THIS ONE'S FOR YOU

Former best friends redefine their relationship and themselves while on a spontaneous road trip.

Caspian Forrester’s mom, the guitarist in a rock band called The Darlas, died when he was a baby. His dad is still traumatized by the loss, so Cass keeps it a secret that he also plays the guitar, regularly busking in a San Francisco train station. Sydney Greenfield, Cass’ former best friend, sticks out in her family of high-achieving siblings—and not in a good way. Though she’s landed an internship at an illustrious music venue, she hasn’t told her parents about it yet. Meanwhile, Cass learns that The Darlas are reuniting for one last tour. When their paths cross after high school graduation and Cass gives Syd a ride, they spontaneously decide to go to the first show in Sacramento together. One show leads to another, and as they follow the band, the two White teens have a lot of time together on the road to work through their respective issues with their parents, what happened with their friendship, and what comes next. Though the protagonists end the book as a couple, the focus is on the characters’ individual journeys, which include realistically dealing with issues around grief, mental health, and finding the confidence to follow their own paths.

Music fans will especially enjoy this story of two people learning to trust themselves—and each other.