Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Benson wasn’t always germophobic. There was a time she didn’t worry obsessively about rogue pathogens lurking on every surface, lying in wait to contaminate her. But that was before her brother Toby’s premature birth left him with underdeveloped lungs. Before she got Covid and infected him, putting his already fragile life in danger. To protect Toby’s health in the years that follow, Phoebe dedicates herself to pathogen avoidance, refusing to touch any potential sources of contamination—handrails, doorknobs, vending machine buttons, and even other people—leading to an unintended life of seclusion. By the time she reaches high school, her only sources of respite are pottery class and her friendship with Walter, the elderly owner of the used bookstore where she works part-time. Now Walter’s devised a plan to help Phoebe overcome her anxiety, and she must decide whether to continue isolating herself or risk everything initiating a friendship with the charming subway busker she can’t help but want to touch.
Author
USA Today Bestselling author Amalie Jahn is the recipient of the Literary Classics Seal of Approval and the Readers' Favorite Gold Medal for her debut YA novel, THE CLAY LION. Her first YA contemporary, THE NEXT TO LAST MISTAKE, won the prestigious IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award in 2020. She is a contributing blogger with the Huffington Post and Southern Writers Magazine, as well as a finalist in the 2015 Kindle Book Awards. A TED speaker, human rights advocate, and active promoter of kindness, she lives in the United States with her husband, two children, and three extremely overfed cats. When she's not at the computer coaxing characters into submission, you can find Amalie swimming laps, cycling, or running on the treadmill, probably training for her next triathlon. She hates pairing socks and loves avocados. She is also very happy time travel does not yet exist. Stalk her right here in the present day at these social media sites: Websites - www.amaliejahn.com and www.theclaylion.com Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AmalieJahn Twitter - https://twitter.com/AmalieJahn Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/amalie.jahn... Join Amalie’s FREE Readers Group and in addition to receiving promotional discounts, sneak peeks, and monthly newsletters, your membership will now grant you exclusive access to bonus material (shorts and novelettes) delivered right to your inbox! http://www.amaliejahn.com/join-reader...
