This Could Be Forever

This timely, touching novel by LaDelle (Love Radio) is a moving exploration of love’s potential to bridge cultural divides. Sparks fly when Black teen Deja Martin and Nepali American teen Raja Sharma meet at a tattoo shop in D.C. The pair’s budding romance goes into full bloom over the course of the summer upon discovering that they will both be attending the University of Maryland in the fall. But their seemingly picturesque love story isn’t without hurdles. Both Deja and Raja worry that neither of their families will be accepting of the other’s partner. Raja feels that his family won’t see beyond the “ancient-ass caste system” and cultural expectations surrounding arranged marriage that have plagued him since birth. Deja, meanwhile, fears her family’s assumptions about courting someone who isn’t Black because, “when it comes to interracial dating, it seems like Black girls always get it the worst.” The protagonists’ distinct alternating first-person POVs seamlessly balance youthful revelations on love and life with sophisticated musings on finding common ground and celebrating each other’s differences as they strive to make their relationship work. Sparkling character personalities make cast interactions leap off the page in a richly rendered romance that probes themes of self-reflection, cultural identity, and the connective and healing power of love. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kristin Ostby, Greenhouse Literary. (May)