Ashley Schumacher excels at writing books that tug at my heartstrings, that make me ugly cry. Starting with Amelia Unabridged, which had me full-out sobbing, Schumacher’s YA novels his emotional beats that are authentic and rooted in well-developed, deeply felt characters.

Her newest novel, In the Orbit of You, starts with a childhood friendship between Nova Evans and Sam Jordan. They were neighbors, and best friends, reigning over Snailopolis, an imaginary world that served as an escape from ugliness and abuse. Their friendship brings both of them comfort, until Sam is removed from his home, but they promise solemnly to find each other again, when they’re grown up, when they’re 18.

Flash forward. Nova is . . . well, she’s 17, and it’s her first day at the umpteenth new school she has entered as she follows her mother’s career from one location to the next. This time, Nova promises herself that she won’t fall into whatever persona seems to make things easiest. Instead, she’s going to figure out who she really is, the identity that fits her best.

And then she sees Sam.

Nova recognizes him almost right away. He . . . doesn’t recognize her. He’s got a girlfriend, a best friend, amazing parents, a promising future as a football star. But he’s not happy, and Nova quickly sees that unhappiness.

And then Sam recognizes her.

From there, the book enters a cycle: the promise of reunion, of friendship, and of a new attraction exerts a powerful pull. But Sam has an established life, and Nova knows that they’re moving in just two months, so throwing caution to the wind and entering a state of upheaval and chaos on the off chance that they have something real just doesn’t seem worth it. Or does it?

As with all of Schumacher’s books, In the Orbit of You shows a deep understanding of its characters, and I truly loved both Nova and Sam. I did get a little weary of the cyclical nature of their surrender to their feelings and the subsequent denial of them, but the story is still a powerful one, and Schumacher is still an auto-read author for me.

In the Orbit of You-a standalone

By Ashley Schumacher-never read author

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publication 3-19-24 Read 3-17-24

📖Format: eBook, 313 pgs.

🙏🏾 Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Wednesday Books for this ARC 💙! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

🤷🏾‍♀️What to expect:

✔️ YA (coming of age)
✔️ Contemporary Romance
✔️ Friends to lovers
✔️ Right person-wrong time/Fate

⚠️TW: child abuse, cheating, grief, mental health issues

Summary: Nova Evans and Sam Jordan are neighbors and childhood friends who have created their own world of Snailopolis. In reality Nova notices the bruises and burns on Sam's arms. Quickly Sam tells Nova he is leaving town with his uncle without much explanation, but he promises to find her when they are eighteen. Fast forward several years where Nova is a junior at Tyler high school where she only plans to spend only two months. Her and mother Mara constantly move and she's on her sixth school. She sees Sam and he doesn't acknowledge knowing her because she's from his "before" life. They do a "Crush Test" as a fundraiser to match the most compatible friends, and of course they match 99% .The problem is Sam has a girlfriend and a plan for his life, while Nova doesn't know who she is-never in one place long enough to figure it out.

Overall , this a compelling young adult/ self discovery novel that questions destiny and choice. Sam must reconcile his past trauma, and Nova has to decide what she wants out of life. Their journey is written beautifully and emotionally as they figure out their lives.

I was provided a free advanced copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
I have read and enjoyed every one of @ashwritesbooks 's books. Most of them will require a whole box (or more) of tissues, but will leave such a lasting impression. This one was only different in that I don't think I shed a tear. But it was still very good and I'll be thinking about it for a while!
When Sam and Nova were young they formed an unbreakable bond through the broken fence. When Sam moved away they promised to find each other again one day. But years later, it seems they meet in an unexpected way. The only issue is Nova isn't part of Sam's carefully laid out plan. But then again, maybe what he needs is a way out of his plan.
This has a lot of depth, a lot of feelings. One thing that surprised me was the maturity of these high schoolers! 😂 Sure they made some stupid choices too, but their depth, understanding, and forgiveness, was more than I see in a lot of adults! I was a little nervous about how it was going to end as I got close. I was afraid she wouldn't be able to have a satisfying/realistic ending, but I shouldn't have doubted Ashley! ☺️
I recommend all of Ashley Schumacher's books, but since this one comes out on Tuesday (19 Mar) you probably don't have time to indulge in many before this one comes out, so start with this one (then move on to Amelia Unabridged, and Full Flight with some tissues close at hand)!
#NetGalley #InTheOrbitOfYou

A sweet, swoony, utterly charming YA love story about Nova and Sammy, two childhood friends torn apart who later find themselves in the same town but circumstances are still working against them being together.

If you like stories about right person, wrong time, mutual pining and star crossed lovers this book will grab you from the start and not let go. One warning, there is a bit of a love triangle and childhood trauma/abuse.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and finished gifted copy in exchange for my honest review. I can wholeheartedly say this is my new favorite from Ashley Schumacher!!

“What isn’t there is just as important as what is. Narrow in the space you know you don’t need, and you’re left with what it is you want.”

When Nova and Sam first met they were just kids. Through a hole in their fence, they bonded, and filled in a real life hole for one another, initiating the kind of friendship you always remember.

So years later, when teenage Nova sees Sam in her new school, she knows it’s him right away. Sam, however, doesn’t have the same instant recognition of Nova. It takes a quirky quiz, and basic geography, to reunite the two. But now that they are once again in each other’s orbit, they quickly realizes that this time around, there will be no circling back.

In the Orbit of You is the latest young adult romance from the amazing, Ashley Schumacher. Not only do her books evoke powerful emotions, they all have equally, if not more, beautiful covers. However, while the first few chapters gave me all the feels, the majority of the story felt a bit elementary for my tastes, even despite touching upon some heavy subject matter. That said,, I still believe young readers will likely connect with this story of first love, intermixed with fate and sweet second chances.

In the Orbit of You is a young adult contemporary romance novel about two teens that were childhood best friends and meet again in high school.

Nova and her mother have been moving back and forth across the country for years and never settling in one place for long. But when she was five her best friend was Sam and they played outside together everyday until he was abruptly removed from his parents and sent to live with his aunt and uncle. Now, a dozen years later Sam and Nova are in the same school together and an online personality test said they are nearly a perfect match. The only problem? Nova is only town for two months and Sam has a girlfriend. Sam and Nova will struggle with their identities, what they want for the future and if they truly belong together or if what they had should remain in the past.

In the Orbit of You is a beautiful love story about two people fated to be together. I love the choices the author made by acknowledging the need for the characters to grow up a little and find their place in the world instead of clinging to each other like anchors. I also appreciate that she didn’t make Sam’s girlfriend Abigail a villain or a nemesis to Nova but instead a whole person instead of a caricature. Also, Sam’s childhood abuse and PTSD was handled in a realistic and thoughtful way instead of making it salacious.

I highly recommend In the Orbit of You to readers that enjoy coming of age stories and romance.

I love a good young adult book and this one was definitely a good one. The main theme that runs throughout is the weight of expectation and finding the ability to voice what you need. The story most definitely has themes that are not easy to read but can also be therapeutic to a reader who doesn't have the ability to find their voice and tell their truths. It has other issues that may throw some readers but I don't personally subscribe to the negative reviews regarding these issues. They are teenagers who trying to find their way and everyone makes mistakes. And having these mistakes and issues in a book have never pushed a negative review out of me because, unfortunately, that is life and all we can do is live the best life we can. Some of the quiz questions were enlightening and I enjoyed the back and forth that Sam and Nova had regarding their thoughts on these questions.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

I am quite literally heartbroken. However, this was clearly the author’s intent which means it is a book well written. The prose in every single chapter and non-chapter alike was so moving. This story was beauty and pain as its finest.

Wow. I just can’t wrap my head around how perfectly the phrase “right person, wrong time” fits this book. It was beautiful and heartbreaking and touching. I adored Adam and Nova and their relationship. Their individual growth and their growth together was so special.

I simultaneously loved and hated the ending, only in that it made me happy but also feels open ended in that I’m worried history would be repeating itself and I wish we could have a second epilogue with another time jump.

Overall, I really enjoyed it! The only other book I’ve read by Schumacher was “Full Flight” so I’ll say if you’ve read that one, this book won’t destroy your heart as much as that one did but had just as beautiful of a friendship dynamic.

I have been a fan of this author since her debut novel. She writes emotional reads that will touch your heart in some way. I couldn’t wait to dive into this one and see how it would go. Unfortunately, this one was a letdown due to one thing in the plot.

The book is told from two point-of-views and they come from Nova and Sam. They were childhood neighbors until Sam had to move away due to his living situation and now he lives with his aunt and uncle. Nova’s mom moves around a lot for her job and eventually fate brings them back together. I don’t know if I have ever read a book like this before, where they are friends as children and something just draws them together. It was cute until all of their interactions bordered on cheating and eventually led to it.

I get it. Teen relationships are messy. I was a teen at one point and had drama myself or witnessed it firsthand, but I don’t like it in my books especially when it involves the main characters. The side characters don’t really seem to catch on besides one either. Everyone kind of just accepts it and even after it happens they still accept it in some way. It just left me with a bad taste in my mouth.

There is one serious topic that takes place and it involves abuse. Sam had to deal with this in his childhood and I don’t think he actually ever dealt with it per say. He does use it as an excuse for his behavior which is common in our own world. It was interesting to see him cope with it in the end.

Overall, this was okay but the cheating aspect really brought it down for me. I just can’t get past it even if there were good conversations happening.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Ashley Schumacher is a master at magical realism! Her unique storylines have a way of capturing your heart and staying with you long after you have turned that last page.

One of my favorite book themes is childhood best friends who become something more. In the Orbit of You starts with young Sam and Nova who have created their own special world in part to block out the traumatic homelife Sam is living. Their friendship is so pure and absolutely beautiful despite the ugliness that surrounds them outside of their innocent inner circle. Until the day Sam moves away (rescued by his uncle) with the promise he will find Nova...fast forward to the high school years.

Nova is living a nomadic life, constantly moving with her mother due to her job. The newest stop places her at the same school as Sam. The connection of their past is still there. The evidence of that bond is conclusive when the two have a 99 percent match through a school personality test. There are obstacles standing in the way of their reunion: Sam's girlfriend, Nova's expiration date of departure, life expectations...there is so much emotion and heart, push and pull as the inevitable magnet draws the two together. The only negative of this book is the relationship situation! Ugh. As much as I longed for our main characters to be together, I do not support cheating emotional or otherwise. I wish the author would have put an end to that obstacle organically with Sam making the choice. I couldn't even dislike Abigail (ow) and she deserved a clean break.

The story weaves a magical thread throughout the book and so many emotional full circle moments. And the ending (I mean, the true end with the epilogue! Thank you for giving us the extension...) was perfection.

4.5 stars

I figured I would give this book a try since I was not familiar with the author. And I absolutely loved it. This is why I read arcs. So I can find treasures like this book. I would never have imagined this cute little love story would steal my heart. The connection between Sam and Nova is so palpable it’s hard to not be in their corner. It’s also nice to see the side characters well fleshed out. Since everyone seems so different from the usual I was curious to see how things would turn out. Of course it became messy but the fallout isn’t what you would expect and made the story so easy to love. The ending was cute and made me eager to check out more from this author. This was one of the best reads of the year so far for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. I loved it!!!!!!

thank you to NetGalley for sending me an arc of this book!

i’ve never really been much of a romance person, especially YA romance, but after reading the synopsis, i thought i’d give this book a try. and honestly? im so glad i did!

In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher is a young adult book about two high schoolers, Nova and Sam, who used to be best childhood friends, a safe place for each other in their younger years, but were separated by circumstances out of their control. years later, by some crazy act of fate, the two are reunited. they then have to navigate the before they once new with the new people they now are. all the while, Nova and Sam also have to navigate their own futures, and what each other’s renewed presence in their own lives means regarding what happens next.

this book was such a delight and honestly such an easy read. were the characters the most developed? no! was it a little cheesy at times? of course! it’s a ya romance! but i really did not care. the love story was so cute and so pure, and i felt like Nova and Sam truly were written like real teenagers. dumb decisions were made, mean words were said, and angst was reverent went the past was met with the uncertain present. if you are looking for a quick, easy and enjoyable read, this book is the perfect pick!

TW: domestic violence discussed, but occurs off page, cheating

This book is a YA, childhood friends take on Christina Lauren 's The Soulmate Equation. Minus the romance. There is love for sure, but it doesn't end in an HEA.

This book put me through some serious emotions. I love a childhood friend story, whether they've always been together, or they were separated for a time and find each other again. This one is the latter, and it is complicated.

He has a girlfriend. She's only in town for a couple months. They haven't seen each other in over a decade... Surely they just need to know that the other is okay, right? On account of the fact that they don't really know each other anymore.

My heart went through a Space Mountain level roller coaster reading this book. It brought me back to thoughts of friends I used to know, who I sometimes wonder about. It made me wonder if we would still be friends now, or if we would simply smile, and wish each other well.

And honestly, sifting through these thoughts, as if I were Nova, and the other person were Sam (in some cases, and in others the role is reversed) was a healing experience.

I got to see two friends on page who never forgot, nor let go of, each other. Friends who reunited in less than ideal circumstances, and worked through their feelings about the past and present to figure out how they fit with each other's lives now. I got to experience the joy, the confusion, the fear, the sadness, the love, all of it. And let go.

I loved this book, and highly recommend it for anyone who loves a YA that'll rip your heart out. In the best way.

In the Orbit of You is a sweet YA novel with two childhood friends reuniting after 15 years apart. They are now in a Texas High School and now need to figure out how to navigate their history of shared promises, and trying to figure out who they are now and where they want to go next. I appreciated that they placed emphasis on deciding who they are as individuals, rather than mold themselves straight into a relationship.

The writing is beautiful and flowed well, it didn't feel like a high school level novel, and gave me The Notebook vibes. TW: past childhood abuse (off page), cheating (The Notebook-level).

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing this ARC for my honest review.

In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher, 313 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2024. $20.
Language: R (54 swears, 10 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
When they were young, Sam had to move away from Nova, but he promise, promised to find her again when they were older. Years later, it’s Nova (17yo) who finds Sam when her mom’s job temporarily moves them to town. Neither of them are the kids they used to be, but neither knows who they are now either—or who they might be together.
Schumacher’s characters struggle with identity, belonging, and feeling like someone gets them, on both ends of the spectrum making them relatable to a wide range of readers. Sometimes it feels like the happily ever after choices are not always the best choices—a hard lesson for parties both on and off page. And still Schumacher brings everything together in a satisfying conclusion.
Nova and Sam are depicted as White on the cover. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, kissing, innuendo, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for mentions of child abuse.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

In the Orbit of You is about Sam and Nova who were friends as children. When Sam moved away, they lost touch. They reconnect in high school thanks to a quiz, their connection is as strong as ever. I enjoyed the story. I think there's so much pressure on kids with knowing what they want to do with their future and I enjoyed seeing this portrayed. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my review copy of this YA novel.

Schumacher's latest YA romance novel missed the mark for this reader. Because of the premise of the book--two young adults separated by circumstance reunite and pick up where they left off--there was a lack of tension in the relationship. In the will-they-won't-they paradigm, they were always in the will-they category. The tension lies in how much of a mess they'll make if-they, which didn't work for me. As soon as they agreed to make their relationship "private" despite it's lack of physical intimacy and labels, I got the ick big time. The entire book is Sam emotionally cheating on his girlfriend, not wanting to engage in any form of conflict (for valid traumatic reasons), and Nova saying she doesn't condone it, but fully participating in it (not without guilt). While it's not the responsibility of the author to teach kids how to have healthy relationships, I do worry that this sends the wrong message--that star-crossed lovers who are destined for each other will be together no matter the odds and no matter who it hurts. (And honestly, I didn't really like Abigail's character but I felt the most for her). There was, however, some additional conflict created with the historical motivation for these characters' actions (Sam's abusive father, Nova's constant moving). I found Sam's backstory more persuasive, but Nova's felt simplistic and not realistic, which prevented me from engaging with her as a character in a meaningful way. I did appreciate the discussion of lasting, generational trauma, and I did like the supportive parental figures.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

Nova is yet again starting at a new high school. Her mom's job consists of moving from one place to another and Nova tells herself that she's happy with arrangement. But now, coming up on her senior year, she's wondering if all that moving has made her not know who she really is and what she wants to do.

Nova has strong memories of her childhood friend, Sam, who was being abused by his parents and had to abruptly move away when his uncle and aunt came to remove him from his bad situation. Fate happens and Nova ends up becoming neighbors again in a different state. Sam seems to have it all together, a popular football player with lots of friends and a pretty girlfriend. But has he done so much hiding from Before that he also is scared to know what he actually wants to do with his life instead of what's expected?

In the Orbit of You by Ashley Schumacher is a touching YA coming of age novel about finding out who you are and reconciling the past. It tells the tale in alternating viewpoints and is a super fast read, but it does the job of entertaining without being too sappy.

WOWOWOW this is one of my favorite recent reads. I was immediately swept away by this one. It's written so intricately and thoughtfully, and is more complex than I expected it to be. I do love a good second chance romance, and this one had tension, pining, emotional stakes, and some seriously swoonworthy moments. It moved at a great pace and I was invested in the characters the entire time. I appreciated how they were all complex. I didn't feel like anyone was two dimensional, which sometimes happens when the focus is on romance and it's in the YA age range. I haven't read a YA like this in quite a bit, which was really refreshing and wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.