First published 2025
Sebastian arrives in New Gault to care for his cancer-stricken mother, a woman whose cruelty shaped his childhood. The town's high school, TECH, operates under strict digital surveillance that limits student speech to prevent bullying. His student guide Lu champions the system as protection from harassment and anxiety triggers. Sebastian refuses to join, viewing the controlled environment as dystopian manipulation. His rejection wounds Lu, who cannot fathom why anyone would choose potential harm over guaranteed safety. When authorities threaten to deny his mother medical treatment unless he complies, Sebastian accepts the monitoring device. As he and Lu grow closer, their relationship blooms into romance. Yet their bond strains under fundamental disagreement about freedom versus security. Sebastian questions whether true safety requires surrendering authentic expression. Lu struggles to understand his resistance to protection they desperately needed. While navigating this technological maze, Sebastian wrestles with forgiving a dying mother who never showed him love.
Genres: dystopia, romance, literary-fiction, contemporary, young-adult, 21st-century
Vibes: emotionally-complex, intimate, introspective, tension-filled, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity, ideological-conflict, slow-burn-romance
Setting: New Gault, TECH High School
Period: 21st-century
304 pages · Hardcover · Nancy Paulsen Books
Content warnings: abuse, emotional-abuse, terminal-illness