The co-op bookstore for avid readers
Book Cover for: What We Left Behind: An Emotional Young Adult Novel, Robin Talley

What We Left Behind: An Emotional Young Adult Novel

Robin Talley

From the critically acclaimed author of Lies We Tell Ourselves comes an emotional, empowering story of what happens when love may not be enough to conquer all

Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. When they separate for their first year at college--Toni to Harvard and Gretchen to NYU--they're sure they'll be fine. Where other long-distance relationships have fallen apart, theirs is bound to stay rock-solid.

The reality of being apart, though, is very different than they expected. Toni, who identifies as genderqueer, meets a group of transgender upperclassmen and immediately finds a sense of belonging that has always been missing, but Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside their relationship.

As distance and Toni's shifting gender identity begin to wear on their relationship, the couple must decide--have they grown apart for good, or is love enough to keep them together?

Book Details

  • Publisher: Harlequin Teen
  • Publish Date: Sep 6th, 2016
  • Pages: 384
  • Language: English
  • Edition: First Time Trad - undefined
  • Dimensions: 7.90in - 5.20in - 1.00in - 0.65lb
  • EAN: 9780373211999
  • Recommended age: 13-UP
  • Categories: LGBTQ+ - GeneralSocial Themes - Dating & SexRomance - Contemporary

About the Author

Talley, Robin: - Robin Talley studied literature and communications at American University. She lives in Washington, DC, with her wife, but visits both Boston and New York regularly despite her moral opposition to Massachusetts winters and Times Square. Her first book was 2014's Lies We Tell Ourselves. Visit her online at robintalley.com or on Twitter at @robin_talley.

Praise for this book

"This title is a must-read for high school Gay Straight Alliance members....Toni's genderqueer identity contributes a fresh perspective to LGBTQ fiction. VERDICT Recommended for all collections trying to fill a gap in the representation of transgender voices in teen fiction." -School Library Journal (starred view)

"Talley continues to tackle tough issues with unvarnished honesty." -Booklist

"Characterization is poignant and razor-sharp... Emotionally astute." -Kirkus Reviews

"An important read about strength, self, and discovery." -Tess Sharpe, author of Far From You

"Important. Brave. Necessary." -I.W. Gregorio, author of None of the Above

"With vividly drawn characters and killer prose, this is Robin Talley's writing at its best. I couldn't put it down." -Miranda Kenneally, bestselling author of Catching Jordan