Love and Other Train Wrecks

Seventeen-year-old Ammy West meets Noah Adler, a freshman at Hunter College, on an Amtrak train headed to Hudson, N.Y. Both need to get to the town by a certain time, so when the train grinds to a halt during a snowstorm, they decide to try their luck with a bus. Things don’t go as planned, naturally, leaving the two of them to figure out yet another way to reach their destinations. Along the way, Ammy and Noah share their stories: he is trying to win back his ex-girlfriend with an elaborate plan that includes dinner at an expensive restaurant, and Ammy eventually reveals that she is on her way to her father’s commitment ceremony to the woman who broke up her family. Konen (The Romantics) spins a charming tale of two people who are meant to be, despite terrible first impressions. Alternating between Ammy and Noah’s perspectives, Konen provides rich backstories for both characters while laying groundwork for a realistic love story that, like life, isn’t always easy or perfect. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary. (Jan.) [/em]