• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 7 to 12
• Reading age: 12 to 18

When Hattie and Presley meet, it's love at first sight. Head-spinning, Taylor-Swift-song-level feelings.
Their instant connection seems implausible, even impossible, as they start to realize all they have in common. Both are grieving, living in worlds haunted by ghosts; both have a parent who's out of sight, not out of mind; and both were forced to give up their Olympic dreams. Connected by experiences only they understand, Hattie and Presley fall into a whirlwind romance—flirting at their workplace, sleeping side by side beneath the stars, ice skating to a playlist all their own. But like the wildfires surrounding their California town, the trauma that haunts them is unrelenting. Can they overcome their losses without losing each other? Or will their ghosts break them apart?

Perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Rachel Lynn Solomon, A Pretty Implausible Premise explores the power of a love beyond comprehension, and how seemingly implausible connections can be the ones we need the most.

Karen Rivers is the author of numerous novels, mostly for young adults. Her books have been nominated for a number of awards, including the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize and the Silver Birch Award. Karen has a BA in International Relations, which makes her an asset on any trivia team that emphasizes global politics in the late 1980s or early 1990s. As a lifelong hypochondriac, she once thought she'd be a doctor but realizes now that writing is a much more sensible career choice as it allows enough time to research symptoms on Google without having to actually go to medical school. Karen lives, reads and writes in a yellow house near the beach in Victoria, British Columbia, and can almost always be found online at www.karenrivers.com.

Karen Rivers' profile page

Praise for A Pretty Implausible Premise:

"Told in literary and lyrical prose, this stunning contemporary coming-of-age novel rings romantically and nostalgically true. Contemporary readers will enjoy the snug-fitting references to Taylor Swift and (less obviously) John and Hank Green that give the novel a real world feel without inducing a cringe or a real threat of datedness, even for future readers... Heartfelt and cerebral enough to be cognitively delicious but not elitist, the prose and characterization make the overall result feel like a warm, glowing sunset." —Booklist, starred review

"Rivers organically pulls off the improbable premise of love conquering all; lightly speculative elements, smart attention to each minute detail, and Hattie and Presley’s convincing character arcs proffer an at once melancholy and joyful romance." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Rivers explores trauma with sensitivity: Readers see the wide range of emotions and coping mechanisms that can come into play." —Kirkus Reviews

Praise for You Are the Everything:

“This is good choice for those who enjoyed E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars or books with pieces that only fit together after a surprising ending. Fans of unreliable narrators and twist endings will clamor for this story of romance and survival.” —School Library Journal, starred review

“Philosophical readers will find much to love here; Rivers picks apart the nuances of friendship and romance, with their attendant loyalties and conflicts . . . You Are the Everything is an unusual and compelling novel that skillfully plays with narrative perspective.” —Booklist, starred review

“Well-written and emotionally resonant, this is an unusual and poignant story . . . that explores unfulfilled dreams and ideas of what might have been.” —Kirkus Reviews

"If you're looking for a contemporary romance that's different from any other book you've ever read, this one is for you.” —Young Adult Books Central