Maybe One Day

In the tradition of The Fault in Our Stars, critically acclaimed author Melissa Kantor masterfully captures the joy of friendship, the agony of loss, and the unique experience of being a teenager in this poignant new novel about a girl grappling with her best friend's life-threatening illness.

A person's whole life, she's lucky to have one or two real friends. Friends who are like family . . . for Zoe that someone is Olivia. So when Olivia is diagnosed with leukemia Zoe is determined to put on a brave face and be positive for her best friend.

Even when she isn't sure what to say.

Even when Olivia misses months of school.

Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin, Olivia's crush.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for her to even imagine.

Zoe and her best friend, Olivia, have always had Big Plans: They'll tour the world as prima ballerinas and live in a swanky Manhattan apartment (where they'll hang out with their fabulous boyfriends, of course). But when they're cut from the ballet company, their plans for the future evaporate. Suddenly, Zoe's dodging cheerleaders who want her and Olivia to go out for the squad, and Olivia's got a crush on Calvin Taylor, who Zoe can't stand. 

Zoe can't imagine anything worse happening . . . until Olivia gets sick. Really sick. Suddenly, not being able to dance is the least of their problems.

Olivia has always been the nice one, the happy-go-lucky one. Zoe has always been the snarky one, the look-on-the-dark-side one. But when your best friend is in the hospital, you better learn to step up fast. Now Zoe needs to put on a brave face and be the positive one. Even when Zoe isn't sure what to say. Even when Olivia misses months of school. Even when Zoe starts falling for Calvin.

The one thing that keeps Zoe moving forward is knowing that Olivia will beat this thing, and everything will go back to the way it was before. It has to. Because the alternative is too terrifying for Zoe to even imagine.

A beautiful, heartbreaking story about friendship, loss, and what it means to truly live. I loved it. - Lauren Barnholdt, author of The Thing About the Truth and Two-Way Street

This high school drama goes well below the surface; faith is explored, and well-developed family members, friends and teachers play strong roles. These teens are not navigating life alone but are part of a supportive community. Readers just in it for the plot risk missing the poignant moments where Kantor’s strong, graceful writing captures the innocence and sophistication of youth and the hopes and the fears of the girls and their families. - Kirkus Reviews

Eschewing melodrama and sentimentality, Kantor is on solid ground with every aspect of the novel: the community that surrounds these close friends, the strength of their own bond, the daily ups and downs of fighting cancer, and the emotional roller coaster experienced by everybody in Olivia’s sphere. - Publishers Weekly

Get ready to feel all the BIG feelings -- to have a huge CRY, to swoon, to LAUGH, to despair and to HOPE. I have adored Melissa Kantor’s sparkly wit since Confessions of a Not-It Girl, and in Maybe One Day she brings her trademark snark and sharp observation to a deeply moving story about friendship, life, illness, and love. - -- E. Lockhart, author of We Were Liars and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

“Though this contemporary cancer story laced with everyday and extraordinary experiences will undoubtedly draw comparisons to that other cancer book, Livvie’s cancer story and Zoe’s emotionally complex web of friendship, fear, loss, love, pain, and promise are all their own, and well worth reading.” - Booklist

“Zoe and Olivia’s deep, real friendship and all its complications ring so true that you will want to hug your best friend close. I adored this book.” - Jennifer Echols, author of FORGET YOU and GOING TOO FAR

“The dialogue is fresh and authentic, and Zoe is a layered narrator in Kantor’s hands-she is at once angry, sad, optimistic, and confused… While this novel will certainly appeal to teens seeking a good cry along the lines of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars (Dutton, 2012) or Jenny Downham’s Before I Die (Random, 2007), Maybe One Day will also resonate with those looking for a faithful portrayal of female friendship.” - School Library Journal

Kantor doesn’t sugarcoat the messy ups and downs of either Livvie’s leukemia or the girls’ friendship, instead portraying both with honesty and compassion. Zoe’s first-person narration is relatable and evocative, particularly in describing her conflicted feelings about ballet. By novel’s end Zoe’s nuanced development (supported by her enduring friendship with Livvie, a blooming romance with Calvin, and a rediscovered joy in dancing) allows her to define herself without her dream-and even without her best friend. - The Horn Book