cover image Things We Know by Heart

Things We Know by Heart

Jessi Kirby. HarperTeen, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-0-06-229943-7

High school senior Quinn Sullivan's late boyfriend, Trent, was an organ donor. Via a program that allows donors' loved ones to connect with organ recipients, Quinn gets in touch with (and hears back from) all of them, except for Colton Thomas, who received Trent's heart. Although it is against the rules, Quinn tracks down Colton to get a look at him, and the two end up spending a memorable day together. Soon Quinn and Colton are diving headfirst into new romance, and as she falls for him, the truth of why they met in the first place (which she has kept secret from him) looms like a storm cloud. Medical hook aside, Kirby's (Golden) story is, at its core, a sweet, budding romance, set against the backdrop of Quinn's loving family. Questions of whether Trent's heart still beats for her within Colton's body and whether the circumstances that spark a romance matter linger throughout Kirby's story of letting go and moving forward. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Leigh Feldman Literary. (Apr.)