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Unstable Orbits
If they stay together, it could happen again.
If they break up, anything could happen.
Nate and his boyfriend Luke crashed and burned in their exams, and Nate's dream of studying astrophysics was shattered: until their school said they could repeat Year 13 – together.
Nate wants to do things differently second time around. Luke… not so much. And when Nate meets Preston, the attraction is more than gravity.
But Luke's possessiveness and Preston's complicated history threaten to overwhelm Nate's mental health. As exams loom, Nate must stabilise his orbit – or risk losing everything.
Unstable Orbits is a queer, geeky coming-of-age comedy-drama perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Simon James Green and Isaac Newton. If you enjoyed Heartstopper and Sex Education, you'll love Unstable Orbits.
It's a story of love, friendship and second chances, and it's packed with sharp humour, heartfelt moments – and a little light physics.
If they break up, anything could happen.
Nate and his boyfriend Luke crashed and burned in their exams, and Nate's dream of studying astrophysics was shattered: until their school said they could repeat Year 13 – together.
Nate wants to do things differently second time around. Luke… not so much. And when Nate meets Preston, the attraction is more than gravity.
But Luke's possessiveness and Preston's complicated history threaten to overwhelm Nate's mental health. As exams loom, Nate must stabilise his orbit – or risk losing everything.
Unstable Orbits is a queer, geeky coming-of-age comedy-drama perfect for fans of Alice Oseman, Simon James Green and Isaac Newton. If you enjoyed Heartstopper and Sex Education, you'll love Unstable Orbits.
It's a story of love, friendship and second chances, and it's packed with sharp humour, heartfelt moments – and a little light physics.
380 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2025
1 person is currently reading
7 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Camber
6 books15 followersAnthony Camber (he/him) is what’s euphemistically called a software industry veteran: he’s seen the internet grow from what’s that? to can we turn it off?
He’s always been a writer, inside and outside the industry. Only some of it has been deliberately fictional.
His novels feature strong LGBTQIA+ characters and plots that appeal to all audiences. He specialises in intelligent, entertaining, original storytelling and can find the humour in the darkest situations.
Away from the keyboard, he’s a keen supporter of equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people and marches at Pride in London when he can. He regularly nerds out on technology and science — especially anything space-related — and is a sucker for major sporting events.
A graduate of Downing College, Cambridge University, he still lives in the city.
See anthonycamber.com for updates and information about current and forthcoming books, and to find Anthony on social media.
Nominated for Best Book of 2012 by So So Gay Magazine for Till Undeath Do Us Part
He’s always been a writer, inside and outside the industry. Only some of it has been deliberately fictional.
His novels feature strong LGBTQIA+ characters and plots that appeal to all audiences. He specialises in intelligent, entertaining, original storytelling and can find the humour in the darkest situations.
Away from the keyboard, he’s a keen supporter of equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people and marches at Pride in London when he can. He regularly nerds out on technology and science — especially anything space-related — and is a sucker for major sporting events.
A graduate of Downing College, Cambridge University, he still lives in the city.
See anthonycamber.com for updates and information about current and forthcoming books, and to find Anthony on social media.
Nominated for Best Book of 2012 by So So Gay Magazine for Till Undeath Do Us Part
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 16, 2025
This is a really lovely coming of age story with queer and mental health representation. I don’t normally like YA books (I’m in my late thirties so it’s hard to relate). However, Nate is one of the most relatable characters that I’ve personally read. I remember being a teen and struggling with an overactive, overwhelmed brain. Hell, I still spiral from time to time. But this book felt like a quiet hug, a gentle squeeze. There were moments that I laughed out loud and times near the end where I was holding my breath because it felt really emotional.
Safe to say, if you’re looking for a heartfelt comfort read, this should definitely be on your TBR.
Safe to say, if you’re looking for a heartfelt comfort read, this should definitely be on your TBR.
June 8, 2025
Title: Unstable Orbits
Author: Anthony Camber
Genre: YA/NA LGBTQIA Fiction
Pages: 380
Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
“Embrace your inner Troi before you get your grasping little fingers on this new Kardashian.”
Nate loved working at Ebeham Bookstore before school started — endless tea, a book in his hand, zero customers, and a till that beeped — pure bliss! It was calm, quiet, and kind of perfect. Roscoe paid him not a lot, but enough to window shop with. Then school came back, anxiety spiked, and emotions got messy. Nate and his ex, Luke — once “Nuke” or sometimes “Late” — were intense and inseparable despite different homes: Nate’s full of silence and shouting, Luke’s all polite smiles. When it was good, it was great; when it wasn’t, it was a mess. The breakup dragged on, and Nate still feels stuck. Then Preston shows up — warm brown skin, on a mission for Enid Blyton books — and unexpectedly lights things up. With exams and stress building, Nate has to find balance or risk losing uni, peace of mind, and maybe something real.
As someone who loves coming-of-age and second-chance stories, this one was a very witty, heartfelt, and hilarious tale of love, friendship, and second chances — an entertaining read. The geeky science stuff was a fun bonus, and Nate’s own battle—between the laws of attraction and emotion—made it even more awesome! The relationships felt genuine — messy, complicated, and always shifting — and seeing the characters grow and deal with their stuff kept me engaged. You can really see the author’s meticulous attention to detail throughout, which brings the story to life, plus there’s a super cute book cover with beautiful colors — absolutely a must-read this Pride Month! Definitely recommend if you’re into fresh, queer stories with lots of feels!
A big thanks to Anthony Camber for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 06/15/25 on Amazon, KU, and paperback.
E-book pre-orders are available NOW.
—
#AdvancedReaderCopy
Author: Anthony Camber
Genre: YA/NA LGBTQIA Fiction
Pages: 380
Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
“Embrace your inner Troi before you get your grasping little fingers on this new Kardashian.”
Nate loved working at Ebeham Bookstore before school started — endless tea, a book in his hand, zero customers, and a till that beeped — pure bliss! It was calm, quiet, and kind of perfect. Roscoe paid him not a lot, but enough to window shop with. Then school came back, anxiety spiked, and emotions got messy. Nate and his ex, Luke — once “Nuke” or sometimes “Late” — were intense and inseparable despite different homes: Nate’s full of silence and shouting, Luke’s all polite smiles. When it was good, it was great; when it wasn’t, it was a mess. The breakup dragged on, and Nate still feels stuck. Then Preston shows up — warm brown skin, on a mission for Enid Blyton books — and unexpectedly lights things up. With exams and stress building, Nate has to find balance or risk losing uni, peace of mind, and maybe something real.
As someone who loves coming-of-age and second-chance stories, this one was a very witty, heartfelt, and hilarious tale of love, friendship, and second chances — an entertaining read. The geeky science stuff was a fun bonus, and Nate’s own battle—between the laws of attraction and emotion—made it even more awesome! The relationships felt genuine — messy, complicated, and always shifting — and seeing the characters grow and deal with their stuff kept me engaged. You can really see the author’s meticulous attention to detail throughout, which brings the story to life, plus there’s a super cute book cover with beautiful colors — absolutely a must-read this Pride Month! Definitely recommend if you’re into fresh, queer stories with lots of feels!
A big thanks to Anthony Camber for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 06/15/25 on Amazon, KU, and paperback.
E-book pre-orders are available NOW.
—
#AdvancedReaderCopy
June 29, 2025
I have loved all of Cambers’ previous books. Even though I was eager to read more by him, I was kinda hesitant about this one cause I did not think the theme and subject from this one would be something for me. I was so pleasantly wrong! I was brought into this “orbits” almost immediately. The idea of young love felt… way too distant at my age!
What first caught me was the “FAQ about the UK educational facts and jargon” section. As an educator myself it is always fascinating to learn about other countries systems. I did first approached the book with that perspective… as an educator learning/seeing a story about students, the characters are in fact you get than my students, but they are both charming and relatable but by no means feel fake.
Also the first page reads ““For those who parent but aren’t parents”, and that is def me! I raised my three nephews!
My perspective kinda switched for the first time by the beginning of the second cause I was reading more as a parent! I was eager to learn from the characters, give them advice and kinda guide them, I switched to parent mode!
Then I turned into a teenager mode was so in the characters’ shoes! The humor and heart are so well balanced, Camber is a master of it, it makes it all feel grounded and real.
I so hope it does not take him so long to give us his next one, though this one was def so worth the wait!
What first caught me was the “FAQ about the UK educational facts and jargon” section. As an educator myself it is always fascinating to learn about other countries systems. I did first approached the book with that perspective… as an educator learning/seeing a story about students, the characters are in fact you get than my students, but they are both charming and relatable but by no means feel fake.
Also the first page reads ““For those who parent but aren’t parents”, and that is def me! I raised my three nephews!
My perspective kinda switched for the first time by the beginning of the second cause I was reading more as a parent! I was eager to learn from the characters, give them advice and kinda guide them, I switched to parent mode!
Then I turned into a teenager mode was so in the characters’ shoes! The humor and heart are so well balanced, Camber is a master of it, it makes it all feel grounded and real.
I so hope it does not take him so long to give us his next one, though this one was def so worth the wait!
June 19, 2025
"Unstable Orbits" by @anthonycamber is a queer, high school romance about love, friendship and second chances. It combines both humor and maturity, building up a wonderful masterpiece.
It follows Nate, a high schooler, who struggles to grapple his emotions. He is given a second chance at Year 13. There he meets Preston, who let me tell you is a walking talking green forest, helps him understand himself and to be literally able to breathe. But then comes the past, the looming Luke, who brings changes. Nate is in conflict, not about whom to choose, but whether he is deserving. A lot of problems help him realise that staying with Preston is what he wants and thus, they both have their happy ending.
Coming to the author's writing style, I salute you dear author. The efforts given to write the story in the perspective of Nate are truly commendable. I got to firsthand experience what Nate feels, what he thinks, what he lives for. The writing was truly engaging and intriguing!
Thus, this book is definitely something all readers that enjoy queer romance should read! Highly recommended!
It follows Nate, a high schooler, who struggles to grapple his emotions. He is given a second chance at Year 13. There he meets Preston, who let me tell you is a walking talking green forest, helps him understand himself and to be literally able to breathe. But then comes the past, the looming Luke, who brings changes. Nate is in conflict, not about whom to choose, but whether he is deserving. A lot of problems help him realise that staying with Preston is what he wants and thus, they both have their happy ending.
Coming to the author's writing style, I salute you dear author. The efforts given to write the story in the perspective of Nate are truly commendable. I got to firsthand experience what Nate feels, what he thinks, what he lives for. The writing was truly engaging and intriguing!
Thus, this book is definitely something all readers that enjoy queer romance should read! Highly recommended!
June 15, 2025
First… i did recieve an ARC from the author to be able to write this review.. Thank you Anthony Camber.
Now that said… this is an amazing book.. i was hooked in the first 15 pages… my only disappointment was the book ended. They all do.. i know.. but I fell in love with so many of the characters, I really wanted it to keep going.
If you enjoy young adult books, that are LGTBQ+ I highly suspect you will enjoy this read. For me, not only was it a great read but i learned a lot. Im in the states and high school was 30 years ago and so Im not familiar with High school across the pond. It was interesting learning some of the differences.
Unstable Orbits also showed how much of high school is the same. Worrying about grades, the future, relationships, sexuality. Discovering who you really are, learning to stand up for whats right, friends changing, or hiding who they are to fit in, or as part of a great plan for revenge. All of that was famillar and all of that was executed quite well in this book.
Highly recommended and i cant wait to read more of Camber’s work.
Now that said… this is an amazing book.. i was hooked in the first 15 pages… my only disappointment was the book ended. They all do.. i know.. but I fell in love with so many of the characters, I really wanted it to keep going.
If you enjoy young adult books, that are LGTBQ+ I highly suspect you will enjoy this read. For me, not only was it a great read but i learned a lot. Im in the states and high school was 30 years ago and so Im not familiar with High school across the pond. It was interesting learning some of the differences.
Unstable Orbits also showed how much of high school is the same. Worrying about grades, the future, relationships, sexuality. Discovering who you really are, learning to stand up for whats right, friends changing, or hiding who they are to fit in, or as part of a great plan for revenge. All of that was famillar and all of that was executed quite well in this book.
Highly recommended and i cant wait to read more of Camber’s work.
June 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this book and its setting. I learned a good bit of UK terminology from it. I also liked seeing the geeky science terms as well. I really like coming of age stories and second chances. I liked the relationship dynamics and how they changed during the course of the book. Another thing I loved was seeing the complex characters, personal growth, and struggles during the course of the book as well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / out of 5 stars ⭐️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / out of 5 stars ⭐️
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May 31, 2025I wrote this book. I'm incredibly proud of it, and I can't wait to find out what other people think.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews