Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of If I See You Again Tomorrow comes a stunningly romantic, speculative novel about a teen looking for his missing dad, who keeps getting pulled into others’ memories and crossing paths with a handsome stranger who also doesn’t belong there.

Caspen Coolsby’s dad is missing. But even though it’s only been a few months, everyone has given up on finding him. Except for Caspen.

He finally gets a break in the case when he meets his new upstairs neighbors and discovers he can somehow transport himself into each of the college students’ memories using candle scents that remind them of important moments. No one loved candles more than his dad, so Caspen is sure there must be clues pointing toward where to find him hidden in the memories.

His thinking hits a snag, though, when a handsome boy named Lars keeps popping up in memories where he also doesn’t belong. As the lines between memory and reality begin to blur, Caspen can’t help but fall for the mysterious boy who keeps chipping away at the rose-colored lens he’s always seen life through. But will Caspen be able to find his dad and his crush outside of these stolen moments if it means reliving the hard truths of his past and not just the good parts?

Publisher Review

“As Caspen hops between real life and candle-driven memories, small inconsistencies in the narrative appear in ways that delicately insert questions about truth, reality, and perception that bloom into an artful twist….patient readers, particularly those who enjoy reflection in a story’s aftermath, will find satisfaction.” — Booklist * September 1, 2026 * This cheeky, charming story…features a gay romance that’s pleasing and relatable….exudes the feeling of fall and unfolds within a light magical mystery.” — Kirkus Reviews “A speculative mystery with a satisfying and bittersweet resolution.”-School Library Journal “A raw and probing story of loss.”-Publishers Weekly