WHILE YOU WERE DREAMING

A high school junior dodges the spotlight after saving her crush from accidentally drowning.

Growing up, Indian American Sonia Patil and her older sister, Kareena, were taught to avoid attention. While Sonia is a citizen by birth, her mother and Kareena are both undocumented; they originally came to the U.S. seeking treatment for Kareena’s infant leukemia. Since their mother’s recent deportation, Sonia has felt even more pressured to protect Kareena. She’s terrified of being revealed as James Cooper’s rescuer, especially after details about the incident are picked up by the news and spread across social media. When Sonia visits the Coopers’ restaurant to check on James’ recovery, she’s mistaken for his new girlfriend. Although this misunderstanding is quickly resolved, Sonia finds herself drawn to the Coopers, a close-knit Black and Indian family whose strong relationships and deep community roots contrast sharply with the fragility of her own. A new friendship and an unexpected attraction to James’ older brother, Niam, further complicate matters and force Sonia, who prefers to retreat from her problems, to choose between staying in her daydreams and taking charge of her life. Undocumented immigration, stress over health care, and the toxic use of social media are among the issues Rai addresses in her YA debut. Sonia’s struggles are depicted with sensitivity and attention to detail that extend to supporting characters, though the main antagonist unfortunately comes across as a mean girl cliché.

A well-balanced story poised between serious reality and romantic ideals.