Calliope Silversmith, 17, lives in Green Woods, a tiny town outside Philadelphia. She has everything she needs: her moms, Mama and Mimmy; and her two best friends since birth, Ginger and Noah. Then a family moves into the old Jackson place on the other side of the woods, and Max drops into her life. Calliope's resolve to avoid relationships until she is in college is tested and then dwindles and disappears in his vibrant presence. Not long after they fall in love, though, Calliope turns 18 and exercises her option to learn about the sperm donor who "fathered" her. The news is the worst possible: Max is her half brother. The rest of the novel revolves around how Calliope, Max, their friends, and their families cope with this twist and whether they can grow together or break apart. The plot twist, however unlikely, is jarring, but the characters' immediate involvement in the resolution is the primary focus of the plot. Detweiler's prose is richly descriptive, providing solid, vivid images. Offer this one to John Green fans.

Surprising news changes a young woman's life.Nothing exciting happens in rural Green Woods, Pennsylvania, and Calliope Silversmith wouldn't have it any other way. She has the loving guidance of her mothers, Mama and Mimmy, and a siblinglike camaraderie with lifelong best friends Ginger and Noah. Levelheaded Calliope has never been in love and has successfully stuck with her no-dating-before-college rule. Then Max moves in next door. The teens have an instant rapport filled with easy banter-and Calliope's rule goes out the window. While many almost-18-year-olds are excited to vote or get their first tattoo, Calliope makes an important decision of her own: to contact the sperm donor who made her life possible. Calliope gets the shock of her life when she learns that her donor is Max's father. With the love and support of her moms and her friends to prove it, Calliope has always known that blood isn't the only thing that makes a family. She wants to keep Max in her life, but how can she transform romantic love into something acceptable for half siblings? First-person narrator Calliope is self-aware as she struggles to redefine her relationship with Max, and supporting characters have growth arcs that evolve naturally. The plot is neatly divided in two parts: before the news and after. Most characters are White; biracial Max's mother is Black, and he identifies as Black.A sweet reminder that family extends beyond the bounds of blood. (Fiction. 14-18)

Gr 9 Up-Calliope's understanding of relationships is tested during the summer before her senior year. Though she's been content to live in the quiet woods of her small community with her moms and her two forever friends, Noah and Ginger, Calliope's worldview changes when a family moves into the spooky Jackson house next door. When she meets Max, he challenges her "no dating rule." As her 18th birthday nears and the romance between her and Max grows, so does her curiosity about who her sperm donor was. To her horror, the donor is Max's dad. Calliope relies on the people in her life, including her moms, to determine how to move forward. Detweiler presents complicated issues with positive, healthy solutions. However, readers will seriously have to suspend disbelief regarding who the donor is, and that he ends up being right next door, and the ending wraps up a bit too perfectly. Most characters are white, and Max's father is white and mother is Black. VERDICT Less of a romance and more about relationships in general, this is an additional selection for larger collections.Rachel Zuffa, Case H.S., Racine, WI