“. . . When I take the time to listen to the sounds of yesterday, they make me remember the promises of tomorrow . . .” 

For five years, Rob and Ana have been inseparable. They both have overcome career challenges, achieved emotional stability, and survived a global pandemic. Their future seems bright. 

That is, until Ana abruptly ends their relationship. Rob's routine-driven world is shattered, reopening traumas and insecurities he thought were long put to rest. As he obsesses over what might have gone wrong and struggles for healing and self-acceptance, his memories put him on an imagined stage where he teeters between the habit of meeting outside expectations, and the pain of ripping masks away to reveal his true self.

Sounds of Yesterday dives into the complex interplay between love and loss on the autism spectrum, unpacking the diverse ways empathy and emotional agency interconnect inside a neurodivergent world.

UPDATE 11/06/2024:
On November 24, 2024, "Sounds of Yesterday" will be archived on NetGalley to get it ready for it's official release date. If you are a current ARC reader, reviews will be expected to be posted by then. If you want to post a review but it is past its archive date, you will be doing the author a HUGE favor by posting your review on Goodreads and/or other review websites. Thank you so much! :)

-Jacob Hubbard

What to expect from "Sounds of Yesterday"
This book is a work of literary fiction that some readers may describe as a "doomed romance" but is more of a story about loss and grief. As a result, it does not attempt to follow the tropes of the romance genre in a traditional way. Instead, this novel is a slow-paced, reflective character-driven exploration of love, loss, trauma, and mental health struggles from the point of view of a neurodivergent narrator, making use of a non-linear narrative to depict this perspective. As a result, the writing style and approach of this book will be reflective of this point of view and you should not expect this book to follow neurotypical standards/norms when it comes to storytelling. Every writing choice made has been chosen to represent one specific neurodivergent voice and to prioritize the emotions and feelings of this lived experience.

To depict this point of view, the book makes use of a combination of minimalist, contemporary realism, and stream-of-conscious style of writing.

This book dives into the following topics, some of which can be sensitive and may be triggering for some readers:
Neurodiversity
Internalized ableism
Mental health struggles
Anxiety
Depression
Childhood trauma
Insecurity

If you are expecting a traditional romance with a clear cut character ARC or happy ending, this book may not be for you.

The best way to describe the genre for "Sounds of Yesterday" are the following:

Literary Fiction
Contemporary Fiction
Semi-Autobiographical
Psychological Drama
Realist fiction
Semi-Magical Realist

To learn more information (and to provide answers to commonly asked questions about "Sounds of Yesterday), go here on the author's website:
https://www.jacobhubbardauthor.com/my-fiction

Update (Sept. 23, 2024): This is an advanced review copy (ARC) of Jacob Hubbard's debut novel "Sounds of Yesterday." As of Sept. 10, 2024, the proofreading for this novel is complete and thus will be the version that will be made available to the public on November 19, 2024. Everything in this book is what the author intended.

Please consider leaving a thoughtful review on Amazon, Goodreads, Instagram, YouTube, StoryGraph, and/or any other place where books are regularly discussed. This will help with promoting this book. Your help is greatly appreciated. Our goal with this book is to amplify neurodivergent voices!

You may enjoy "Sounds of Yesterday" if you enjoy books similar to the following:
"Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine" by Gail Honeyman
"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" by Gabrielle Zevin
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon
"Memorial" by Bryan Washington

Song Playlist for "Sounds of Yesterday"
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6lq5gvLmAGMjS6xKVLRB3W?si=e33721b67bf644d7