Twenty-Four Seconds from Now . . . : A LOVE Story

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“Jason Reynolds has done it again!...Fresh from start to finish…This is what it could be, should be, if only we were all as lucky as Aria. Girls (and everyone) wait for your Neon!” —Judy Blume, New York Times bestselling author of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. and Forever...

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.

Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step…yet, they’ve starting talking about…that.

Twenty-four days ago: Neon’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he’d figured he’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away.

Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They’re not candlelight and they definitely aren’t caviar, but they are her favorite.

And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!

Jason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a Printz Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, a Kirkus Award winner, a UK Carnegie Medal winner, a two-time Walter Dean Myers Award winner, an NAACP Image Award Winner, an Odyssey Award Winner and two-time honoree, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors and the Margaret A. Edwards Award. He was also the 2020–2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His many books include All American Boys (cowritten with Brendan Kiely); When I Was the Greatest; The Boy in the Black Suit; Stamped; As Brave as You; For Every One; the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu); Look Both Ways; Stuntboy, in the Meantime; Ain’t Burned All the Bright (recipient of the Caldecott Honor) and My Name Is Jason. Mine Too. (both cowritten with Jason Griffin); and Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Honor. His debut picture book, There Was a Party for Langston, won a Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor. He lives in Washington, DC

Reynolds (Long Way Down) astounds in a sweetly hilarious story of two Black teens preparing to take a huge first step in their relationship. In frank stream-of-consciousness prose, Reynolds rewinds the teens’ heartfelt romance to showcase its development in reverse: 24 hours before, Neon was avoiding his homework by scrolling through videos he’d recorded of his classmates. And 24 days earlier, Neon was strolling the neighborhood with Gammy and the family dog, Denzel Jeremy Washington. As events roll backward, Neon has conversations with numerous richly wrought supporting characters, including his effervescent musician friend Dodie and his open and loving sister Nat, all of whom regale Neon with their thoughts on sex and love (with varying degrees of embarrassment and enlightenment for Neon). Sex-positive messaging encourages vulnerability in personal exploration as well as open conversations about bodily autonomy and consent. Authentically tapping into the way teens think, Reynolds delivers a mighty exaltation to Black love in this moving story of one boy’s growth and the community that fosters it.
— Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW, 7/22/2024

Setting aside anticipation and apprehension, the couple’s bond is clearly of paramount importance to them. This rich, tender story captures the range of emotions surrounding emerging love and what they mean in the lives of young people. Neon narrates with clarity, sensitivity, and humor. The wonderfully developed cast of characters (both adults and teens), lively language, and the clever flashbacks contribute to the freshness of the storytelling.nA warm, heartfelt, and fully engaging portrayal of teen love.
— Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW, 8/15/2024

"Neon’s anticipation is presented tastefully as the story spirals outward from the deed itself, moving back in time to give a fuller picture of the life of a sensitive Black boy with a lot of love for his partner and, fortunately, a lot of love in his life. A charmingly instructive picture of intimacy without shame is deftly portrayed through many of the secondary characters"
— BCCB, STARRED Review, 9/1/25

*Reynolds' foray into romance is as spectacular as expected. [...] This structure makes for a unique read. Reynolds’ ability to introduce characters in reverse and make them compelling is a testament to the author’s skill. Readers of his previous works will easily lose themselves in the author’s writing and complicated characters. While Neon’s relationship with Aria is highlighted during a pivotal point, Reynolds pays tribute to all different love stories and doesn’t shy away from the messiness of love; instead, the author’s exploration is grounded in reality. Undoubtedly, a story for everyone.
— Booklist, STARRED Review, 9/15/24

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