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Published Jul 2021
304 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
From the author of Accidental comes a gripping story about a teen grieving her father's sudden death--and grappling with the shocking secrets he left behind.
Seventeen-year-old Evie Parker is devastated in the wake of her father's sudden death. But she knows something her mother doesn't: the day of his heart attack, her dad was planning to move out. After finding his packed bags, an impulsive Evie puts everything away to spare her mom more heartache.
To make matters worse, Evie soon learns the reason her father was going to leave: he had been dating his twenty-two-year-old receptionist, Bree, who is now six months pregnant. Desperate to distract herself, Evie signs up for a summer photography class, where she meets a motley crew of students, including quirky and adorable Declan. Still, Evie can't stop thinking about her father's mistress. Armed with a telephoto lens, she caves in to her curiosity, and what starts as a little bit of spying on Bree quickly becomes full-blown stalking. And when an emergency forces Evie to help Bree, she learns there's more to the story than she ever knew...
Alex Richards crafts a riveting new story about betrayal, complicated family secrets, and getting to the heart of what matters--ultimately asking readers how far they'd be willing to go to unravel the truth.
"[T]the author crafts a beautiful exploration of a family torn apart by secrets and grief. Written through the lens of a messy, complex teen girl, this is a story infused with humor, hope, and a lot of heart...A moving portrayal of grief, family, and the complexity of different perspectives." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Dynamic characters, including Evie's lesbian best friend Juana and the inclusive photography class's quirky members, add brightness to this introspective story of changing emotions and a softening heart." - Publishers Weekly
"A strongly written plot, a complementary setting, and strong characters make this a compelling read." - School Library Journal
"When We Were Strangers is an exquisitely told story of grief, growing up, and the glorious complexities of love and life. A lovely portrait of the artist as a young person, learning to zoom in on her main subject: the truth of her life and what to do with it." - Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and You'd Be Home Now
"When We Were Strangers is a sparkling, stirring ode to love, art, and unexpected human connection. It reminds us that while the valley of grief may be long, we can emerge from it into the light." - Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King
"Alex Richards's eye for detail, perfect-pacing, and snappy dialog make When We Were Strangers a compulsive read about grief, the power of family, friendship, and finding connection where you least expect it." - Shana Youngdahl, author of As Many Nows as I Can Get
This information about When We Were Strangers was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Alex Richards is the author of Accidental and is a freelance magazine contributor. She is a terrible navigator (just ask the African jungle she got lost in) but makes up for it with a dark sense of humor and home-made horror films. Raised in New Mexico, she and her family live in Brooklyn.
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