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SINCE WE LAST

SPOKE

 

When true love is shattered by tragedy—how much would you risk to save it all?

When Aggi Frank and Max Granger finally admitted their feelings for each other last December, it felt like love was beautiful and endless... until it wasn’t.

A fatal car accident involving their older siblings throws their lives into sudden chaos. And with a restraining order now in place between the two bitter households, Aggi and Max’s love runs cold. Being together again seems like a distant fantasy, even though they share the same driveway.

Still, Plum Lake is a small town, and staying apart can’t last forever. Aggi and Max eventually reunite at a lake-house party hosted by a mutual friend and break the ice after a year of silence. But just as they begin to rebuild their relationship, the unthinkable happens when Aggi’s little sister, Grace, flees from home after their father spirals into a fit of rage. With a support system of friends close by, Aggi and Max must confront each other and their families in the hopes of mending all the broken pieces.

Perfect for fans of Jennifer Niven and Nicola Yoon, Brenda Rufener’s (Where I Live) second heartbreaking and uplifting novel captures the ups and downs of star-crossed lovers in the face of unimaginable grief, the fragile balance of their family relations, and the rocky journey to healing, peace, and forgiveness.

★"Rufener successfully weaves difficult subjects into a real and relatable narrative without platitudes or apologies. This is a modern-day Romeo and Juliet story that stands on its own. VERDICT: This book is a definite first purchase for high school libraries."

School Library Journal, STARRED Review

A YALSA 2020 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers - SINCE WE LAST SPOKE

 

“Rufener's treatment of grief is nuanced and deeply felt, and Aggi's and Max's complex feelings about themselves, their families, and their aborted romance drive the skillfully crafted narrative. A compelling story about grief told through the voices of two expertly drawn protagonists."

Kirkus Reviews

"Readers who enjoy narratives of resilience after devastating loss will appreciate Aggi's and Max's struggles to recover and find each other again."

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

SINCE WE LAST SPOKE sells to Random House Germany

". . . hard-hitting and real and filled with hope. It makes you want to find your voice, find your people, and tell your story." 

Jennifer Niven, NYT bestselling author of All The Bright Places

WHERE I LIVE, an In The Margins Book Award Recommended List Selection

 

Included on Bustle's list of the "27 Most Anticipated YA Contemporary Books Hitting Shelves in 2018"!

WHERE I LIVE sells foreign rights in Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia

"Fans of Jennifer Niven and Nicola Yoon will enjoy this realistic debut novel, which brings to light heavy

 

topics of homelessness and abuse." 

School Library Journal

BRENDA'S BOOKS
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