by Gaby Dunn
First published 2017
Ava Helmer knows she'll hate everyone at college except her best friend Gen. The problem is Gen will be studying thousands of miles away. As they leave for their first semester, Ava sends Gen a dramatic goodbye text. Gen responds from the same room, telling her to stop crying. This starts months of texts and emails between the two friends as they navigate college life on opposite coasts. Ava deals with strange roommates and awkward romantic encounters while Gen faces her own challenges with dating, self discovery, and coming out. They document every embarrassing moment and major revelation to each other through messages. Mental health struggles and heartbreak test both of them as they grow into new versions of themselves. The constant communication keeps them connected, but college changes people. As Ava and Gen evolve in their separate worlds, they must figure out whether their friendship can survive the physical distance and emotional growth that pulls them in different directions.
Genres: romance, friendship, coming-of-age, contemporary, new-adult
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: College
Period: First Semester
344 pages · Hardcover · Wednesday Books
Content warnings: anxiety, depression, mental-illness