A heartfelt romance with emotionally intelligent characters that focuses on the power of community and connection.
Two teenagers face challenges at the start of 12th grade.
Sabrina is focusing on what she can control, like making the seniors’ last year together at Hamilton Lakes High one to remember through her work on the Spirit Committee. Tyler, on the other hand, is grateful to have another opportunity to play football after transferring to Hamilton Lakes his senior year. Determined to fulfill her “Spirit Committee duty,” Sabrina reaches out to welcome Tyler to his new school, which leads to a mutually beneficial agreement to go to homecoming together “just as friends” (they’re both trying to evade unwanted romantic interests). Their friendship grows, and they support each other through Sabrina’s feelings about her parents’ recent divorce and Tyler’s fear that regrettable past behavior will negatively affect his future prospects. This heartwarming friends-to-lovers narrative has characters who will capture readers’ hearts and minds with their depth and intriguing backstories. The white-presenting leads’ alternating narration allows events to unfold through delightful banter and romantic tension that emphasizes the importance of strong communication. By leaning on each other and their teammates, Sabrina and Tyler show that you don’t have to do things on your own. This stand-alone companion to Heart Check (2025) maintains all the spirit and sincerity of the earlier entry without feeling formulaic or repetitive.
A heartfelt romance with emotionally intelligent characters that focuses on the power of community and connection. (Romance. 14-18)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9781665985383
Page Count: 304
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: June 1, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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