Arthur is only visiting New York for the summer, but a trip to the post office brings the teen face-to-face with a dreamy, box-carrying young man; they flirt but then quickly lose sight of each other during a flash mob. Arthur is crushing on "box boy," but will he ever see him again? With only a crumpled shipping label as a clue, Arthur begins his search, and through social media sleuthing and a missed connection poster, he finally finds Ben. Their attraction is mutual, but lots of forces are conspiring against them, and they wonder if they are meant to be together (albeit temporarily) or if the universe is trying to send them a bigger message.

Becky Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) and Adam Silvera (More Happy Than Not) are stars of young adult fiction thanks to their authentic depictions of gay characters, and this collaboration will certainly boost their popularity. This not-to-miss addition to the YA canon seems tailor-made for a movie adaptation.

 

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Authors Albertalli (Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda) and Silvera (They Both Die at the End) team up for a charming, sweet-natured love story between two very different boys. Arthur (written by Albertalli) is in New York for the summer while his lawyer mother works a big case. His family's affluent and Jewish, and he's a Broadway geek and a virgin with good grades. Native New Yorker Ben (Silvera) is Puerto Rican. His family's on a tight budget, he's just out of a relationship, and he's stuck in summer school. Arthur believes in love at first sight; Ben's not even sure he believes in love. After they bump into each other at a post office, then are separated by a flash mob, Arthur searches the New York haystack to find one adorable high school junior. But the course of meet-cute never did run smooth: complications include friends, Ben's ex, cultural differences, and the difficult and confusing nature of love. The authors—one known for happy endings, the other for breaking hearts—split the difference believably, and it's impossible not to root for Arthur and Ben and their many do-overs. Ages 14–up. Agent: Brooks Sherman, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. (Oct.)

Gr 8 Up–This team effort is a meet cute between two high school boys in New York City. Broadway-obsessed Southerner Arthur (in the city for a summer internship) wants his magical New York moment. So he follows a cute boy into a post office in the hopes of making it happen. But fate—in the form of a flash mob proposal—separates them before Arthur gets the chance to learn Ben's name. Each boy tries to find the other using small clues from their first meeting until, eventually, they're reconnected. When their first date—Arthur's first date ever, Ben's first since breaking up with his ex—doesn't quite go as planned, they have a do-over date. And another. And another. But, as Arthur's return to Georgia at summer's end draws closer, is their flash relationship fate? Alternating between Ben and Arthur, the first-person chapters give readers both sides of the story. The supporting cast has diverse and endearing characters—including one friend who identifies as a biromantic ace. Ben is Puerto Rican, while Arthur is Jewish and has ADHD. The quippy dialogue is chock full of pop culture and musical theater references (especially to "Harry Potter" and Hamilton). Albertalli and Silvera balance cynicism and starry-eyed optimism to paint an honest, compelling picture of adolescent romance. VERDICT A must-purchase. Part feel-good, part star-crossed, this seamless blend of the authors' styles will appeal to fans old and new alike.—Alec Chunn, Eugene Public Library, OR