Samantha Young has struck gold, as The Fragile Ordinary is one of the most emotional, realistic, and touching books I’ve ever read.

If you’ve never read a Samantha Young book before, The Fragile Ordinary might just be the best place to start. It is full of the same heart and soul that all of her books radiate, but she manages to harness a little extra reality for Comet and Tobias.

Comet Caldwell is your typical high school introvert, in that most of the things high school students are enamored with, especially parties, Comet can do without. A night in with a book is highly preferred to a night out with her peers. She has a pair of besties who do their best to keep Comet from become a total hermit, but that is sometimes a losing battle.

Tobias King is an American boy fresh off the boat who is resisting all the things his father tried to force on him. Rather than caring about grades, sports, and his future, Tobias is hanging out with the wrong crowd and acting quite the ass in school.

Then, one day, Tobias gets moved next to Comet in class and neither one of them will ever be the same again.

This is another story I did absolutely no preparation for. Much like for One Small Thing by Erin Watt, I did no blurb reading, no excerpts. It was unnecessary. When I’m cracking open a Samantha Young book, I have absolute trust that she will have me laughing, crying, and everything in between while I’m immersed in her pages, and it’s almost more fun to not know a single thing about the story that’s about to unfold.

And I’m so glad that I knew nothing about what was lying ahead for me with Comet and Tobias. Their story unfolded in ways I never imagined, but enjoyed nonetheless. From their first strolls along the ocean to their fights and back again, I was fully immersed in their story from start to finish.

Comet is the kind of heroine I always hope for. She’s introverted, and loves being able to hide away with her books, but with the right motivation also enjoys being out and about with her friends. For her, it’s all about meaningful relationships. Prior to Tobias coming in and shaking up her world, Comet’s most significant relationship was with Vicki, but it didn’t always provide the depth and connection that Comet was searching for, hence her retreat to her fictional worlds.

Her parents probably had a large part in making Comet the individual she is. While they never neglected her anything, they also never provided the one thing she craved most, unconditional love. A parent’s love for their child has been shown many ways in literature, ranging from absolute devotion to utter neglect and abuse. Comet was never abused by her parents, she was just made to feel like an afterthought. That treatment forced Comet to find companionship and comfort elsewhere, and since humans had failed her so thoroughly during her most formative years, she learned that books and characters would never let her down.

While I couldn’t relate to Comet’s parental situation, I never had trouble seeing the world through her eyes. When I couldn’t sympathize with Comet, I could definitely empathize, and that is the mark of a truly remarkable heroine. She is most certainly not perfect and her mistakes in The Fragile Ordinary range from minor to life-altering. Those mistakes allowed one of Comet’s most admirable qualities to shine through: her ability to allow people to be responsible for their own choices.

Comet may not like the choices others are making, but she doesn’t blame herself, even when she may have been able to change things. She ultimately knows that as people, we are responsible for how we choose to live our lives. There are all kinds of horrors and troubles in this world, and we should do our best to love and help others through those times, but it doesn’t make us responsible for how they choose to act. Comet taught me that.

While Comet is the emotional center of this story, The Fragile Ordinary wouldn’t be the remarkable story it is without Tobias King. I loved that he notices Comet for being exactly who she is. He doesn’t see her in the throws of a makeover and and finally take notice, nor does he “see her beauty underneath the shell” or whatever. He finds who she is intriguing and chooses to talk to her and get to know her better just as she is.

And most of all, I love how Comet and Tobias support each other. Comet didn’t know it, but she needed someone to read her poems. Tobias didn’t know it, but he needed someone to remind him of his own goals and hobbies. He was putting too much stock in his father’s dreams for him, and Comet was too unsure to leave the safety of her bubble without a little push. They both found ways to support each other and enrich their lives without demanding change or resulting to ultimatums.

I love The Fragile Ordinary. Samantha Young outdid herself with the magic and authenticity on display in this story. I just know that this story will do so much good for unique spirits like Comet in our world. Her spirit is a reminder to each of us to find our own paths, but that it’s okay to need someone to lean on while you trudge down the steepest parts. Life isn’t always easy, but that’s when you should treasure most your own fragile ordinary.

The Fragile Ordinary is available now! Get your copy from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or find an indie bookstore near you. Oh, and don’t forget to add it on Goodreads!