The Possibilities of Sainthood

Antonia Lucia Labella has two secrets: at fifteen she’s still waiting for her first kiss, and she wants to be a saint. An official one. To Antonia, saints are royalty and she wants her chance at being a princess. All her life she’s kept company with these kings and queens of small favors, knowing exactly whom to pray to on every occasion. Afraid of tripping in gym class? Try St. Sebastian, athletic and golden. Working in the family store? Light a candle for St. Leonard, Patron Saint of Grocers. And a good all-purpose one: St. Jude, Patron Saint of Desperate Situations and Hopeless Causes. Unfortunately, the two events Antonia has waited for her whole life seem equally unlikely to happen. It’s not for lack of trying. Every month for the last eight years, Antonia has sent a petition to the Vatican proposing a new patron saint and bravely offering herself for the post. (So what if she’s not dead?) And how long has she been praying for the attention of the tall, dark, and so good-looking Andy Rotellini? Too long to mention. But as Antonia learns, in matters of sainthood, things are about as straightforward as wound-up linguini, and in matters of the heart, she’s on her own.