HEARTSICK

Two New Jersey high schoolers uncover corporate corruption while navigating the fallout from their past relationship.

Eighteen-year-old Margot Whitman’s college plans clash with her parents’ wishes; they want her to pursue a “stable” career, but Margot aspires to become a journalist. This passion is one of the reasons why she’s interning at Healing Hearts, a pharmaceutical company that promises to cure heartbreak through one pill. Interviewing the company’s COO, Christopher Woodson, would boost her portfolio—and provide a distraction from the recent breakup with her boyfriend, Isaac Fisher. Isaac shows up at Healing Hearts to talk to her, but Margot has to step away to take care of a task in a back room. Unaware of Margot’s presence, Woodson makes a phone call in which he reveals that patients are getting sick from the pills and Healing Hearts is silencing anyone who speaks out. When she’s caught listening in, Margot flees the center, with Isaac aiding her getaway. In the blink of an eye, the pair is on the run from Woodson and his lackeys, determined to expose the cover-up. Forest’s novel thoughtfully explores the nuances of heartbreak and how it shapes a person’s identity. The Black teens’ journey is wrapped in the tenderness and palpable sincerity of first love. Although they’re from different socioeconomic backgrounds, their connection is rooted in respect, friendship, and a willingness to be vulnerable.

An emotionally poignant second-chance romance propelled by cinematic intrigue.