Author
Sarah Dessen
5 books here
That Summer
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 780L · 2004
Dessen's most emotionally precise divorce novel — Macy's voice feels authentic, the summer backdrop works, and the resolution avoids neat wrapping (the family doesn't become "fixed," just more honest).
The rest of the story
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 800L · 2019
Dessen's warmest book on identity and belonging—funny, emotionally honest, and unfussy about the complexity of having two families.
Change of Plans
Middle grade · ages 10–14 · 780L · 2026
Dessen's trademark warmth applied to a younger protagonist — realistic without being dreary, genuinely funny about the small betrayals of middle school friendship, and lands the emotional beats without preaching.
Just Listen
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 780L · 2006
A genuinely good novel about how silence multiplies harm and speaking up reclaims agency — realistic without being preachy, and the romance subplot actually serves the central theme rather than distracting from it.
Along for the ride
Young adult · ages 14–18 · 780L · 2009
A genuinely felt romance wrapped around real questions about control, family fracture, and what it means to be present—Dessen's warmth makes the emotional work feel earned rather than sentimental.