I loved this story! It had such great writing, adorable plot, and I had such a good time with the characters. I enjoyed seeing the male main character have emotions and being able to be with him through them.

A sweet story about a boy and a girl, also known as the king and queen of Snailopolis, who make promise-promises and exist in the 99%.

The story and Sam and Nova shows us that enduring friendship that can grow into more but only if both people are ready.

It will make you smile, it will make you cry, but most of all it will make you believe in friendship and love. Sometimes you have to let go and find yourself before you can forge a connection with someone else.

I read it in one sitting and was so worth it…enjoy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review

I love Ashley Shumacher’s YA books and this is no exception. The reader does need to suspend disbelief- there are a few too many coincidences- but I loved the storyline anyway.

I have loved every single novel Ashley Schumacher has ever written and this one is no exception. Her stories center around teens in high school yet, as an adult, I can appreciate how well she creates a world and pulls the reader in so that they become vested in the characters and the story outcomes.

In the Orbit of You is a story about childhood best friends, Sam and Nova, who are separated and make a promise to find one another again when they are 18. When they coincidentally end up bumping into each other in high school after Nova has moved to a new town, they have to decide if a long lost friendship can be rekindled and if childhood promises are meant to be kept.

If you haven’t read a novel by Ashley Schumacher yet - I highly recommend you move it to the top of your to-do list.

Thank you to #Wednesday books for an eARC of #IntheOrbitofYou by #AshleySchumacher in exchange for honest feedback. - 5 stars

Schumacher stayed true to her angsty teen characters. Their emotions were palpable on all the pages. The plot drew me in because I am a personality quiz junkie. The story kept me there although it did drag a bit past the midway point. Still a must-read author for me.

I loved this book. I want to go and start reading it again. I loved the dynamic between Nova and Sam. I loved that they felt so relaxed around each other, even though it had been many years. I liked watching their friendship blossom again.
Another really lovely book from Schumacher.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This was cute! After this book, Ashley Schumacher is an autobuy for me. Great characters and the ending was perfect.

This book was really cute, loved the childhood friends aspect and the really cute relationship Sam and Nova had. I also thought that Sam and Nova were such cool characters and the representation of trauma was really well written. Sam putting on a mask and acting certain ways due to past traumas was really accurate and a mindset I related to.
Nova not knowing what she liked or who she really was after putting so many faces and personalities to the test over the years was also really interesting. You got two characters who were both putting up fronts in different ways but who recognized and knew each other as kids, when they were truly themselves. I wasn't a fan of nearly cheating trope and the only other thing that lowers my rating is the language used in the book. There were a lot of really dating terms used that would make this book hard to read in the future. Things like talking about TikTok, using the term "Deep on the main", and other things like that which make sense now but in the future would date the story pretty hard. Overall I enjoyed the book and thought it was a fun read!

I loved this one so much! I love soulmate stories and this one was so sweet! Schumacher can do no wrong in my eyes.

Thank you Netgalley, Wednesday Books, and St Martin's Press for inviting me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In the Orbit of You is one of my most anticipated releases of 2024, and while I adored Ashley Schumacher's previous works, this one is a miss for me.

There will be spoilers ahead!

Nova and Sam are childhood friends who meet again after twelve years of separation. Nova doesn't plan on sticking around for longer than two months this year but things change when she sees Sam at lunch with a beautiful girlfriend. It's an instant connection when Sam figures out who the new girl at school is after taking an online match-up quiz, and he and Nova are a ninety-nine percent match. As they rekindle their friendship, they decide it would be best to keep it 'private' from Sam's girlfriend Abigail, as the magnetic pull between them becomes harder to resist.

With Nova always moving around because of her mother's business, she doesn't know how to make roots and she is going through an identity crisis figuring out who she is and what she wants to do with her life. Sam, who has been through a horrible trauma as a child, doesn't know how to let go of the safety net made by his family and friends, and he doesn't want to disappoint them by making the wrong choices.

Before I go into a rant, I did like the pacing of the book. I was hooked from the first word and invested in Nova and Sam's friendship. I liked the 'beginning', 'middle', and 'end' chapters. I thought they were a cute and clever idea. I liked the way Schumacher executed Sam's past and how connected their families are. Fox and Leanne should get a stand-alone book, or at least a short story. I liked reading about them and their friendship with Sam.

Now it's time for me to vent...

I am kind of annoyed with this story. Abigail did not deserve what happened to her. She wasn't a jealous, mad woman insecure by Nova's closeness to Sam and vice versa. I'm glad she chewed out Sam at the end. I'm also glad Abigail pointed out he shouldn't use his childhood trauma as an excuse to cheat. When Sam and Nova decide to keep it secret from Abigail because Nova was going to be leaving in two months, I call that BS. I don't care how old you are, I don't care how much you want someone, or how long they're going to be in town, you don't cheat and treat the girlfriend/boyfriend like they're nothing. Why lead a person on like that? I don't understand why they needed to be so secretive about their friendship. It didn't make sense. Abigail was accepting of Nova and she wanted to become closer to her to get to know who she is and help her fit in. You can be friends with different genders. If you're girlfriend or boyfriend is having issues with that then you can rethink your relationship more because they should be okay with whoever your friends are even if the friends annoy them to death. For Sam and Nova to hide that they are childhood friends, or just friends in general, felt stupid and made for pointless drama.

I couldn't truly enjoy reading this book because I was annoyed with Nova and Sam's decisions, and their repetitive point of views for most of it. They both went in circles with every chapter. Nova would constantly bring up being lost and Sam was obsessively thinking about Nova to the point of feeling like a stalker, and a huge red flag. Also, the constant reminder of Snailopolis. I wish we were able to read more childhood moments instead of just a couple. It didn't feel like they were friends long enough to warrant the obsessive thoughts.

I dislike the fact that I'm hating on this book so much because uggghhh I love Schumacher's other books. I really, really wanted to fall in love with Sam and Nova, and their friends-to-something more relationship. I just couldn't. I'm disappointed and the story as a whole kind of rubbed me the wrong way.

2.5 stars

** Thank you to St. Martins' Press for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review **

rating: 4.5/5 stars

I really, really liked this book. In the midst of my busy life, I found this book to be a body of relaxation for me, even with the angst and heartache in this book. The approach to abuse was not overwhelming and it added a tender, aching edge to this book that worked well with the YA contemporary tag.

The characters interactions and growth were beautiful and I really wish I could witness this book again. With most YA books, there were a few story lulls, but none of them were overbearing and ruined the flow of the story.

Sorry for a short review, life has been crazy hectic! Overall, I really recommend this book and seriously look forward to it coming out in 2024. I'd love to put this on my shelf and display that beautiful cover, too!

As always, happy reading!

Extremely disappointed in the advocacy of cheating & emotional manipulation that this book supports.

This is not a wholesome story of enduring love, like the synopsis states, this is hardly a story of love at all. Nor is it a heartfelt contemporary romance that will make you feel good inside.
This is a story of a cheater, who blames his serial mistreatment of friends and people who love him on a bad childhood. A guy who gets called out on this, but still thinks what he does is right, and gives him the happy ending.

A story of enduring love, of reconnecting from your childhood, of finding each other again, has everything going for it in terms of a heartfelt plot. Yet for some reason the author decided that what this story needed was an incredibly hard to read and upsetting story of cheating that left me sick to my stomach. The author had every opportunity to make a statement against Sam's actions, but fails to do so.

Poorly organized structure and constant filler that has no purpose to the plot didn't make the process of reading In the Orbit of You any easier. Its best feature is that it was a quick read.

Even though they made a promise, promise that they would find each other again at eighteen, Nova, the Queen of Snailopolis, was not expecting to find the King of Snailopolis at her latest high school. Nova’s mother’s job required relocating often, so Nova might spend a few months to maybe a year or two in one place before moving again. Nova, seventeen, was starting her junior year at a new school, but knew they would be moving again in two months. As a result of the frequent relocations, she was constantly reinventing herself, trying on new personas. But she was not really sure who she was, what she liked, and what she wanted to do in the future, which was not ideal with college looming on the horizon.

Sam grew up in an abusive household and being taken away to live with his aunt and uncle, whom he now considers mom and dad, was one of the best things that happened to him. However, while his life is infinitely better, he hates conflict, and so he does what he thinks family and friends want him to do, such as playing football (where he excels and has a legitimate chance of winning a college scholarship) and staying with Abigail, his wonderful girlfriend whom he really cares about (but not as much as he should for the relationship to be long lasting) and does not want to hurt.

Sam and Nova have an understanding of each other and a comfort with each other that no one else can match. However, this also creates a lot of tension, because their unexpected reunion throws off both of their plans. Can they pick up their friendship where it left off so many years ago or has too much changed? How do they explain their history and connection without unearthing memories Sam has worked hard to suppress? How to avoid hurting themselves and others (especially, Abigail), as Nova knows her time in Texas will be short, and as they each have their own issues to resolve?

"In the Orbit of You" is such a beautiful book. It does deal with some tough themes at times, but also shows the power of love and acceptance in helping one deal with and move past traumatic experiences (you cannot forget, and it will always impact you, but you can move forward in life without letting it define you or undermine you). The dynamic between Nova and Sam is great, both as little children and as teenagers. There is a great supporting cast in Sam's friends, aunt and uncle (mom and dad), and Nova's mom. The two families share much more significant ties than either Sam or Nova realize, which will be a crucial aspect of the story.

I’ve read a handful of Ashley’s books and they are always 1) romantic and 2) ANGSTY. I cry, every single time, and this book was no exception.

The character arc for Sam was SO moving. I loved the way Nova loved him, from childhood, and how he in turn accepted her just as she was. I think I wanted more evidence on the page for their romance—like, the link was this shared past, but I wish there was more talk and connection in their present. And more kissing! The angst was the best part. I love semi-sad kissing books.


Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this delightful novel. Opinions are my own.

I picked up this book after falling in love with Ashley’s previous YA contemporary Amelia Unabridged. While I didn’t feel this one quite lived up to Amelia Unabridged, it was still a wonderful story full of heart, painful truths, and lots of angsty romantic tension. I do wish the ending had been a bit more thorough and detailed especially after SO MUCH ANGST!!! I wanted to see Nova and Sam have that much deserved happily ever after.

Oh my goodness. She’s done it again! I am in love with this story and these characters and I just can’t even begin to express how much! She is such a talented author and this book hit all of the right notes of sweet, sad, illuminating, inspiring, devastating, and hopeful. It’s a friendship tale with romance, coming-of-age, suspense, and drama all mixed together in just the right amounts! I don’t think that I could possibly adore the characters more; they seriously sucked me right into their lives and the ending was pure perfection. Can’t wait for more from her, that was a beautiful ride and I didn’t want to put it down!

3.5

i had some issues that i think are possibly issues i’ve kind of developed with the genre as a whole. the fact that nova had to decide who she was essentially so she could pick a school/major kind of irked me, but also i know i felt similarly when i was in high school. same goes for sam—his whole deviating-from-the-plan conflict frustrated me a bit. i just wanted to shake sammy and say SHARE YOUR FEELINGS! TALK TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY! that said, i know why he felt the way he did about keeping his internal struggle a secret.

i would’ve preferred if sammy had been single when nova showed up OR if he’d broken up with abigail before spending all his time running around with nova. i felt bad for abigail even though i did lean towards nova.

regardless, i didn’t mind how things turned out. some bits here and there made me roll my eyes; tbh by the time i made it about 75% of the way through i was pretty much done with the story. the writing was good, though… i just kind of lost interest. i really liked some of the side characters (fox & leanne!).

#netgalley

I really, really enjoyed this book.
Sams backstory was handled delicately and with care. We get just enough information about his tumultuous childhood from flashbacks and references in the present to make sense of his character and his actions, but not so much that it overwhelmed the story. I enjoyed Nova, she felt familiar in the sense that we all went through a period of feeling lost and like strangers in our own bodies. Together, their chemistry was undeniable. They wouldn’t be able to stay away from each other if they tried, which they did. Think “Invisible String” by Taylor Swift type vibes. The plot kept me so captivated that I accidentally stayed up until 1:30am on a work night to finish it. No regrets lol. The ending was a bit of a rollercoaster but it was satisfying.

Very excited for this book to officially publish so that I can recommend it to my friends!!
Thank you to Ashley Schumacher, NetGalley, and the publishers for allowing me to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review! ◡̈

Well, damn, Ashely Schumacher knows how to RIP OUT MY HEART. And I LOVE IT.

Amelia Unabridged is one of my favorite books ever and I just love Ashley as a writer. I've read all of her books since then, and all were great of course, but this is the first one that rocked my world again. And wow does In the Orbit of You just make me want to weep and smile all at once. I am almost speechless except to say I loved it??? and I want more??? and Ashely never stop writing?? Give me all the teen angst thank you.

Also it must be said, I love how she handled Abigail. Abigail comes out on top, even though Sam didn't always do right by her, and I just really love how beautifully Ashley was able to handle a "competition" between two girls, but one in which neither girl comes across as toxic.

5 stars again and again.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and Wednesday for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I received an e-arc from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

WOW. I didn't really know what to expect, except that it would probably be really sad (as the blurb mentioned recovery from abuse, etc). But no.

Can I just say, cheating is not okay. Just, nope.

Nova and Sam were friends when they were FIVE and SIX. Then, Sam left suddenly, and they haven't seen each other since. Flash forward twelve years and they randomly meet in high school, and they're suddenly infatuated with each other. *cue eyeroll* But Sam has a girlfriend, who's literally the sweetest person ever. Of course, Sam's dealing with a lot (his biological parents were terrible and abusive), but for some reason he refuses to break up with his girlfriend, instead choosing to hang out with Nova privately (not secretly, as they keep reminding each other! they're just not telling his girlfriend, because that's okay.).

I don't know, maybe I'm getting too old for this type of YA. I was so annoyed with Nova and Sam the entire book, as they keep justifying why it's okay for them to hang out together (um, they specifically go to a diner an hour out of town, just so his girlfriend wouldn't stumble across them). And if I have to read the word "Snailopolis" one more time...

And, is it even possible to have a crush when you're FIVE or SIX years old? Because I think not.

Also the ending. -_-