Our Year of Maybe

Published January 15, 2019 (Simon Pulse)

From the author of You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone comes a stunning contemporary novel that examines the complicated aftermath of a kidney transplant between best friends.

Aspiring choreographer Sophie Orenstein would do anything for Peter Rosenthal-Porter, who’s been on the kidney transplant list as long as she’s known him. Peter, a gifted pianist, is everything to Sophie: best friend, musical collaborator, secret crush. When she learns she’s a match, donating a kidney is an easy, obvious choice. She can’t help wondering if after the transplant, he’ll love her back the way she’s always wanted.

But Peter’s life post-transplant isn’t what either of them expected. Though he once had feelings for Sophie too, he’s now drawn to Chase, the guitarist in a band that happens to be looking for a keyboardist. And while neglected parts of Sophie’s world are calling to her—dance opportunities, new friends, a sister and niece she barely knows—she longs for a now-distant Peter more than ever, growing increasingly bitter he doesn’t seem to feel the same connection.

Peter fears he’ll forever be indebted to her. Sophie isn’t sure who she is without him. Then one heartbreaking night twists their relationship into something neither of them recognizes, leading them to question their past, their future, and whether their friendship is even worth fighting for.

Praise for Our Year of Maybe

A Winter 2018-2019 Kids’ Indie Next Pick
2020 ALA Rainbow List

★ “Solomon excels at authentically capturing the complicated lives and identities of today’s teens. …An emotionally resonant and deeply characterized story of love, friendship, and identity in the broadest sense. Recommended for all libraries.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“A gutting, frank portrait of friendship that will crack open your ribs and break your heart in ways you didn't know it could be broken. Gorgeously written, haunting, and authentic. Absolutely beautiful.” —Jenn Bennett, author of Alex, Approximately and Starry Eyes

“Our Year of Maybe is a nuanced exploration of friendship, love, and the fragile bonds that hold us together. Rachel Lynn Solomon broke my heart, stitched it up, then broke it again as her achingly real characters grappled with the messiness of shifting friendship.” —Joy McCullough, author of Blood Water Paint

“Rachel Lynn Solomon's melodic writing brings to life a must-read story that elegantly explores the complexity of mixing friendship, love, and a gift that can never be repaid. With hope, humor, and characters you dream and bleed with, I was up late devouring this. Beautifully told.” —Gloria Chao, author of American Panda

“A nuanced, multifaceted look at friendship, love, and the whisper-thin line dividing the two. Sophie and Peter are messy, imperfect, and wholeheartedly real. With brave writing and unexpected turns, Rachel Lynn Solomon is not an author who takes the easy way out.” —Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, author of Firsts and Last Girl Lied To

“An emotionally vivid story of identity, friendship, and first love. Our Year of Maybe shimmers, inviting readers to lean into that unique mix of fear and elation that comes when we dare to embrace our true selves.” —Ashley Herring Blake, author of Girl Made of Stars and How to Make a Wish