There's Always Next Year

Ages 14 to 18

From New York Times-bestselling author George M. Johnson and USA Today-bestselling author Leah Johnson comes a revolutionary new holiday romcom for fans of HEARTSTOPPER. Won in a hotly contested auction!

There’s Always Next Year is a dual POV, double love story following cousins–Andy and Dominique–who accidentally blow up their lives on New Year's Eve and race to put them back together before New Year's Day is over.

Andy, a teen activist who desperately wants to stop the gentrification that’s changing her hometown and threatening her family’s business, is trying to admit her feelings for a longtime unrequited crush while also ignoring a spark between herself and the electric, new girl-next-door.

Dominique is an influencer on the verge of his big break but travels home with a potential solution to the family financial crisis. When he runs into his former best friend, unresolved feelings emerge -- and in a small town, there's no where to hide. Can Dominique rise to superstardom without leaving the ones he loves behind?

Set in the small-town of Oakrun, Indiana, Andy and Dominique have just 24 hours to fix their love lives. What if they fail? Well, there’s always next year.

About the Author

George M. Johnson (they/them) is an Emmy nominated, award-winning, and bestselling Black nonbinary author and activist. Their debut memoir, All Boys Aren’t Blue, was a New York Times bestseller and garnered many accolades. It was the second-most banned book of 2022 in the United States, according to the American Library Association. For their work fighting book bans and challenges, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) honored George with its Free Speech Defender Award, and TIME Magazine named them one of the “100 Next Most Influential People in the World.” Originally from Plainfield, New Jersey, they now live in Los Angeles, California. iamgmjohnson.com

Leah Johnson (she/her) is an eternal midwesterner and author of award-winning books for children and young adults. Her bestselling debut YA novel, You Should See Me in a Crown, was a Stonewall Honor Book, the inaugural Reese's Book Club YA pick, and named one of TIME's 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. She is also the author of Rise to the Sun, Ellie Engle Saves Herself, Bree Boyd is a Legend, and Black Girl Power. When she’s not writing, you can find her at Loudmouth Books, her Indianapolis-based independent bookstore that specializes in highlighting the work of marginalized authors and uplifting banned or challenged books. byleahjohnson.com