Sparks fly when Orion and Ray meet for the first time at a roller rink in Memphis. But these star-crossed souls have a past filled with secrets that threaten to tear them apart before their love story even begins. Found poetry, grief, and fate collide in this powerful debut.
Ray: Just once I’d like my birthday to be about me, and not the day my father died. I want to be Ray Jr., the tall girl from Memphis with the poetry beats and the braids that stay poppin’. And when I meet Orion at the skating rink, that’s exactly who I am. He pulls my hand, and instead of being defined by my past, he races me toward my future.
Orion: When I dive into the pool, it’s just me and my heartbeat. There’s no dad, no dead sister, and no distracting noises. But I can’t hold my breath forever. And since I met Ray, I don’t want to. The closer we get, though, the more I see I’m not the only one caught in her wake.
With a lyrical blend of found poetry and poignant prose, this stunning debut captures young Black love and a decades-old family secret that may shatter a romance that feels written in the stars.
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Ray: Just once I’d like my birthday to be about me, and not the day my father died. I want to be Ray Jr., the tall girl from Memphis with the poetry beats and the braids that stay poppin’. And when I meet Orion at the skating rink, that’s exactly who I am. He pulls my hand, and instead of being defined by my past, he races me toward my future.
Orion: When I dive into the pool, it’s just me and my heartbeat. There’s no dad, no dead sister, and no distracting noises. But I can’t hold my breath forever. And since I met Ray, I don’t want to. The closer we get, though, the more I see I’m not the only one caught in her wake.
With a lyrical blend of found poetry and poignant prose, this stunning debut captures young Black love and a decades-old family secret that may shatter a romance that feels written in the stars.
Genre: Young Adult Romance
Praise for this book
"Self-affirming and deeply moving. Rowe tenderly reminds us that it takes courage to love and love to heal." - J Elle
"With cinematic storytelling, undeniable chemistry, and a fresh set of authentic characters, this story left me feeling comforted, inspired, and grinning ear to ear." - Joya Goffney
"A relevant, heartwarming love story for a generation - it will gut you and then put you back together again." - Kristen R Lee
"A sparkling debut!" - Liara Tamani
"With cinematic storytelling, undeniable chemistry, and a fresh set of authentic characters, this story left me feeling comforted, inspired, and grinning ear to ear." - Joya Goffney
"A relevant, heartwarming love story for a generation - it will gut you and then put you back together again." - Kristen R Lee
"A sparkling debut!" - Liara Tamani
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Used availability for Kelis Rowe's Finding Jupiter