The Night We Said Yes

Best friends and recent high school graduates Ella and Meg both dated members of a small “pop punk” band: Ella had an intense fling with bassist Matt, who later skipped town, while Meg has been on-again, off-again with lead singer Jake. When Ella unexpectedly runs into Matt six months after he vanished, she is both excited to see him again and angry that he left without saying goodbye. Gibaldi’s debut draws its title from a night these four teens spent together, during which they agreed to try every (reasonable) idea that one of them suggested. Ella and Matt decide to relive their “night of saying yes,” and Gibaldi’s chapters, written from Ella’s point of view, shift between the first night and the current one, one year later. However, the anticlimactic original night consisted mainly of drinking on the school’s roof and going swimming before it fell apart, and the second night follows a similar trajectory. While it’s an appealing structure and premise, the plot winds up feeling a bit thin. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michelle Andelman, Regal Literary. (June)