Always Forever Maybe
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A powerful YA debut, told with astonishing insight and wit, about the depths and boundaries of true friendship and obsessive teenage love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, and Sara Zarr.
When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us.
Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling.
She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.
A Possessive First Love: Aiden seems perfect, but his affection quickly turns to control, and Betts finds herself keeping secrets from everyone she loves.An Unbreakable Female Friendship: Best friend Jo sees the red flags long before Betts does, but speaking up about her fears could mean losing her friend forever.A Powerful Cautionary Tale: A gripping and realistic portrayal of how a fairy-tale romance can devolve into a nightmare of emotional abuse and isolation.A Compelling Coming of Age Story: Betts must find the strength to see the truth and reclaim herself in this moving novel about finding your voice and defining your own worth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In western New York, high school senior Betts is tired of her parents' micromanaging and of always playing it safe. At the candy store where Betts works, she meets Aiden, a boy with a difficult past and endearing qualities (a motorcycle named after Ralph S. Mouse, for example), and an earth-shaking attraction strikes: "I felt like whatever he wanted me to be, I'd be it." When Aiden's affection turns toxic, Betts gives him the benefit of the doubt, trying to demonstrate selfless love as his behavior becomes jealous and controlling, reveals an undercurrent of simmering anger, and turns physically abusive. Betts's best friend, Jo, and her twin, Eric, show kindness and concern, playing an effective foil to obsessive love even as an explosive public incident shows everyone, including Betts, the truth. This emotionally resonant YA debut by Rissi (The Teacher's Pet) meaningfully highlights known patterns of intimate-partner abuse and speaks to the joy and importance of enduring friendship. Further elevating the story are romance rendered alongside a Bechdel-Wallace Test reference, female sexuality written without shame, and a group of funny, authentically written teens. Ages 13 up.
