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A trans pianist makes a New Year's resolution on a frozen Wisconsin night to win regionals and win back his ex, but a new boy complicates things in Edward Underhill's heartfelt debut YA rom-dram, Always the Almost.
Sixteen-year-old trans boy Miles Jacobson has two New Year's resolutions: 1) win back his ex-boyfriend (and star of the football team) Shane McIntyre, and 2) finally beat his slimy arch-nemesis at the Midwest's biggest classical piano competition. But that's not going to be so easy. For one thing, Shane broke up with Miles two weeks after Miles came out as trans, and now Shane's stubbornly ignoring him, even when they literally bump into each other. Plus, Miles' new, slightly terrifying piano teacher keeps telling him that he's playing like he "doesn't know who he is"―whatever that means.
Then Miles meets the new boy in town, Eric Mendez, a proudly queer cartoonist from Seattle who asks his pronouns, cares about art as much as he does―and makes his stomach flutter. Not what he needs to be focusing on right now. But after Eric and Miles pretend to date so they can score an invite to a couples-only Valentine's party, the ruse turns real with a kiss, which is also definitely not in the plan. If only Miles could figure out why Eric likes him so much. After all, it's not like he's cool or confident or comfortable in his own skin. He's not even good enough at piano to get his fellow competitors to respect him, especially now, as Miles. Nothing's ever been as easy for him as for other people―other boys. He's only ever been almost enough.
So why, when he's with Eric, does it feel like the only person he's ever really not been enough for...is himself?
"[An] exuberant debut...A beginning note promising a book 'full of joy' lives up to that assurance; building nuanced characters with relatable problems, high emotional stakes, and earnest first love, Underhill delivers a delightful triumph." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Miles is likable and relatable...The author has chosen to include Miles' birth name prominently; this is uncomfortable but realistic for someone early in his transition. The supporting characters, especially Stefania, are well developed and bring life to Miles' world. A warm, optimistic transgender coming-of-age and queer romance." - Kirkus Reviews
""A sweet queer love story sure to delight any YA rom-com fan." – Booklist
"Filled with sparkling joy, tender hope, and resounding heart, Always the Almost is an ode to finding yourself, your people, and your own power." - Adib Khorram, award-winning author of Darius the Great Is Not Okay
"Always the Almost is a warm-hearted coming of age story about the complexities of friendship, romance, and overcoming adversity both on and off the stage. A virtuosic masterpiece." - Phil Stamper, bestselling author of As Far as You'll Take Me
"Deeply witty, romantic, authentic, and above all, triumphant. Edward Underhill is unquestionably a debut to watch." - Dahlia Adler, author of Cool for the Summer
This information about Always the Almost 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.
Edward Underhill (he/him) is a queer trans man who grew up in the suburbs of Wisconsin, where he could not walk to anything, which meant he had to make up his own adventures. He began writing (very bad) stories as a kid and wrote his first (also very bad) novel in his teens. In college, he studied music composition, before earning a master's degree in film music composition. After a few years living in very tiny apartments in New York, he moved to California, where by day he writes music and by night he writes stories, which aren't as bad as they used to be. When not doing either of these things, he's probably gardening or hanging out with his cat. Always the Almost is his debut novel.
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