Young Widow's Club

A 17-year-old widow tries to restart her life in this contemporary drama from Coutts (Tumble & Fall). Tamsen Baird has only been married for six weeks when her 18-year-old husband, Noah, dies suddenly. Tamsen had dropped out of school to marry Noah, against the advice of just about everyone they knew, but after a run-in with the law, Tamsen is not only required to return to school, she must also attend a weekly support group for young widows. Everyone else in the group is decades older than Tamsen%E2%80%94except for handsome Colin, the only widower among them. Through the group meetings and getting to know Colin, Tamsen begins to emerge from her grief and imagine a new future for herself, one that includes college. While Noah's absence from the story can keep the extent of what Tamsen has lost at arm's length, Coutts handles the engaging, emotional subject with a sure touch. As Tamsen and Colin make mistakes of the heart, readers should find it easy to sympathize with the ways they stumble toward healing. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. Agent: Sara Shandler, Alloy Entertainment. (Nov.)