When You Get the Chance

Ryan (Keep This to Yourself) and Stevenson (Pride) put a decidedly queer spin on “summer at the lake” and “road trip” tropes in this satisfying tale of teen cousins. Talia, 18, ends up at the Ontario family cottage with Mark, 17, and his 10-year-old sister Paige following their grandfather’s funeral. They are supposed to be cleaning out the cabin, but Mark is distracted by a local bad boy and wishes he could get back to Toronto for the annual Pride festival. Talia wants to make the trip as well, to find out where she stands with Erin, whom she’s been dating for the past two years and has recently come out as nonbinary and polyamorous. The discovery of a Ford Mustang in the cottage’s shed presents the trio with the means to make the trip, which occurs with various complications. While presenting a variety of LGBTQ concepts, including historical context and cultural change, Ryan and Stevenson give their credibly written teens familiar challenges while Paige delves into a family mystery, offering the story a layer of drama and intrigue. A fun, thought-provoking tale. Ages 13–up. [em]Agent: Eric Smith, P.S. Literary. (May) [/em]