physical sense. Lexi's father's manipulation is clear - lying to his kids' face about their mom being on meds or crazy or hating them, pitting the kids against each other for his affection, mood swings on them, withdrawing Lexi from her school acceptance using her phone, faking a heart attack to get her to come see him, lying to social workers, etc. We also see the clear parallel for how this leads to Lexi struggling in other relationships in her life, like with other boys, because she believes that the pattern she sees in his father is love when it isn't. The title is apt - how red flags can easily look like butterflies when someone can't tell the difference. I also appreciated how they showed Lexi - a stellar student and athlete and a loving family member, struggling under the weight of all the expectations of others, particularly under what her father puts her through.
This book emphasizes that therapy can really help someone identify abusive patterns. It introduces kids to terms such as gaslighting to help describe what may be happening to them. The part where Rhys (the toxic boyfriend) jokes around and tells her that she's overreacting was a yikeees for me because definitely had that happen before, so that scene was well-written and also fleshed-out as gaslighting afterwards.
I wish there was more relationship development and a bit more exploration of Lexi's inner thoughts/inner world. The prose is simple. I enjoyed her friendship with Nate that turns into a romantic relationship that is safe and warm and easy. I loved her friendship with old Mr. Harris and I teared up when she finds out she's in his will and that he got her a bright plant. I enjoyed Lexi discovering that as badly as she craves her father's love and as deeply as she grieves that her father is not who she wants him to be, that she has so much love from others in her life and that others fill that father role for her - Mr. Harris, Coach, etc.
Realistic story about a girl being manipulated/mistreated/abused by her father in a non-physical way and her learning how to come into her own life, making decisions about her future.
Some cursing. Parental manipulation/abuse. Red flags in relationships. Mention of drugs.
Liked the end notes about how the author passed away from cancer shortly after the advertising materials went out but that she got to know her work was being published. Loved how her loved ones wrote the ending bio part about her!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2026
4.5 Book 5 of the 2026 Morris Award Finalists for YA debut. A very important and well done YA depiction of emotional abuse, both in family relationships and romantic ones. I felt so much for Lexie and I fucking haaaaaaated her dad. This story could be really important bibliotherapy for a lot of teens. I would love a rec for a middle grade book in this vein. The fact that this book was published posthumously made it all the more impactful.
September 5, 2025
This easy-to-read tale holds natural dialogue and characters with heart. The main character is no problem to sympathize with and her thoughts as well as her reactions are understandable. There's a nice family dynamic going on, which also illustrates how love and respect don't mean perfect harmony.
While this reads very well and the themes are well-laid, I felt a disconnect with her goals. While the need for a scholarship to attend the arts school is understandable, swimming took up most of her time and thoughts. If her love was truly for the arts, I'd expect the concentration to truly be there, but it comes across as a side aspect.
But it's a lovely read with heart and will delight YAers, especially those who enjoy easier reads.
While this reads very well and the themes are well-laid, I felt a disconnect with her goals. While the need for a scholarship to attend the arts school is understandable, swimming took up most of her time and thoughts. If her love was truly for the arts, I'd expect the concentration to truly be there, but it comes across as a side aspect.
But it's a lovely read with heart and will delight YAers, especially those who enjoy easier reads.
February 5, 2026
I can't say that I liked this book; I struggled to get it finished (took 3 days when it should have been just one day), but I would put it in a high school library because it does have an important message that many high school girls need to hear. (It's not preachy, just so dark and times.) And the ending isn't completely happy or believable. (Morris finalist--which has to be one of the hardest committees to choose a winner because of being limited to first books by new authors so the entries vary greatly by year.)
April 6, 2025
Such a good book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews