You've Reached Sam: A Novel

Dustin Thao

Nov 2021 · Sold by Wednesday Books

About this ebook

An Instant New York Times Bestseller!

If I Stay meets Your Name in Dustin Thao's You've Reached Sam, a heartfelt novel about love and loss and what it means to say goodbye.

Seventeen-year-old Julie Clarke has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city; spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his belongings, and tries everything to forget him. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces memories to return. Desperate to hear him one more time, Julie calls Sam's cell phone just to listen to his voice mail recording. And Sam picks up the phone.

The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam's voice makes Julie fall for him all over again and with each call, it becomes harder to let him go.

What would you do if you had a second chance at goodbye?

A 2021 Kids' Indie Next List Selection
A Cosmo.com Best YA Book Of 2021
A Buzzfeed Best Book Of November
A Goodreads Most Anticipated Book

Ratings and reviews

I didn't think I would enjoy this book at first but just like Mr. Lee, the book spoke. The book was all at once heartwarming and emotional. And just like Julie said. It should have meaning. I felt something while reading the book. It was practically full of wisdom. I hope we all learn about this. Who would've guessed that the deceased could also be hurting in such a way. Dustin Thao revealed a new perspective to me. I recommend this book to anyone. It was an amazing journey. The book will speak to you--trust me.

Honestly, I didn't think I would like this book but after reading the first part, I was pulled in an instant and I could hardly let go of it once I started. The way it was written and the feel of the scenarios that the author created felt so warm and nostalgic, it's difficult to get enough of. This was a pretty good read.

I received an e-copy of this story for my honest review. This is one of the most intensively emotional, heart-rending, and cathartic books I have ever read. We get to experience the strong love of two people, and the devastation when one is suddenly taken from the other. And then, the journey that the person still here takes to get to the point of letting their loved one go.

About the author

Dustin Thao is a Vietnamese-American writer based in Southern California. He graduated from Amherst College with a B.A. in Political Science, and is in a PhD program at Northwestern University. He writes contemporary young adult fiction. You’ve Reached Sam is his YA debut.