Someday, Somewhere by Lindsay Champion

What looks like an insta-love romance becomes something else entirely as lies accumulate on both sides of Someday, Somewhere by Lindsay Champion. On a school trip to Manhattan, Dominique falls for Ben when his music conservatory performs at Carnegie Hall. To win his love, Dom pretends to be a wealthy NYU student instead of a high school junior from a gritty New Jersey suburb. Ben, a musical prodigy, has secrets of his own.

This YA novel gripped me from the opening scene to the perfect last line. Both of the teen protagonists have creative passions and natural talent, however Dom had to quit dance to help her mom keep her laundromat afloat. Ben has a supportive family and all the privileges money can buy, but he struggles under the pressure to live up to his potential in an ultra-competitive atmosphere. Both kids tell self-destructive lies to survive. Their stories are told in alternating point-of-view chapters, allowing the reader to piece the true narrative together. This engaging book is structured like a classical sonata with jazz riffs.

The main characters were well developed but only superficially diverse. Since Dom's Ecuadorian immigrant dad deserted her years ago, she can't speak Spanish or understand her cultural heritage. There is a throw away line about Passover towels (huh?) in Ben's apartment, but Jewish identity doesn't shape his character or the narrative. As a Jew with Hispanic relatives this lack of depth disappointed me. It's still better to have some diversity than none, and strong voices and realistic flaws fleshed out the characters.

I loved how this contemporary novel explored socio-economic differences, but some of the financial details were unrealistic. A low income student would get free lunch at public school and food stamps at home (only coupons were mentioned), and a credit card would be frozen if a cardholder started making unusually large purchases rapidly. However, these were minor details that didn't detract much from the story overall. If you enjoy unreliable narrators, mismatched romance, and music, check out this impressive debut.

It's been a late spring in Maine: freezing on Tuesday morning and then high 80s F yesterday! Only Scout misses the snow.

Reviewer's Disclosure: I'm friends with the editor of this novel, but glowing early reviews on Goodreads and in Entertainment Weekly made me decide to read it. When I was unable to find a copy at independent bookstores in Maine, I purchased the ebook for my Kindle. The hardcover was released last month.

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@Barrie Summy