No One Is Alone

July 11, 2022
Sixteen-year-old Michaela Rutherford’s world is upended when she’s sent to live with her “pop-up parent” father in Bradford, Okla., following her mother’s death. Once there, Michaela learns that she was the result of an affair and that her father had an entire family she never knew about. But even as she navigates living with her stepmother Cynthia and stepsiblings Gabe, 17; Emery, 16; and Cody, 12, she finds a niche at her new school when she lands the lead part of Cinderella in the prestigious theater department’s production of Into the Woods. Unfortunately, theater is Emery’s world, and handsome, charming Ben—whom Michaela quickly begins dating—is Emery’s ex-boyfriend. As Michaela encroaches on Emery’s territory, their already tense relationship implodes, and Michaela struggles to balance her own goals with the expectations of a family she just met. Certain plot elements conclude predictably, and the seemingly singular focus on Michaela and Emery’s relationship causes Michaela’s other familial dynamics to feel thinly developed in comparison. Nevertheless, Vincent’s (Every Single Lie) imperfect characters are compassionately drawn, presenting a nuanced picture of one teen’s feelings of displacement amid grief and guilt. All characters read as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ginger Clark, Ginger Clark Literary.