First published 2026
Mina is fifteen and her world revolves around her two best friends. Then comes an unexpected kiss that changes everything. The trio's familiar rhythms fracture as summer stretches ahead of them in their suburban Midwest town. What once felt natural now turns fragile. The girls share clothes and secrets differently now. Loyalties realign and tensions build through the long, hot days. They have nowhere new to escape to, but everything feels different. Years later, adult Mina looks back on that pivotal summer and traces how desire first took hold of her. The everyday rituals of teenage girlhood become charged with new meaning. Gossip sessions, selfies, sleepovers, and video games create an intricate web of connection and distance. Each moment feels both fleeting and permanent, carved into memory. Mina discovers that loving one person transforms how she loves everyone else, including herself.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, coming-of-age, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, friends-to-lovers
Setting: Midwest
Period: Summer
256 pages · Hardcover · The Dial Press