Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between

The day before going off to separate colleges on opposite sides of the country, Clare and Aidan have an important decision to make: are they going to break up or attempt a long-distance romance? They might be at the end of the road, as Clare believes, but there is also a chance that they’re just beginning, as more idealistic Aiden hopes. Over a 12 -hour period, the couple revisits sites marking significant moments in their time together. They collect keepsakes, visit mutual friends, and ponder the next—and perhaps final—step of their relationship. Told from Clare’s point of view, Smith’s (The Geography of You and Me) novel persuasively evokes her roller-coaster emotions as hours pass and waves of exhaustion, longing, and regret come and go. Although Aidan’s thoughts aren’t explicitly stated, his words, gestures, and reactions clearly express what’s in his heart. Readers—especially those whose own time has come to leave the nest—will strongly feel the tug of war between growing up and clinging to the familiar. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM. (Sept.)