Hope Newhouse narrates this cozy winter romance about two lesbians who meet in the most unlikely way—through a car accident. After she hits May while driving, Shani never expects to see the pissed-off girl again. Then she accidentally ends up being May’s dog walker. The last thing the heartbroken college freshman Shani wants to think about during her Smithsonian paleoichthyology internship is love. But when romance blooms, she will have to learn life lessons the hard way. Newhouse captures the inflections of teenage indignation and the all-consuming crush. She also impresses with her New York accent and personalized character voices. Every relationship—especially the one with the fossilized fish—requires patience and an interest in learning hidden depths. S.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

★ 09/12/2022

Queer, Jewish Shani’s winter break is derailed by unexpected romance in this frothy enemies-to-lovers holiday rom-com by Arlow (Almost Flying). Shani is intent on leaving her disastrous first semester at college behind her. Determined not to think about how her girlfriend broke her heart, she plans to focus solely on her paleichthyology internship at the Smithsonian. That gets off to a rough start when, trying to navigate snow-laden streets, she and her mother almost run over a pedestrian with their car. Despite the hiccup, Shani dives headfirst into her internship until a dog-walking gig puts her face-to-face with Jewish May, the girl she almost ran over. Their relationship is civil at best, but when they’re snowed in together on Christmas Eve, their antagonism thaws. Even as Shani’s feelings for May grow, however, she fears taking another chance on love. This dialogue-rich narrative, told from Shani’s simultaneously biting and sincere first-person perspective, expertly conveys two romantically unconfident girls’ hesitancy to act on their feelings despite boundless chemistry. May and Shani’s clever banter, coupled with their myriad relationship ups and downs, make for a cozy and sharply funny confection. Main characters cue as white. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Nov.)

"A tonic and a testament for the times. Warming as hot chocolate in a blizzard; a familiar favorite made fresh from scratch." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"This dialogue-rich narrative, told from Shani’s simultaneously biting and sincere first-person perspective, expertly conveys two romantically unconfident girls’ hesitancy to act on their feelings despite boundless chemistry. May and Shani’s clever banter, coupled with their myriad relationship ups and downs, make for a cozy and sharply funny confection." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A hysterically funny book. Any romance fan will immediately be charmed by Shani and May's instant chemistry, but it's Shani's witty asides that set the novel apart from even the most swoon-worthy YA romcom. Arlow's latest is bound to become a holiday classic that readers will pick up whenever they need to be reminded of the magic of a snowy day." — Booklist

"For any readers who love to read sharp banter as much as they love to swoon." — School Library Journal

“Brilliantly witty, achingly vulnerable, and utterly irresistible, this book will dig its way into your heart and stay there for a very long time.” — Misa Sugiura, award-winning author of It's Not Like It's A Secret

“Funny, tender, and impossibly charming, this is the fossil-filled Jewish Christmastime romance of my dreams. Arlow is a welcome and wonderful voice in queer YA.” — Rebecca Podos, Lambda-award winning author of Like Water

“Funny, sincere, and real, with a poignancy that sneaks up on you. Arlow is one of the freshest new voices in young adult fiction." — Kelly Quindlen, bestselling author of She Drives Me Crazy

"One of the cleverest, most insightful voices I've read in a long time. If I wasn't laughing, I was clutching my heart to keep it from shattering. A stellar YA debut." — Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Today Tonight Tomorrow

"Jake Arlow takes the best elements of a cozy holiday movie and combines them with her totally unique and hilarious voice. This honest story of first love and second chances warmed my Grinch-like heart!" — Gabby Noone, author of indie bestseller Layoverland

"Capturing the wonder and thrill of first love during the tumultuous journey that is recovering from heartbreak and entering young adulthood, HOW TO EXCAVATE A HEART is a beautiful testament to queer joy and personal growth. Shani will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for her until the very last page. A remarkable gem." — Racquel Marie, author of Ophelia After All

"With wit and chemistry that crackle like a roaring fire, the warmth and sweetness of gourmet hot cocoa, and the surprising softness of a gentle snowfall, How to Excavate a Heart truly gave me the romantic winter break of my dreams. You'll want to savor every word, and then run and recommend it to everyone you know." — Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer

"How to Excavate a Heart is a delightful read! Arlow writes realistic, voicey characters who leap off the page." — Meryl Wilsner, author of Mistakes Were Made

“HOW TO EXCAVATE A HEART is a can’t-miss romance full of swoons, laughter, heartbreak and healing, and an epic pup in snow booties.”  — Jennifer Dugan, author of Some Girls Do

How to Excavate a Heart is a tumultuous tale of two college students navigating coming out, falling in love, and the classic lesbian ex situation. I saw so much of myself in both Shani and May and felt addicted to their story; truly couldn’t put it down." — Erica Sullivan, 2021 Olympic Silver Medalist

Funny, tender, and impossibly charming, this is the fossil-filled Jewish Christmastime romance of my dreams. Arlow is a welcome and wonderful voice in queer YA.

Funny, sincere, and real, with a poignancy that sneaks up on you. Arlow is one of the freshest new voices in young adult fiction."

"With wit and chemistry that crackle like a roaring fire, the warmth and sweetness of gourmet hot cocoa, and the surprising softness of a gentle snowfall, How to Excavate a Heart truly gave me the romantic winter break of my dreams. You'll want to savor every word, and then run and recommend it to everyone you know."

"Capturing the wonder and thrill of first love during the tumultuous journey that is recovering from heartbreak and entering young adulthood, HOW TO EXCAVATE A HEART is a beautiful testament to queer joy and personal growth. Shani will make you laugh, cry, and cheer for her until the very last page. A remarkable gem."

HOW TO EXCAVATE A HEART is a can’t-miss romance full of swoons, laughter, heartbreak and healing, and an epic pup in snow booties.” 

"One of the cleverest, most insightful voices I've read in a long time. If I wasn't laughing, I was clutching my heart to keep it from shattering. A stellar YA debut."

How to Excavate a Heart is a tumultuous tale of two college students navigating coming out, falling in love, and the classic lesbian ex situation. I saw so much of myself in both Shani and May and felt addicted to their story; truly couldn’t put it down."

"Jake Arlow takes the best elements of a cozy holiday movie and combines them with her totally unique and hilarious voice. This honest story of first love and second chances warmed my Grinch-like heart!"

Brilliantly witty, achingly vulnerable, and utterly irresistible, this book will dig its way into your heart and stay there for a very long time.

12/23/2022

Gr 9 Up—Shani is in Washington, D.C., for an internship on winter break from college with a self-assigned to-do list. On her list: live like a Jewish nun, absorb as much knowledge about paleoichthyology as possible, explore museums, avoid her mom's texts, and try to forget about Sadie, her ex. Not on her list? Flirting with May, the cute girl she keeps running into (quite literally). However, kismet and snowstorms have other plans, and soon Shani's crush is inescapable. With a cast of lovely supporting characters (her understanding but firm supervisor, her effusive nonagenarian landlord, her encouraging bestie), Shani opens up and takes tentative steps towards love again—and explores the psychological barriers blocking her from emotional and physical intimacy with May. The flirty enemies-to-lovers story is sweet and optimistic, but the most remarkable feat is the authentic portrayal of nervous teenagers working through their relationship anxieties. Both Shani and May are Jewish and are coded as white—it's wonderful to see Jewish characters falling in love during Hanukkah and using Jewish references, but it would've been even sweeter to have the fairy tale extended to the point where Christmas is barely discussed. VERDICT Purchase for any teen collections where romance is popular, but especially for any readers who love to read sharp banter as much as they love to swoon.—Susannah Goldstein

Hope Newhouse narrates this cozy winter romance about two lesbians who meet in the most unlikely way—through a car accident. After she hits May while driving, Shani never expects to see the pissed-off girl again. Then she accidentally ends up being May’s dog walker. The last thing the heartbroken college freshman Shani wants to think about during her Smithsonian paleoichthyology internship is love. But when romance blooms, she will have to learn life lessons the hard way. Newhouse captures the inflections of teenage indignation and the all-consuming crush. She also impresses with her New York accent and personalized character voices. Every relationship—especially the one with the fossilized fish—requires patience and an interest in learning hidden depths. S.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

★ 2022-08-17
Queer Jewish love stubbornly blooms despite the cold of a Washington, D.C., winter.

Fresh off a cataclysmic first semester of college, Shani is determined to pass her winter break internship at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History like a Jewish nun: no girls, no distractions, just fossils. Like all the best-laid plans, hers go awry when she finds herself on a literal collision course with a very cute girl named May. Hallmark movie–style shenanigans ensue. Arlow demonstrates a nimble command of the genre, executing a lean, character-centric plot with a satisfying balance of sweet, funny, and heavy moments. The text is rich in dialogue, the first-person voice distinct and controlled. Shani’s journey to understanding her history and its ramifications for her present is never overwrought and all the more poignant for it. Sexual assault features in the story; it’s an aspect of the lesbian experience that is not often depicted, and it’s handled with sensitivity and compassion. Shani and May are both of Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, and their shared background adds an enriching ripple to this buoyant reimagining of a familiar story. Optimism grows like a weed in the would-be-salted earth of Shani’s heart; this is a tonic and a testament for the times.

Warming as hot chocolate in a blizzard; a familiar favorite made fresh from scratch. (Romance. 14-18)