by Alice Oseman
First published 2023
Nick and Charlie have built their relationship around being together constantly. They share classes, lunch breaks, and lazy afternoons. But Nick is heading to university while Charlie, one year younger, will finish his final year of secondary school alone. Friends and family keep asking whether they plan to stay together. At first, both boys brush off the question. Of course they will. But as departure day approaches, doubt creeps in. Charlie becomes convinced he is preventing Nick from experiencing university fully. Nick watches Charlie withdraw but cannot decode what his boyfriend is thinking. Their conversations grow strained. Neither wants to voice their fears about long distance relationships. Charlie pulls back emotionally to protect himself from potential heartbreak. Nick feels helpless as the gap between them widens. The couple who seemed unbreakable now faces their greatest test. Their love feels fragile against the reality of separation and different life stages.
Genres: romance, contemporary, young-adult, lgbt, gay, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
153 pages · Hardcover · Scholastic Press