by Robbie Couch
First published 2025
River Lang gets caught spray painting over the texting and driving billboard that turned his dead best friend Dylan into a public service announcement. Now someone's blackmailing him into joining the Affinity Trials, a week long research study for teens with social problems. River doesn't want to be there, especially when he discovers Mavis will be in his group. She's his former best friend and Dylan's ex girlfriend, and she knows what really happened the night Dylan died in that car accident. During the trials, River meets Nash, an athlete from a nearby camp who reminds him of Dylan in all the right ways. As River starts falling for Nash, he begins exploring feelings he never allowed himself to have. But the research study isn't what it seems. The more River digs into what the scientists are actually studying, the more dangerous his situation becomes. When he uncovers the truth, River must decide how much risk he'll take for a second chance at love.
Genres: romance, contemporary, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
384 pages · Paperback · Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Content warnings: mental-illness