Lover Birds

Gr 9 Up–Lou Byrne is less than thrilled to be tasked with helping new girl Isabel settle into their Liverpool high school. From the start, Isabel’s behavior puzzles Lou. They are almost instantly at odds, but occasionally Lou glimpses something playful under Isabel’s surface. Friends in Lou’s circle suggest that Isabel is attracted to her. But the two couldn’t be more different, down to Isabel’s posh background contrasted with Lou’s working class one. And Lou is straight anyway, right? Romantic tension builds as the two come together and are pulled apart with deft timing. And while Lou has an easy time with accepting her sexuality and coming out, she is in the early stages of self-discovery after her recent diagnosis with ADHD. Classism and conflict come between them. And friends who desperately need their support are going to force them to figure out where they stand. Bearing all the hallmarks of the sweetest rom-com, this rare beauty has the capacity to allow an audience of underrepresented YA readers to feel seen. Egan’s cast includes a character who is struggling to come out to her own family and friends, and one who is being blackmailed by a boyfriend who possesses compromising photos. They also give readers a beautiful depiction of the Liverpool that Lou knows and loves.