Don't Let It Break Your Heart

by Maggie Horne

Overview

Perfect for fans of The Half of It, Maggie Horne's debut YA contemporary novel is an ode to lifelong friendships and discovering queer community.

You only get one soulmate, and I'm not throwing mine away.

Alana and Gray have been the perfect couple ever since they got together before high school – and neither of them think that should have to change just because Alana came out as a lesbian.

Sure, things are a little different now: their romantic relationship is over, but their best-friends-since-forever relationship is stronger than ever. And yeah, Alana sees the way her other friends now exclude her in tiny, almost unnoticeable ways, but she still has Gray, and that’s all that’s ever mattered to her. Really, the only difference is that instead of kissing Gray herself, Alana sets him up with other girls to do that.

But when new girl Tal arrives, she stops Alana and Gray in their tracks.

Suddenly, Gray’s all-in on his plan to get Tal to fall in love with him, and, for the first time, Alana’s reluctant to help. As Alana and Tal grow closer, and Alana begins to think Tal might share her feelings, she has to decide whether to embrace her queerness and risk losing the life she thought she was building, or continue to hide parts of herself and maintain the status quo.

Don’t Let it Break Your Heart is a tender and romantic exploration of identity, love, and friendship that turns the friends to lovers romance trope on its head.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250894977
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	08/27/2024
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	406,312
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Maggie Horne is a writer who grew up near Toronto, Canada. She now lives in the UK with her wife, where they keep a collection of dogs and children. She is the author of Hazel Hill is Gonna Win This One (an Indies Introduce Summer/Fall 2022 Selection, Indie Next pick, and Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection) and Noah Frye Gets Crushed from Clarion Books, as well as Don't Let it Break Your Heart, from Feiwel & Friends. She’s always trying to write the queer stories she wishes she could have read growing up.

Editorial Reviews

05/13/2024

A newly out lesbian navigates her blossoming queer relationship as well as a complicated dynamic with her ex-boyfriend in Horne’s engaging debut. Even though 17-year-old Alana Lucas came out, very little has changed between her and her former boyfriend, and now just best friend, Gray, though their friend circle has begun excluding her in subtle ways. When Tal transfers from Portland, Maine, to their Bangor high school for senior year, Alana half-heartedly agrees to go along with Gray’s glacially slow plan to ask her out, despite her immediate attraction to the newcomer. After struggling to understand Tal’s signals, it finally clicks for Alana when Tal kisses her at a party. Keeping the budding relationship secret from Gray torments Alana and strains their relationship, even as it helps her rethink her friends’ tepid acceptance of her sexuality and allows her to tentatively explore queer community-building. But when a crisis calls Tal back to Portland, Alana’s choice to not immediately join her cascades into a messy fallout. Snarky humor buoys depictions of fraught, realistic relationships in this winning story of believably flawed teenagers contending with issues of first love and first heartbreak. Characters read as white. Ages 14–up. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Don't Let it Break Your Heart:

"A complicated and modern look at first queer love, finding your people, and the exhilarating risk of letting go in order to find yourself. Maggie Horne's book immerses you in a world of humor, growing pains, and teenage drama that makes your heart burst." —Gabriel Shane Dunn, New York Times-bestselling author of I Hate Everyone But You

"Snarky humor buoys depictions of fraught, realistic relationships in this winning story of believably flawed teenagers contending with issues of first love and first heartbreak." —Publishers Weekly

"The joyous friends-and-lovers narrative sets this romance apart. Readers will enjoy Alana’s immense growth as a character and delight in the witty dialogue between the three leads." —Kirkus

"Full of incisive humor and heart, Don't Let it Break Your Heart deftly embraces the complexities of queer romance and friendship, coming out, and showing up for the queer community—and for yourself. Horne gorgeously explores the nuances of emerging queer identity in this must-read romance that is sure to earn a place in readers’ hearts." —Auriane Desombre, author of I Think I Love You

"Funny, fresh, and full of feeling, Don't Let it Break Your Heart is a thoughtful love letter to friendship and possibility. Maggie Horne's voice shines through Alana, but each of the characters leapt off the page and into my heart." —Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come

"An unflinchingly honest story about queerness and community, infused with so much heart and humor. Readers will be drawn to Alana's exploration of comfort zones — and how beautiful it can be to outgrow them." —Jas Hammonds, award-winning author of We Deserve Monuments

“An emotionally charged queer romance that deftly unpacks the distinction between coming out and being out with nuance and heartfelt honesty. Don’t Let it Break Your Heart is a gorgeously rendered, visceral [YA]debut about a girl untangling herself from the people who have always defined her . . . and discovering her dreams, her desires, herself in the process.” —Marisa Kanter, author of Finally Fitz

"Absolutely broke my heart! With characters whose passions are relatable and true, [this book] is sincere and moving. Horne is an undeniably fresh and welcome voice in the YA world." —Louisa Onome, critically acclaimed author of The Melancholy of Summer

"A breathtakingly poignant love letter to platonic soulmates, teenage romance, and anyone who grew up queer in a small town. Honest, heartfelt, and hopeful, Don't Let It Break Your Heart will hold you tight and heal your soul." —Jenna Voris, author of Every Time You Hear That Song

"Full of complex queer feelings and laugh-out-loud banter, Don’t Let It Break Your Heart sets a precedent for future coming-of-age stories. Horne skillfully balances wit and heartache while exploring themes of friendship, love, and what it takes to stand on your own. A masterful young adult debut." —Kelsey Rodkey, author of Last Chance Books

From the Publisher

2024-05-17
Alana Lucas is a lesbian: It’s why she broke up with Gray, her best friend and boyfriend, last year.

Even though they’re no longer dating, the teens from the Bangor, Maine, area are inseparable—Gray’s mom and Alana’s parents have been close since college, and the high school seniors declare they had an “in-utero friendship.” Alana and Gray have private jokes, long-standing traditions, and detailed plans for their futures. When intriguing new girl Tal arrives at their school, both Gray and Alana are instantly smitten. Alana, who’s still coming to terms with what it means to live as an out queer person, allows herself to get roped into Gray’s complex scheme to get Tal to like him. She decides to bury her growing feelings for Tal, even though the two girls become closer every day. The resulting love triangle forces Alana to explore her own interests, her identity as a lesbian, and how she fits into the larger queer community. She also learns some difficult lessons as she works on discovering her own path forward. While some supporting characters lack detailed backstories and seem to be tacked onto the main story arc, the joyous friends-and-lovers narrative sets this romance apart. Readers will enjoy Alana’s immense growth as a character and delight in the witty dialogue between the three leads. Alana and Tal read white; Gray has brown skin.

A warm hug of a romance. (Romance. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews