title: You've Found Oliver
author: Dustin Thao
publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
publication date: September 30, 2025
pages: 288
peppers: 2 (on this scale)
warnings: death by car accident, cheating, not technically a romance
summary: When Oliver's best friend and crush Sam died unexpectedly a year earlier, Oliver kept texting his number. When Oliver accidentally hits the call button and Ben answers, a strange and lovely friendship/romance forms. Unfortunately, something strange is happening as the two live separated not only by distance, but also, perhaps, by time.
tropes:
- dead best friend
- gay crush on a straight guy
- can't change the past...or can you
- time travel...sort of
- single mother
- we'd find each other no matter what
- classes that imitate life/teach life lessons
what I liked:
- philosophy classroom scenes
- life must go on
- strong friendships
what I didn’t like:
- time elements confusing
overall rating: 4 (of 5 stars)