We Go Together by Abigail de Niverville | ARC Review

We Go Together by Abigail de Niverville

• Publisher: NineStar Press, August 10th 2020
• Genre: Young Adult, Romance, LGBTQ+
• Format: Ebook (eARC)
• Page Count: 275 words
• My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

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CW: off-page rape, abusive relationship, (possible) PTSD, off-page transphobia, off-page pregnancy, off-page incarceration

This was heavy. The narrative tone is somber and reminiscent. With its main theme being Kat dealing with an abusive past relationship, the story is less about what is happening in the physical world but more about what goes on in Kat’s mind. That being said, the many events during Kat’s time at Grand-Barachois are so sweet they made me slightly emotional again and again. In We Go Together, we follow her journey of healing as she begins to acknowledge what she has gone through, relearns to trust others, and finds her own voice again.

I was a dandelion. They could cut me down repeatedly and I’d always grow back.

When Kat decides to visit Grand-Barachois for a change of scene, she is still trapped with the memory of her abusive ex-boyfriend. Her great aunt Kay lives there, and so did her summer friends. It was with them that she had felt the most like herself when they were younger. Upon arrival, she meets Tristan, an acquaintance from youth orchestra, and the pair soon become friends. When some of her summer friends start showing up, they reconnect and Kat begins to find herself. And realizes her growing feelings for Tristan, too.

“Sometimes life isn’t dramatic. It’s allowed to be quiet.” – Tristan

In the beginning, Kat is unable to fully see her ex as an abuser, and throughout most of the book, she continues to dance around the subject. She is somewhat in denial, self-blaming, and also in withdrawal. My heart hurts for her but I also love how she finds support in her friends: some from the Summer Six (Lucy, Annick, Sébastien, Mikey, Reagan) and Tristan. They are mostly sad queer teens but were drawn to each other well before they understood themselves. Then together, they are invincible.

I love that Kat, Lucy, and Tristan started the summer project of making the dreams of the Six’s younger selves come true. The adventures the new friend group has are fun, light-hearted, and made me smile. They are all very respectful toward each other as well, and their relationships pure and beautiful.

We had a chance to do all the things we’d always dreamed for our old selves. For the people who didn’t return. For the hope that maybe they would if we lived the things they’d dreamed up.

The diverse cast is also wonderful. Siblings Annick and Sébastien are of First Nations heritage. Growing up, their father wants them to forget about their history because of his own experiences with racism. Now, Annick wants to honour their culture, starting by learning Mémère’s beading. As for the main characters, Kat is bi and Tristan is trans. More of their friends identify as bi, gay, or simply implied as not straight.

My first impression of Tristan is that he is so incredibly precious. The relationship he and Kat develops over time is what healthy friendship and later on romance should be. He still has lingering internalized transphobia from his past but has overall grown into his true self. There is no doubt that he helps anchor Kat as she learns to cut out toxicity from her life. They make a cute couple, too.

We’d grown first as friends. I’d told him secrets, given him pieces of me, and it’d all been out of love. And as we continued on this path, my feelings might never fade. It might take on a different form, but it was there to stay.

Though the last closure Kat needed came a little too randomly, it didn’t bother me too much. I understand that it needs to—and also wanted it to—happen.

We Go Together is a wholesome summer story with an awesome cast of LGBTQ+ teens. I sniffled in public reading this. While this book is definitely not for every reader due to its theme and melancholy mood, it is a great YA that portrays both abusive and healthy romantic relationships along with supportive friendships. Many of the quotes are worth revisiting one day, too. [3 Aug 2020]

I received an e-ARC from NineStar Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.