Always Forever Maybe

A powerful YA debut, told with astonishing insight and wit, about the depths and boundaries of true friendship and obsessive teenage love—perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen, E. Lockhart, and Sara Zarr.

When Betts meets Aiden at the candy store where she works, their connection is like a sugar rush to the heart. Betts already knows the two of them are infinite. Inevitable. Destined to become an us.

Betts has only ever kept one secret from her best friend, Jo, but suddenly there’s a long list of things she won’t tell her, things Jo wouldn’t understand. Because Jo doesn’t see how good Aiden is for Betts. She finds him needy. Possessive. Controlling.

She’s wrong. With a love like this, nothing else matters.

“Ricci’s first YA novel gives an accurate but heartbreaking picture of an abusive relationship. The story has mature language and sexual scenes, as well as realistic situations, which older teens will appreciate.” - School Library Journal

“Rissi’s tale is elegantly written with a keen insight into teen relationships... An absorbing tale of a fatal attraction and its consequences.” - Kirkus Reviews

“This emotionally resonant YA debut by Rissi meaningfully highlights known patterns of intimate-partner abuse and speaks to the joy and importance of enduring friendship. Further elevating the story are romance rendered alongside a Bechdel-Wallace Test reference, female sexuality written without shame, and a group of funny, authentically written teens.” - Publishers Weekly

“This emotionally resonant YA debut by Rissi meaningfully highlights known patterns of intimate-partner abuse and speaks to the joy and importance of enduring friendship.” - Publishers Weekly

“This story about the evolution of a toxic relationship involving manipulation and control must be told.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“A powerful and essential story of toxic love, Always Forever Maybe fearlessly explores the borderlands between romance and obsession, between selflessness and self-obliteration. Anica Mrose Rissi’s debut novel is a masterful mix of light and dark—sometimes tender, often funny, always brutally honest. Always terrifyingly real. This book will break your heart—then piece it back together, even stronger than before.” - Robin Wasserman, author of Girls on Fire

“Anica Mrose Rissi masterfully conveys the irresistible power of physical attraction and how that intoxication can unexpectedly turn toxic. I’m afraid too many readers will relate to this unflinchingly honest portrayal of an abusive first love, which is precisely why Always Forever Maybe is an essential book.” - Megan McCafferty, New York Times bestselling author of the Jessica Darling series

“Equal parts crackling tension and sparkling humor; the worst relationships have to offer and the best. It’s the rarest book that manages to be so important, so emotionally resonant, and so utterly propulsive and compelling all at the same time. You won’t be able to put it down.” - Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King and Goodbye Days

“Rissi’s extraordinary YA debut wraps you up with beautiful writing and complicated, yet all too realistic characters. Both heartbreaking and stunning, Always Forever Maybe will stay with you long after turning the last page.”   - Elizabeth Eulberg, author of Better Off Friends

“Relatable and realistic, hopeful and empowering, Always Forever Maybe adresses an important subject: when ‘love’ isn’t what it seems.”

- Deb Caletti, author of National Book Award finalist Honey, Baby, Sweetheart

“Anica Mrose Rissi’s debut novel is a masterful mix of light and dark—sometimes tender, often funny, always brutally honest. Always terrifyingly real. This book will break your heart—then piece it back together, even stronger than before.” - Robin Wasserman, author of Girls on Fire