Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by debut author Joya Goffney is a story of an overly enthusiastic list maker who is blackmailed into completing a to-do list of all her worst fears. It’s a heartfelt, tortured, contemporary YA high school romance. Fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Kristina Forest’s I Wanna Be Where You Are will love the juicy secrets and leap-off-the-page sexual tension.

“A hilarious and swoonworthy story.” —Kristina Forest, author of Now That I’ve Found You

“A fun, emotionally rich romance with a sweet, imperfect character who will win your heart.” —Liara Tamani, author of All the Things We Never Knew

Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud” and all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing . . .

Then an anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Epic Reads Recommended Pick at Target

A Kirkus Children's Best Book of 2021

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Published Feb 1, 2022

362 pages

Average rating: 7.98

88 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

niyeninu19
Apr 25, 2025
10/10 stars
I loved this book. It spoke to the little girl in me that used to read all the time and was always misunderstood.
Tanesha’s Tips
Dec 12, 2024
8/10 stars
See my goodreads review!
Shawnđź’śReads
Nov 10, 2023
9/10 stars
I want more... like, I miss these characters already and it hasn't even been five minutes since I put the book down. Reading this made me feel seen. I keep thinking that just because I'm in my thirties I won't get something meaningful from stories involving teens or high school, but I got so much. There were so many things Quinn went through that I also went through. This book healed some things in me. It might have to go on the bookshelf of my heart. I would understand if there isn't a sequel to this, but I would LOVE one! Just a little more. Let us know what Carter's last item on the list is.
Ccasey
May 22, 2023
8/10 stars
A great read for any age!
Thediaryofkey
May 04, 2023
10/10 stars
This is the book that made me fall in love with Joya Goffney

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