Overview

Abby Akerman believes in the Universe. After all, her Midwest high school marching band is about to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City-if that's not proof that magical things can happen, what is? New York also happens to be the setting of her favorite romance novel, making it the perfect place for Abby to finally tell her best friend Kat that she's in love with her (and, um, gay). She's carefully annotated a copy of the book as a gift for Kat, and she's counting on the Universe to provide an Epic Scene worthy of her own rom-com. Leo Brewer, on the other hand, just wants to get through this trip without falling apart. He doesn't believe the Universe is magical at all, mostly because he's about to be outed to his very Southern extended family on national TV as the trans boy he really is. He's not excited for the parade, and he's even less excited for an entire day of sightseeing with his band. But the Universe has other ideas. When fate throws Abby and Leo together on the wrong subway train, they soon find themselves lost in the middle of Manhattan. Even worse, Leo accidentally causes Abby to lose her Epic Gift for Kat. So to salvage the day, they come up with a new mission: find a souvenir from every location mentioned in the book for Abby to give Kat instead. But as Leo and Abby traverse the city, from the streets of Chinatown to the halls of Grand Central Station and the top of the Empire State Building, their initial expectations for the trip-and of each other-begin to shift. Maybe, if they let it, this could be the day that changes everything, for both of them.

Full Product Details

9781250835222

Table of Contents

Reviews

"""Captures the magic of New York City, unexpected adventures, and whirlwind romances, showing spectacular things can happen if you trust the universe, and yourself, enough to let them."" -Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of She Gets the Girl ""This Day Changes Everything will parade into your heart and set off the confetti cannons. The romance is as real and magical and unpredictable as a day in New York City."" -Stephanie Perkins, bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss ""Woven throughout Leo and Abby's charming adventures are beautiful notes on identity, destiny, and the thrill of being seen for who you truly are, even as you're still figuring that out."" -Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All Praise for Always the Almost: ""Exuberant...building nuanced characters with relatable problems, high emotional stakes, and earnest first love, Underhill delivers a delightful triumph."" -Publishers Weekly (starred) ""A sweet queer love story sure to delight any YA rom-com fan."" -Booklist ""A warm, optimistic transgender coming-of-age and queer romance."" -Kirkus Reviews ""Underhill nails every element here, from the wit to the romance to the fun and supportive cast, and you'll definitely be cheering by The End."" --Buzzfeed ""Uplifting, filled with trans joy and a healthy heaping of existential angst, Always the Almost shines with tender self-discovery, nuanced characters, sweet prose and ends up hitting all the right notes."" -The Nerd Daily ""Filled with sparkling joy, tender hope, and resounding heart, Always the Almost is an ode to finding yourself, your people, and your own power."" --Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay ""Always the Almost is a warm-hearted coming of age story about the complexities of friendship, romance, and overcoming adversity both on and off the stage. A virtuosic masterpiece."" --Phil Stamper, bestselling author of As Far as You'll Take Me ""Deeply witty, romantic, authentic, and above all, triumphant. Edward Underhill is unquestionably a debut to watch."" --Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer ""An unapologetic story of a trans boy finding love that never shies away from just how messy love can be; this stunning debut made me laugh and then broke my heart into pieces before putting it all back together again."" --Mason Deaver, national bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best and The Ghosts We Keep ""Edward Underhill has composed the perfect piece to tug on your heart. Miles's journey coming into his own shows us that love can take many forms: love of your friends, love of your passions, love for a special someone, and most importantly, love for yourself. Always the Almost is music for the soul!"" -- Jason June, author of Jay's Gay Agenda and Out of the Blue ""Always the Almost is an empowering, beautifully-written story about rewriting your life, living your truth, and finding joy. Filled with wisdom and warmth, it's a book that will touch your heart!"" --Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of The Music of What Happens ""This gem of a debut novel exquisitely renders the complexity of friendship, love, and family. It elevates the joy one finds when truly and fully accepting all of who you are, but mostly it's a heart-thumping, great read of a romance. I loved Miles and his journey. You will, too."" --Jaye Robin Brown, author of The Meaning of Birds ""Taking a deep dive into identity and the multi-faceted struggles of being trans in a world that struggles to keep up, Always the Almost is a coming of age story full of heart and heartache that illustrates the power, freedom, and joy of refusing to deny your most honest self."" --Emery Lee, author of Meet Cute Diary and Café con Lychee ""Always the Almost is a thoroughly delightful debut. A nuanced portrait of a trans teen's coming of age, this book illustrates the deep impact of finding the right mentor, accompanied by pitch-perfect Midwestern queer vibes. An ode to joy."" --Miel Morland, author of It Goes Like This"

"Praise for Always the Almost: ""Exuberant...building nuanced characters with relatable problems, high emotional stakes, and earnest first love, Underhill delivers a delightful triumph."" -Publishers Weekly (starred) ""A sweet queer love story sure to delight any YA rom-com fan."" -Booklist ""A warm, optimistic transgender coming-of-age and queer romance."" -Kirkus Reviews ""Underhill nails every element here, from the wit to the romance to the fun and supportive cast, and you'll definitely be cheering by The End."" --Buzzfeed ""Uplifting, filled with trans joy and a healthy heaping of existential angst, Always the Almost shines with tender self-discovery, nuanced characters, sweet prose and ends up hitting all the right notes."" -The Nerd Daily ""Filled with sparkling joy, tender hope, and resounding heart, Always the Almost is an ode to finding yourself, your people, and your own power."" --Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay ""Always the Almost is a warm-hearted coming of age story about the complexities of friendship, romance, and overcoming adversity both on and off the stage. A virtuosic masterpiece."" --Phil Stamper, bestselling author of As Far as You'll Take Me ""Deeply witty, romantic, authentic, and above all, triumphant. Edward Underhill is unquestionably a debut to watch."" --Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer ""An unapologetic story of a trans boy finding love that never shies away from just how messy love can be; this stunning debut made me laugh and then broke my heart into pieces before putting it all back together again."" --Mason Deaver, national bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best and The Ghosts We Keep ""Edward Underhill has composed the perfect piece to tug on your heart. Miles's journey coming into his own shows us that love can take many forms: love of your friends, love of your passions, love for a special someone, and most importantly, love for yourself. Always the Almost is music for the soul!"" -- Jason June, author of Jay's Gay Agenda and Out of the Blue ""Always the Almost is an empowering, beautifully-written story about rewriting your life, living your truth, and finding joy. Filled with wisdom and warmth, it's a book that will touch your heart!"" --Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of The Music of What Happens ""This gem of a debut novel exquisitely renders the complexity of friendship, love, and family. It elevates the joy one finds when truly and fully accepting all of who you are, but mostly it's a heart-thumping, great read of a romance. I loved Miles and his journey. You will, too."" --Jaye Robin Brown, author of The Meaning of Birds ""Taking a deep dive into identity and the multi-faceted struggles of being trans in a world that struggles to keep up, Always the Almost is a coming of age story full of heart and heartache that illustrates the power, freedom, and joy of refusing to deny your most honest self."" --Emery Lee, author of Meet Cute Diary and Café con Lychee ""Always the Almost is a thoroughly delightful debut. A nuanced portrait of a trans teen's coming of age, this book illustrates the deep impact of finding the right mentor, accompanied by pitch-perfect Midwestern queer vibes. An ode to joy."" --Miel Morland, author of It Goes Like This"

"""Tender, earnest, and unabashedly romantic--an ode to serendipity, liminal spaces, and the joy of marching to your own drumbeat."" --Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda ""Captures the magic of New York City, unexpected adventures, and whirlwind romances, showing spectacular things can happen if you trust the universe, and yourself, enough to let them."" -Rachael Lippincott, #1 New York Times bestselling author of She Gets the Girl ""This Day Changes Everything will parade into your heart and set off the confetti cannons. The romance is as real and magical and unpredictable as a day in New York City."" -Stephanie Perkins, bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss ""A delightful ode to New York City, taking chances, and falling in love. Joyous, romantic, and true."" -Axie Oh, New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea and XOXO ""Woven throughout Leo and Abby's charming adventures are beautiful notes on identity, destiny, and the thrill of being seen for who you truly are, even as you're still figuring that out."" -Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All Praise for Always the Almost: ""Exuberant...building nuanced characters with relatable problems, high emotional stakes, and earnest first love, Underhill delivers a delightful triumph."" -Publishers Weekly (starred) ""A sweet queer love story sure to delight any YA rom-com fan."" -Booklist ""A warm, optimistic transgender coming-of-age and queer romance."" -Kirkus Reviews ""Underhill nails every element here, from the wit to the romance to the fun and supportive cast, and you'll definitely be cheering by The End."" --Buzzfeed ""Uplifting, filled with trans joy and a healthy heaping of existential angst, Always the Almost shines with tender self-discovery, nuanced characters, sweet prose and ends up hitting all the right notes."" -The Nerd Daily ""Filled with sparkling joy, tender hope, and resounding heart, Always the Almost is an ode to finding yourself, your people, and your own power."" --Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay ""Always the Almost is a warm-hearted coming of age story about the complexities of friendship, romance, and overcoming adversity both on and off the stage. A virtuosic masterpiece."" --Phil Stamper, bestselling author of As Far as You'll Take Me ""Deeply witty, romantic, authentic, and above all, triumphant. Edward Underhill is unquestionably a debut to watch."" --Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer ""An unapologetic story of a trans boy finding love that never shies away from just how messy love can be; this stunning debut made me laugh and then broke my heart into pieces before putting it all back together again."" --Mason Deaver, national bestselling author of I Wish You All the Best and The Ghosts We Keep ""Edward Underhill has composed the perfect piece to tug on your heart. Miles's journey coming into his own shows us that love can take many forms: love of your friends, love of your passions, love for a special someone, and most importantly, love for yourself. Always the Almost is music for the soul!"" -- Jason June, author of Jay's Gay Agenda and Out of the Blue ""Always the Almost is an empowering, beautifully-written story about rewriting your life, living your truth, and finding joy. Filled with wisdom and warmth, it's a book that will touch your heart!"" --Bill Konigsberg, award-winning author of The Music of What Happens ""This gem of a debut novel exquisitely renders the complexity of friendship, love, and family. It elevates the joy one finds when truly and fully accepting all of who you are, but mostly it's a heart-thumping, great read of a romance. I loved Miles and his journey. You will, too."" --Jaye Robin Brown, author of The Meaning of Birds ""Taking a deep dive into identity and the multi-faceted struggles of being trans in a world that struggles to keep up, Always the Almost is a coming of age story full of heart and heartache that illustrates the power, freedom, and joy of refusing to deny your most honest self."" --Emery Lee, author of Meet Cute Diary and Café con Lychee ""Always the Almost is a thoroughly delightful debut. A nuanced portrait of a trans teen's coming of age, this book illustrates the deep impact of finding the right mentor, accompanied by pitch-perfect Midwestern queer vibes. An ode to joy."" --Miel Morland, author of It Goes Like This"

Author Information

Edward Underhill (he/him) is a queer trans man who grew up in the suburbs of Wisconsin. He began writing stories as a kid and wrote his first novel in his teens. In college, he earned a master's degree in film music composition. After a few years living in tiny apartments in New York, he moved to California, where by day he writes music and by night he writes stories, which aren't as bad as they used to be.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available