Desert Echoes

From a Stonewall Honor–winning author comes a propulsive, moving story about human resilience and connection. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club, The Great Godden, and If You Still Recognise Me.

Fifteen-year-old Kam is head over heels for Ash, the boy who swept him off his feet. But his family and best friend, Bodie, are worried. They struggle to understand Ash, who has a habit of disappearing, at times for days. When Ash asks Kam to join him on a trip to Joshua Tree, the two of them walk off into the sunset ... but only Kam returns.

Two years later, Kam is still left with a hole in his heart and too many unanswered questions. So it feels like fate when a school trip takes him back to Joshua Tree. On the trip, Kam wants to find closure about what happened to Ash, but instead finds himself in danger of facing a similar fate. In the desert, Kam must reckon with the truth of his past relationship—and the possibility of opening himself up to love once again.

Praise for Only This Beautiful Moment:

“A complex coming-of-age-story of these three boys who are inextricably linked, not only by family but in ways yet revealed. Abdi never fails to weave a powerful and moving story.” — Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Daisy Jones & The Six

“A deeply human story fuelled by love, hope, and longing.” — Wibke Brueggemann, author of Love is for Losers

“A stunning intergenerational coming-of-age story.” — Kirkus, Starred Review

“The kind of story that YA literature was made for.” — Booklist, Starred Review

“A queer epic, a defiant piece of art that transmutes the rallying cry of “we’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” into even more beautiful poetry that will almost certainly change the lives of those who read it.” — BookPage, Starred Review

“This is a book everyone needs to read.” — Kasey S, educator