This book was very frustrating for me.

Both the main characters feel stuck at the current point in their lives. Nova is a girl who is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to do with her life, while Sam has his life planned out by the people around him and is too afraid to say otherwise. They find comfort in spending time with each other because they feel like they don’t have to pretend to be something they’re not. While I’m a sucker for a good childhood friends-to-lovers trope, this felt rushed to me. They were instantly infatuated with one another, and I did not feel that deep connection based on what little we had to go off of. (Snailopolis became a trigger word for me.) And I’m sorry, but cheating is not okay! Trauma doesn’t condone it either. Abigail deserved better, and she ended up being my favorite character.

This book just wasn't for me, but that's not to say that it's not for someone else.

This was such a great YA story about second chances and how love can be remembered and cherished and possibly become something stronger. Sammy and Nova were so good together but were always met with something causing them to hesitate. While they were a perfect match on paper they still had a lot to figure out before they could be happy to have each other be apart of their world again. I loved how sweet and semi heartbreaking this book was but how at the end it came back together.

In Ashley Schumacher's latest YA romance, Nova and Sam are the closest of friends in their early childhood. Nova sees the scars Sam tries to hide but never talks about, but she doesn't fully understand when he moves away to live with his aunt and uncle. Sam promises to find her in the future, but since Nova's single mother moves them frequently for her career, a reunion is unlikely.

Nevertheless, a reunion of sorts does happen when the two are in high school. They are inevitably drawn to each other once again, but both have issues that combine to prevent them from acting on their spark. Sam is a star football player with a devoted girlfriend but would rather build furniture than accept a football scholarship. And the many changes in Nova's life have left her painfully adrift, still wondering who she is and what she wants out of life.

This is a quiet, serious story for the most part, with an in-depth look at two young people who, although an online quiz scored their potential relationship at 99%, may need to go their separate ways to achieve their goals. I enjoyed the character growth they demonstrated, and I was engaged by Sam's adopted parents and Nova's mother. The ending wasn't exactly what I expected, but a welcome epilogue brought the book to a satisfying conclusion. Another YA book of the author's that I particularly enjoyed is The Renaissance of Gwen Hathaway.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Nova and Sam were besties as young children until their circumstances forced them apart. Now in high school, life brings them back into each other’s lives, but will they have the same connection they did?

Y’all this was an emotional read. Sam especially deals with a lot of trauma and trying to find himself again despite it. And yet, he has this beautiful kind soul. The story focuses a lot on Nova and yet I wanted more of Sam.

I think there are also many people who will relate to Nova, no matter what age you are. She’s trying to find who she is without all the noise of society and with a lack of stability and support at home.

I adored this story and would recommend preordering and adding to your TBR!

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. The review expresses my own opinions.

"In the Orbit of You" by Ashley Schumacher is a young adult story of enduring love that explores friendship, trauma, and self-discovery. The narrative revolves around Nova Evans and Sam Jordan, who were close friends in childhood. Years later, Nova and Sam reunite in high school, but Sam seems to have forgotten their childhood promise to find each other. Sam is committed to following a predetermined life plan, including a college football scholarship and a relationship with his girlfriend, Abigail.

The plot takes an interesting turn when a school-wide personality test reveals Nova and Sam as each other's top matches with a compatibility of 99%. This discovery prompts them to remember the reasons they were close friends in the past. However, they also grapple with the challenges of their current situations and the reasons why a romantic relationship may not be feasible.

The novel delves into themes of friendship, the struggle between one's true self and societal expectations, and the impact of trauma. The characters navigate their personal growth and confront the complexities of their emotions.

"In the Orbit of You" promises to be a heartfelt and engaging exploration of relationships and self-discovery within the context of young adulthood.

I really love YA romance. In the orbit of you is a friends to lovers that I appreciate more. It shows the contemporary and modern side of romantic compatibility quizes. I think Abigail deserves better in the story, she is a good girl. 4 out of 5 cuz of that.

This is a hard book for me to review. I have enjoyed Ashley Schumacher’s previous books and am a big fan of her work. She has a knack for deep stories of heartbreak with moments of light weaved through the pages. I was immediately hooked to this story from the first pages. It had so much promise and a plot I was really looking forward to. Unfortunately most of the book revolves around lying and cheating and I had a really hard time getting past that. I understand that the characters are high schoolers with less than stable backgrounds but their behavior was appalling at times. You could tell that the characters did struggle with the deception they were part of but there was way too much back and forth for any remorse to really count.

The concept about stories beginnings, middles and ends was a really beautiful way to tell a story. So much of the book was enjoyable but I had a pit in my stomach for a lot of it and had a difficult time cheering on our couple. The ending wrapped up nicely and some of my issues were resolved which helped me feel a bit better.

This is a true YA and clean with topics of abuse & mental health.

I would recommend this book with an asterisk. A well written book that gave me a sense of unease but one that I wanted to see through.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

This was so cute! I was so amazed with the characters! I like the premise of this. The cover is pretty too.

It took me a bit to decide my feelings on this book. On the one hand, it is fantastically written. I love the style and the layout. On content I get a little wishy-washy - it felt really true, and it's high school, and kids don't always have the best boundaries ... but Sam's justifications for cheating and everyone's allowances for his behavior without calling him out on it puts a sour taste in my mouth. This is mostly what brought it from a 4-star to a 3-star. I appreciate complicated issues in YA, but there should be more clarity that bad behavior is still bad behavior, even if you have a crappy childhood.

Nova and Sam were childhood friends, and then Sam moved away. Nova has always wondered where her friend went, and then, she finds out. Enrolled at a new high school (she and her mother frequently move), she is reconnected with Sam - only he doesn't seem to remember her despite all they shared. Then, they each decide to participate in the compatibility test fundraiser (Sidebar - These are so weird as I think about them now), and they find out they are a 99& match. The story is then about them exploring what that means for them from back then (because Same does recall who she is) and now. This was a sweet little story about the friends we make as kids and how those relationships both evolve and change AND how they can stay the same. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this March 2024 release.

I have loved Ashley Schumacher's books since her debut. I just feel like she gets my sad-book loving heart, and In the Orbit of You was no exception. I appreciated that both Sam and Nova had points of views, so we could see their perspective (especially Sam's). I didn't approve of the (sorta) cheating bit... but this doesn't deter me from enjoying the book and of course Ashley Schumacher's writing style. I also LOVE the cover!!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this book to read!

When I first started reading this book, the author wasn't familiar to me but it sounded like an interesting read. I was fully invested in this book. I couldn't put it down, tt had my full attention from the get go. I haven't read too many books like this, two very young children who promise to find each other - it just doesn't happen but it makes an interesting story!

I don't want to spoil the story but I will say: I understand the trauma that Sam went through as a young child. I also understand the identity crisis that Nora went through. Having 4 children myself (3 adult children) I understand how things that the decisions parents make in life, shape how our children turn out. For me, this book was super relatable. I just get the characters. I wanted them to have a happy ending but most of all I wanted for them both to find themselves and heal from the childhoods they had. I understand that many people don't agree with how Sam dealt with the situations with Nora and his girlfriend at the time but 1) this is fiction and 2) he is still a child. He is learning. Had he been another 5-7 years older and still making the same mistakes then maybe I wouldn't feel the same. I also feel like they both just wanted to be happy. They made mistakes, and I think that sometimes you have to make a mistake to learn from it.

When I came to write the review I realized that Ashley Schumacher is the author of Full Flight which I also just really loved! I will definitely follow this author in the future and look forward to her next book. Plus, I HAVE to support a fellow Texan.

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!