Goodbye from Nowhere

Sara Zarr, author of the National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl, returns with an intimate, exquisitely crafted novel of the courage it takes to see those we love for who they are.

Kyle Baker thought his family was happy. Happy enough, anyway. That’s why, when Kyle learns that his mother has been having an affair and his father has been living with the secret, his reality is altered.

He quits baseball, ghosts his girlfriend, and generally checks out of life as he’s known it. With his older sisters out of the house and friends who don’t get it, the only person he can talk to is his cousin Emily―who is always there on the other end of his texts but still has her own life, hours away.

Kyle’s parents want him to keep the secret of his mother’s affair from the rest of the family until after what might be their last big summer reunion. As Kyle watches the effects of his parents’ choices ripple out over friends, family, and strangers, and he feels the walls of his relationships closing in, he has to decide what his obligations are to everyone he cares for―including himself.

When the two people you trust most shatter your world, who do you become?

• A Family Shattered by Infidelity: Kyle’s mom has a secret. His dad knows. And they’ve asked him to lie for them, forcing him to question everything he believed about his family.
• First Love and Fallout: As Kyle retreats into himself, he pushes away his girlfriend, Nadia, unable to explain the chaos that’s consuming him.
• An Unbreakable Cousin Bond: The only person he can confide in is his cousin Emily, his anchor in a world that no longer makes sense.
• A Journey of Self Discovery: Forced to navigate his parents’ drama, Kyle must figure out who he is when the foundation of his life crumbles.

Sara Zarr is the author of six acclaimed novels for young adults, including Story of a Girl, The Lucy Variations, and Gem & Dixie. She's a National Book Award finalist and two-time Utah Book Award winner. Her novels have been variously named to annual best books lists of the American Library Association, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, the Guardian, the New York Public Library, and the Los Angeles Public Library and have been translated into many languages. She splits her time between Utah and California. You can visit her online at www.sarazarr.com.