Every Borrowed Beat

A romance that takes an unflinching look at not only the realities of heart failure, but at memory, grief, guilt, and what it means to live— in a "poignant yet funny" (Booklist) read that's "alternately heart-wrenching and heartwarming" (Kirkus)--from the award-winning author of The Words We Keep

What if the heart that saved your life also held the secrets of another's?

* "With its perfect blend of chronic illness representation, mental health exploration, and romance, this is sure to appeal to fans of books like John Green’ s The Fault in Our Stars . . . a  standout addition to the genre."--SLJ, starred review

Sydney Wells  should have died. She was supposed to die.

She never expected, after years of waiting, to receive a heart transplant. Now, seventeen-year-old Sydney doesn’ t know what to do with her life. Her daily routine consisted of staying indoors, eating heart-healthy foods, and posting about her transplant list experiences on TheWaitingList with her long-distance BFF (and heart failure buddy) Chloe.  

Now, Sydney latches onto the one thing that gives her meaning: learning as much as she can about the person whose heart she inherited. After finding the family of her likely-donor, Mia,   Sydney falls deep into her world— and may also be falling for Mia's best friend, Clayton.  

But  Sydney isn’ t the only one hiding something. Mia’ s brother Tanner won’ t talk to Clayton, and Clayton won’ t tell Sydney why. And hundreds of miles away, Chloe’ s health has taken a turn for the worse.   Sydney needs to face what’ s in her heart— the truth, the guilt, and the future— before it’ s too late.