See We Come Apart in our catalogue.
“Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn’t left her in the lurch. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes. He’s working on his English but he has to practice with the teachers because no one speaks to him. He’s so not her type. Appearances matter to Jess. She’s got a lot to hide.
“Nicu thinks Jess is beautiful. His dad brought Nicu and his mum here for a better life, but now all they talk about is going back home to find Nicu a wife. The last thing he wants is to get married. He wants to get educated, do better, stay here in England. But his dad’s fists are the most powerful force in Nicu’s life, and in the end, he’ll have to do what his dad wants.”
One of the first verse novels written using social media; Sarah Crossan wrote the part of Jess while Brian Conaghan wrote the part of Nicu. These characters meet after both being enrolled in a rehabilitation scheme for young offenders. Jess is struggling with a violent home life while Nicu has emigrated from Romania. They come together in a time when they are both looking for a place to belong.
We Come Apart kept me gripped from the very first page to the last. It is beautifully written, heartbreaking but at the same time wonderful to read.
If you have read One by Sarah Crossan you will love this. If not, make it your next read after We Come Apart. She is fast becoming my favourite author.