Hello (from Here)

By Chandler Baker and Wesley King

Book Overview

A heartfelt, witty, and thought-provoking YA love story about two teens who fall for each other while forced apart during quarantine, written by two New York Times bestselling authors, and for fans of Five Feet Apart, Anna and the French Kiss, and My Life Next Door

Maxine and Jonah meet in the canned goods aisle just as California is going into lockdown. Max's part-time job as a personal grocery shopper is about to transform into a hellish gauntlet. Jonah's preexisting anxiety is about to become an epic daily struggle. As Max and Jonah get to know each other through FaceTime dates, socially distanced playground hangs, and the escalating heartbreaks of the pandemic, they're pushed apart by what they don't share and pulled closer by what they do.

As thoughtful, probing, and informed as it is buoyant, romantic, and funny, Hello (From Here) cuts across differences in class, privilege, and mental health, all thrown into stark relief by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here's a novel that looks at the first two months of the quarantine, and adds falling in love to the mess.

"Hello (From Here) isn't just a book about the pandemic." --PopSugar
"It's also a funny, poignant romcom about the unpredictability of love in chaotic times. . . . Excellent." --BCCB
* "Satisfyingly banter-filled." --PW, starred review
"Sweet . . . Effectively rendered." --Kirkus
"Realistic." --SLJ
"Not your typical romantic comedy, it's] a timely update of the genre." --Booklist
"Witty, entertaining . . . endearing and relatable." --Common Sense Media
"An unputdownable story that YA readers will adore." --Brightly
"Funny, romantic, and eerily familiar." --author Kelly Loy Gilbert
"Witty, hilarious, heart-filled, and romantic." --author Jeff Zentner
"In a category of its own. . . . Wonderful." --Postmedia

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0593326121
• ISBN13: 9780593326121
• Release Date: September 2021
• Publisher: Dial Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Couldn’t put it down!

This take on a modern romance was a very enjoyable read. Switching between perspectives of Max and Jonah is a fun way to keep the reader invested, as first we see their interactions through Max’s eyes, and then we switch over on the next chapter to see Jonah’s take. Personally, I usually don’t read books that are told in the first person perspective, so I was prepared to not enjoy this, but once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down! It’s a very compelling story, and the narrators are charming and relatable. The premise of falling in love during the lockdown at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic keeps the story current, and calls to mind relatable fears that everyone experienced last year, so that we are rooting for the characters to succeed where we all wish we could. The tale of a man who falls for his personal shopper is one that is so specific to modern times that it made me laugh out loud! I will definitely be picking this book up.

Love in the time of COVID-19

Hello (from here) almost feels like historical fiction because the beginning of the pandemic seems so long ago. This book is like a time capsule. The authors were right alongside the characters processing the pandemic, fearful and uncertain about what would happen. I'm not sure that they envisioned that we would still be in the middle of it at publication time. Hello (from here) tells the story of two young people, Max and Jonah, who meet at the beginning of the pandemic in a grocery store, fighting over toilet paper. Each has their own very different and serious struggles that could derail a relationship even under normal circumstances. Their lack of communication regarding these issues leads to further problems. The characters are relatable and there is a lot of great, witty banter. I also loved the side characters, especially Olivia and Max's friends. There is humor and hope in this novel but also a lot of heaviness, because, well, COVID. Hello (from here) is an enjoyable, emotional, and thought-provoking read, but there is a lot to unpack. Be aware of triggers: death, loss of parent, anxiety disorder, panic attacks, isolation, AIDs, COVID, poverty.