A heartwarming YA novel about love, identity, and grief. Tender, beautifully written, and full of quiet strength.

It's a cute YA with great potential, but it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I didn't love it or hate it. It's firmly in the liked category.

3.25 stars

I first discovered this author in 2021 when I read Amelia Unabridged, and I absolutely loved that book. The story tackled heavy themes like death and grief, but it also celebrated self-discovery, friendship, and the power of storytelling. I found the balance between despair and hope to be especially moving.

In the Orbit of You touches on heavy topics as well, but not quite with the same emotional impact. Sam’s past childhood trauma is mentioned, but his present life isn’t explored in a way that fully connects those traumas, and I found myself wanting more development there.

Nova and Sam’s teenage relationship was sweet but lacked depth also, which makes sense given that they had only just reconnected after years apart. And, since Nova would only be at her new school for a short time (she moves a lot due to her mom’s job), there really wasn’t much opportunity for their rediscovered bond to evolve in a meaningful or engaging way.

While I didn’t dislike In the Orbit of You, it didn’t quite reach the depth I had loved in Amelia Unabridged. That said, I’ll keep reading this author’s work, hoping for that emotional complexity again.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an eARC, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I really wish I could say I liked this book more. While the story was good, there were parts of it that made it hard for me to actually enjoy it. Sam’s miscommunication/ general fear to actually speak up and be honest really bothered me. And his friendship with Nova was sweet but it was hard to ignore the fact that he cheated one his girlfriend. I feel like the book could have been shorter and I just wish that Nova and Sam’s relationship/friendship was just handled different.

I loved the other books I’ve read from this author. So I’m really sad I didn’t love this one .

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the digital copy!

I received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review

Ashley Schumacher has returned to the seriously emotional tone of her first book and this one is a doozy. It's got trigger warnings and some grey area relationship stuff and all those things are like catnip to high schoolers. This is a coming-of-age novel for those kids that are begrudgingly following 'the program' because it's pushing them forward in a time where they don't have enough time or autonomy to develop as an individual. Teens are going to love the tension of the romantic leads and the tragic backstory (though I wish there was more of that backstory to make me more invested in the inevitable reunion of the FMC and MMC (and maybe make the cheating feel less...ick.).
Schumacher is a talented writer and I always look forward to her books. Thanks so much for the ARC!

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I was able to blaze through this in a single day because it was extremely readable and the characters, though flawed, were the sort a read wants to see have a happy ending. (I was really pleased that no one died in this book! Schumacher keeps killing characters!) In places it did strain credulity, given the ages of the protagonists and the maturity (or immaturity) of their actions, but I don't feel that really detracted from my enjoyment of the book overall. I am glad that I was given the opportunity to read this, and will look forward to further Schumacher titles.

Oof. Schumacher does it again! Another set of characters to totally steal my heart, and another exploration of love, healing, and finding your place in the world that will stay with me for years.

Ashley Schumacher writes the most whimsical stories, and this is no exception. Nova and Sam were childhood friends, and when they moved away from each other, they lost touch. So when Nova shows up as a new student at Sam’s school and sees him, she’s excited that they’ll have a chance to reconnect. Except Sam doesn’t recognize Nova. It takes a chemistry quiz for them to realize who they are to each other. I absolutely adore the way Schumacher’s stories make me feel. She’s an auto-read author for me.

I love Ashley Schumacher's writing, and In the Orbit of You was another gem. It's a heartwarming and poignant YA novel that explores themes of friendship, identity, and second chances. The story follows Nova and Sam, two childhood friends who reconnect after years apart, and navigate the complexities of their pasts and the uncertainties of their futures. Definitely one to pick up for YA fans.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

“But we’ll always be friends. When we’re big, I’ll find you again.”

I … honestly expected more from this book. The thing is, that quote above was on page two and I appreciate when a book can break my heart that early. So, I had high hopes for this book and I really wanted to like it.

And this cover is beautiful.

I loved the book at the start, but right up to their early reconnection days as teenagers.

I’m glad that Nova and Sam being childhood friends wasn’t a mystery for the whole book. I love that we didn’t waste time on figuring that out. And at that point, although the book is short, we really got to see the depth of their friendship and how it lingered throughout their lost years.

But that was it. I didn’t really like what happened after.

Firstly, Abigail wasn’t the best character, but nobody deserves to be emotionally and physically cheated on. And the fact that Nova, who experienced something similar in a past relationship, was cool with it? No.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Ninety-nine percent guaranteed, you’ll be captivated by the enduring love story of Sam and Nova—a beautifully woven tale of destiny, choice, and self-discovery. Their connection begins in childhood, forging an unbreakable bond through shared imagination and mutual support. Nova’s compassion offers solace to Sam, who silently battles abuse, and his promise to reunite after leaving adds a bittersweet note to their early years.

Years later, fate brings them back together in high school, where a compatibility test scores their connection at an astounding 99%. Yet, life isn’t simple—Sam is entangled in a relationship and a football career, while Nova wrestles with her transient upbringing and resentment toward her mother. Despite the complexities, their rekindled friendship deepens, leading them to confront their feelings and discover facets of themselves previously untapped.

This poignant coming-of-age story masterfully explores the resilience of love and the intricacies of personal growth. With raw, authentic characters and a satisfying conclusion, it’s a tale that will stay with you long after the final page.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to review this soul-stirring novel.

This is a beautiful coming of age story about discovering who you are and being true to that person, even if it means telling hard truths to your loved ones.

In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher
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Nova was five when the boy who lived next door moved away. Sam was her best friend and they made a promise to find each other when they were grown. Now, teenage Nova and her mom have just moved to a new town and who should Nova meet on her first day at school but that same boy.
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What I liked:
-This is my third book by Ashley and man, does she know how to write an emotional book. I teared up a few times for these teens.
-I love how this story wasn’t a typical YA story. There were some serious topics and I appreciated how they were told through the story.
-I loved the talks that our teens had with their parents towards the end of the story.
-The ending was sweet and I really liked how they author did it.
-I also love galaxy themes and stars and I really wish I could have the dress Nova wore towards the end. It sounded amazing.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The audiobook was good and I enjoyed reading that way.

Nora Evans and Sam Jordan were childhood friends, until he moved away. His aunt and uncle discovered he was being abused and rescued him. Nora and Sam promised to find each other when they were older. After years of moving around Nova lands at a Texas High School where Sam is a football star with a cheerleader girlfriend. When they take a schoolwide personality test, they find out they are a 99% match and complications ensue. Told in alternating POVS, the story of childhood nostalgia and abuse focuses on teens learning to follow their own heart.

This was such a sweet young adult story following two childhood neighbors who lost touch when one moved away, but run into each other years later at the same high school.

I love Schumacher’s writing and this enchanting story of fate bringing people together was no exception. It’s a heartwarming story of self-discovery and confidence with a bit of romance along the way.

It’s an emotional and beautiful story of friendship, invisible strings, and second chances and I’d recommend for YA fans.

Ashley Schumacher is a solid writer and always knows how to write great characters and stories with heart. This story in particular is a soft second chance romance between two people who know one another from their youth. I love those moments where memories strengthen the current relationship and continue to build. The writing style is strong and Ashley has a great way of pulling you into the story with themes of soul mates and coming of age tropes. There was some implied/physical cheating in the story, that made me a little frustrated with why it had to be in there in an other really solid story. I liked how the two were opposites in personality and brought out the best in eachother even while there were elements that I didn't enjoy. I will continue to read and try more of Ashleys books.

I’ve been a huge fan of Ashley Schumacher’s novels so far, so I knew I was going to read this book as soon as I heard it announced for publication. I love the way she writes relationships. All the characters have really specific personalities and interesting ways of relating to one another. It makes the main characters’ friend cosmos seem very real.

This story addresses the trauma of childhood abuse and references Sam’s healing journey through therapy and his adoption into a family. I thought the author presented those sensitively but without romanticizing the harm that abuse causes. Nova recalls seeing bruises and injuries on Sam’s face and arms when they were little. She knew something was wrong but processed it much like a little kid would.


There’s a fair amount of romantic suspense and poor communication in this book. I know that’s a thing for some readers, so be aware if it’s something that would bother you. There are things that would end the story pretty early if the characters sat down and talked to one another.

The miscommunication tropes don’t usually bother me too much, so that wasn’t a hindrance for me. It made sense why Nova and Sam couldn’t be honest with others when they couldn’t even be honest with themselves. Also, weirdly, I think my favorite character was Sam’s girlfriend Abigail. She’s sweet and kind and doesn’t jump to conclusions. She invites Sam to communicate with her but she doesn’t hesitate to call him out when he’s wrong about things. I appreciated that about her a lot.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and its exploration of the gravitational pull between two people and what it means. If you like books with a more subtle, very slow-burn romance, this one will scratch that itch.

This post will go live on October 26, 2024

Another throughly enjoyable, emotionally gut wrenching book from Ashley... she always makes me cry and I love it!

While I did enjoy this - I liked the characters and the plot - it just kind of felt lacking. I dont really know how to explain it. Ashley Schumacher's first two books were captivating and made me feel everything - they were utterly magical. And while I liked In the Orbit of You more than her last release, it just didnt hit the mark in the way i really hoped it would.