cover image In Honor

In Honor

Jessi Kirby. Simon & Schuster, $16.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-4424-1697-0

Just before heading to college, Honor is faced with attending the military funeral of her brother, Finn, who died fighting in Iraq. Overwhelmed and emotionally derailed by Finn's death, Honor decides to fulfill what turns out to be her brother's last wish%E2%80%94that she attend pop star Kyra Kelly's final concert halfway across the country in Los Angeles. As Honor is about to take off, her brother's best friend, the heavy-drinking Rusty, hops in Finn's old car to come along for the ride. Though Kirby's premise is well-tread, her storytelling is fresh and moving, and Rusty is swoon-worthy as Honor's unlikely romantic hero, all the more genuine for his faults. Moments of beauty, including a sunrise scuba dive and a desert thunderstorm, are poignantly tinged by Rusty and Honor's loss. Kirby doesn't promise a certain future for Rusty and Honor's relationship, but readers will root for the grieving girl with a Texas accent in cowboy boots and a dress as she heads into the unknown. A sweet and soulful summer romance that is worth the trip. Ages 14%E2%80%93up. Agent: Leigh Feldman, Writers House. (May)