We Were Never Here

In this exquisitely written and emotionally charged young adult debut, critically acclaimed author Jennifer Gilmore explores how sometimes the wounds you can’t see are the most painful.

Did you know your entire life can change in an instant?

For sixteen-year-old Lizzie Stoller, that moment is when she collapses out of the blue. The next thing she knows, she’s in a hospital with an illness she’s never heard of.

But that isn’t the only life-changing moment for Lizzie. The other is when Connor and his dog, Verlaine, walk into her hospital room. Lizzie has never connected with anyone the way she does with the handsome teenage volunteer.

But the more time she spends with him and the deeper in love she falls, the more she realizes that Connor has secrets and a deep pain of his own . . . and that while being with him has the power to make Lizzie forget about her illness, being with her might tear Connor apart.

First Love: Lizzie has never connected with anyone like she does with Connor, the handsome hospital volunteer. But is their intense bond enough to survive the secrets they’re both keeping?A Poignant Sick Lit Story: A sudden collapse at sixteen leaves Lizzie battling a devastating illness in a hospital, forced to confront a new reality where she feels utterly alone.Painful Secrets: Connor seems perfect, but the more Lizzie falls for him, the more she realizes he’s hiding a deep pain of his own—one that her love might make worse.Emotional Young Adult Fiction: An honest and beautifully written novel that explores the invisible wounds of illness, love, and the moments that change a life forever.