Love and Other Train Wrecks

October 15, 2017
Two teens dissect their issues over the course of an eventful journey. Noah is the hopeless romantic, traveling toward his ex in an effort to win her back. Ammy is the cynic, grudgingly heading toward her father's second marriage ceremony. The two white teenagers meet on the train and swap some barbs before it breaks down. Desperate to reach their destination, Ammy and Noah head out into the snowstorm for a bus station that's a mile away from their location. As their travels get complicated Ammy and Noah swap stories and slowly fall for each other. Most of these meet-cute-in-transit stories woefully neglect the exterior, but not so here. The author perfectly balances the internal, emotional journey the couple goes through against their physical pilgrimage. The adventure is just as exciting and funny and heartening as the sparks of attraction that flame into fire. Bonus points are due for the author not teasing readers too long with the inevitable smooching. There's an entire third-act complication afterward that even eagle-eyed readers won't see coming, one that's delightfully organic to the story and dealt with smartly by the characters. Noah and Ammy are both fetchingly crafted protagonists, filled with hopes, fears, flaws, and strengths. An absurdly charming, funny, and romantic odyssey. (Fiction. 12-17)

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 30, 2017
Seventeen-year-old Ammy West meets Noah Adler, a freshman at Hunter College, on an Amtrak train headed to Hudson, N.Y. Both need to get to the town by a certain time, so when the train grinds to a halt during a snowstorm, they decide to try their luck with a bus. Things don’t go as planned, naturally, leaving the two of them to figure out yet another way to reach their destinations. Along the way, Ammy and Noah share their stories: he is trying to win back his ex-girlfriend with an elaborate plan that includes dinner at an expensive restaurant, and Ammy eventually reveals that she is on her way to her father’s commitment ceremony to the woman who broke up her family. Konen (The Romantics) spins a charming tale of two people who are meant to be, despite terrible first impressions. Alternating between Ammy and Noah’s perspectives, Konen provides rich backstories for both characters while laying groundwork for a realistic love story that, like life, isn’t always easy or perfect. Ages 13–up. Agent: Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary.

November 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Passengers on a train, Ammy and Noah, are heading to different places but end up sitting next to each other. After getting acquainted, the train comes to a halt due to electrical problems. Noah, who is on his way to make amends with his girlfriend, and Ammy, who is going to her dad's wedding, both decide to leave the train to take the bus. The adventure begins when the last bus leaves the station as they approach in an unforgiving snowstorm. During their misadventures, the pair finds out that they have more in common than they hoped for. The novel moves at a satisfying pace and readers will want to know what happens between Ammy and Noah-especially after they find out what they share. The characters are likable and honest and will resonate with teens. Told in alternating perspectives, the narrative gives readers an in-depth understanding of the characters' motivations. Each chapter is time-stamped; this element adds a special touch to the plot's pacing. Those who enjoy romance and a story with a twist will approve. Sexual situations that are organic to the plot are off the page, but this is still a better choice for older readers. VERDICT Librarians will not be able to keep this compelling novel on the shelf.-Karen Alexander, Lake Fenton High School, Linden, MI

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 When Ammy and Noah meet on the train to upstate New York, they couldn't be going in two more opposite directions. Noah's on a mission of love, armed with a plan to win back his ex. Ammy is heading toward her father's commitment ceremony to the woman he left Ammy's mother for, an event that has convinced Ammy that romance leads to nothing but heartache. But when the train breaks down, the two decide to help each other reach their destinations, with more than friendship blossoming on the snow-covered road. Konen's novel is a cute addition to the canon of road-trip love stories. There's just enough mystery about their respective situations to keep the pace moving even as the story grows dreamier, and both Noah's romantic ideals and Ammy's aversion to them ring true. A third-act twist comes as a genuine surprise, but derails the story in a frustrating way. Nevertheless, Ammy and Noah's story will please both readers who swoon and those who scoff at meet cutes and their even cuter resolutions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)