You've Reached Sam

This poignant young adult novel explores the profound grief of seventeen-year-old Julie after the sudden death of her boyfriend, Sam. In a miraculous turn, Julie finds she can call Sam's old phone and he answers, offering a temporary, otherworldly connection. The story delves into Julie's struggle to process her loss, her isolation from friends and family, and her journey toward healing as she grapples with the bittersweet gift of a second chance at goodbye. It's a heartfelt exploration of first love, loss, and the difficult path of moving forward, featuring a diverse cast and a touch of magical realism.

Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes. Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail. And Sam picks up the phone. In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.