From the author of Can't Take That Away comes a sex-positive, fairytale-inspired YA novel that celebrates first love and self-acceptance, perfect for fans of What If It's Us.
"My heart didn't stand a chance. I loved it from once upon a time all the way to its joyfully complex ever after." - New York Times bestselling author Becky Albertalli
Steven Salvatore is a chaos agent whose obsessions include exploring Italy, being Italian (Sicilian, not Italian-American!), and having and then dissecting existential crises. For twelve years, he was a studied, accomplished writing professor having held many positions within higher education spheres; though still teaching, he's now an academic advisor at Manhattanville University. He is also a book coach with an MFA in Creative Writing. He currently lives somewhere with his amazing husband Chris.
www.stevensalvatore.com
@stevensalvatorebooks
"Captures all the best and most terrifying parts of loving both yourself and others, masterfully balancing a dreamy romance with the raw honesty it takes to sustain it. This book is a true delight." --Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
"Steven Salvatore writes complicated love stories with such sincerity, thoughtfulness, and emotional resonance. My heart didn't stand a chance-I loved it from once upon a time all the way to its joyfully complex ever after." --Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda "I devoured this novel. . . . Compulsively readable, unapologetically human, and refreshingly original, this is a modern gay fairy tale that will turn even the most jaded reader into a hopeless romantic." --Nicolas DiDomizio, author of Burn It All Down "Reading And They Lived was like a jolt of lightning to my soul. The characters are so bright, the emotion is so vibrant, and the love is exquisitely electric. Chase's story is a reminder to all of us that we're deserving of love from ourselves and others, and-even through the hardships-to enjoy the journey and live." --Jason June, author of Jay's Gay Agenda "Sincerely funny and heart-achingly real. . . .Salvatore delivers the memorable queer fairy tale readers are craving!" --Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running With Lions "Salvatore has done a superb job of dealing with a dramatic complexity of issues while creating equally complex, highly empathic characters. Readers will urgently root for a happily ever after." --Booklist, starred review "Taking on coming out, the challenges of art-making, the importance of mentors who get where one is coming from, and the joys and terrors of romance, Salvatore sweeps readers off their feet." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "A sex-positive, LGBTQIA+ romp through an artist's freshman year of college, with quick, witty dialogue and sure pacing that makes it a perfect crossover title for older teens and college students in the vein of Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl and Margot Wood's Fresh." --School Library Journal "[Chase's] growth, supported by queer mentors and friends, provides affirming representation of questioning and nonlinear healing . . . A dramatic and refreshing storm of emotion." --Kirkus Reviews "This charming, joyful story-about self-love, fighting for what's right, and the love to be found in chosen family-will make you want to put on a pair of red heels and blast Mariah Carey." --Booklist, starred review, on Can't Take That Away