All Beth wants is for her tight-knit circle of friends—Grace Nakamura, Brandon Lin, Sunny Chen, and Jason Tsou—to stay together. With her family splintered and her future a question mark, these friends are all she has—even if she sometimes wonders if she truly fits in with them. Besides, she’s certain she’ll never be able to tell Jason how she really feels about him, so friendship will have to be enough.
Then Beth witnesses a private act of violence in Jason’s home, and the whole group is shaken. Beth and her friends make a pact to do whatever it takes to protect Jason, no matter the sacrifice. But when even their fierce loyalty isn’t enough to stop Jason from making a life-altering choice, Beth must decide how far she’s willing to go for him—and how much of herself she’s willing to give up.
An astonishing level of empathy ... Gilbert is a master writer in the YA arena, and this book adds to her impressive oeuvre. –Booklist, starred review
Capably portrays facets of the Asian American friend group’s various experiences, including living up to educational demands and personal sacrifices made by previous generations. ... Prevailing themes of true friendship offer readers a promising message of hope. – Publishers Weekly, starred review