June 20, 2022
In Siegemund-Broka and Wibberley’s (What’s Not to Love) latest swoony collaboration, high school sweethearts on the brink of change embark on a long-distance relationship. Siena and Patrick, both cued as white, have been dating for the past three years, and everyone insists that they are made for each other. With college looming, however, Siena worries that spending the rest of their lives having only ever dated one person is holding them back from their futures, and she resolves to break up with Patrick. But when Patrick’s family abruptly leaves Arizona for Texas, Siena, assuming their relationship will naturally fizzle when faced with time and separation, decides they’ll give long-distance a shot. Together, through misunderstandings and an unpredictable transition into adulthood, they must determine whether their future has room for the people they’ve been together and the people they want to become. Supporting characters often act solely as sounding boards for the protagonists’ relationship, and the novel’s episodic narrative, told from Siena’s occasionally meandering perspective, can feel disjointed. Nevertheless, Siena and Patrick’s relationship dynamic feels live-in, their banter is engaging, and their growth is effortlessly romantic, making for a tender, cozy read. Ages 14–up. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary.