A riveting new novel by critically acclaimed Children and Young Adult author, Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Released in Canada on February 8th by Lorimer
It’s Nova’s final year of high school and everything is on track for an amazing year. She’s going to ace all her studies and go on to be a doctor. She’s got a spot on the swim team. And she’s in love for the first time — with Leo, the captain of the swim team.
But things don’t turn out quite like Nova had planned. As her relationship with Leo intensifies, so does her obsession with him and her jealousy over his so-called friendship with another girl. The tighter she tries to hold on to him, the more he seems to pull away. The constant worry about the future of their relationship sends Nova spiralling into depression. Even she can’t believe how badly she’s handling things now. But could there be another reason for it, one she doesn’t even want to admit to herself?
More by Lorna Schultz Nicholson:
How long can Holly keep her secrets?
Avid competitive rower Holly is seventeen. There is nothing she wishes for more than to compete in the Olympics. When she fails to make the rowing team that is going to Europe she is shattered. Her dream has exploded, and she is left dealing with the disappointment. She is also confronting a new reality at home: she and her mother have moved in with her mother’s annoying new boyfriend, Super Stew, and his two sons.
This move is a blow to the close relationship Holly thought she had with her mother.
Holly’s not a quitter. She lands a summer job, and then she is handed an unexpected lifeline in the person of a man who offers to coach her in a single rowing boat. For a girl raised without a father, the coach’s generosity – and rigorous demands – are a gift. But where did he come from and who is he, really? Discovering the answer plunges her into sadness – but then he inspires her to work beyond her comfort zone. Holly feels her mother won’t support her so she secretly trains. And when Holly starts seeing someone from work who could become a significant romantic partner, she hides that from her mother as well. How long can you keep secrets like this? This page-turning story is enhanced by fascinating detail of what it means to be a competitive rower — as well as an emotional core that is powerful and compelling.
PRAISE FOR WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT:
About Lorna Schultz Nicholson