Within These County Lines

by Brian Zepka

Eighteen-year-old Stetson Delancey never thought breaking up with his boyfriend would turn him invisible.

In Penango County, Pennsylvania, high school couples carve their names into the legendary Ardor Tree, a rite of passage said to grant love that lasts. Stetson and his boyfriend were no exception. But a bitter breakup just before college splinters their future, and in a moment of anger, Stetson does the unthinkable: he hacks their names from the tree.

That’s when everything in his rural hometown goes from boring to bizarre. Shadows flicker where they shouldn’t. Strangers pass by like he’s not even there. And some people stop seeing him altogether.

With just two months left in Penango and his college dream slipping away, Stetson races to uncover the tree’s secrets before he vanishes for good. But when he meets a boy only he can see—a boy who may have secrets of his own—Stetson begins to wonder if breaking free from his hometown means letting go of everything or learning to hold on to what matters.

WITHIN THESE COUNTY LINES is a queer coming-of-age novel about the unraveling of first love, hometown magic, and how sometimes we can’t uncover the truth about others without confronting the truth about ourselves.

Genres: Young Adult, LGBT, Queer, Fiction, Mystery, Contemporary, Romance

328 pages, Hardcover

Published February 24, 2026

About the author

Brian Zepka is an award-winning author and environmental scientist born and raised outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His debut young adult novel, The Temperature of Me and You, was a Brazilian bestseller and honored as the best translated young adult stand-alone novel of 2022 at the Tres Cantos International Festival of Children's and Youth Literature. Outside of writing, Brian works in global sustainability research, while pursuing his doctorate in public health at Johns Hopkins University.

You can find him on Instagram and TikTok @brianzepka.

Reviews

[Brian Zepka · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m baaack.

I’m excited to share my second book with y’all! This one might be for you if you like small towns, big feelings, heartbreak, slow burn love, secrets, second chances, and a whole lot of queer self love.

Thanks for your support and happy reading! Questions for me can be submitted through the contact form on my website and I'll do my best to answer: brianzepka.com

[Marieke (mariekes_mesmerizing_books)]

I’m so sorry. I really am. It’s been a few years since I read The Temperature of You and Me and I liked that story. And now I don’t know if my taste changed or if Brian Zella’s new book is different. I liked the writing, it’s pretty action packed, but the main character is eighteen and I found the story quite immature.

So… instead of giving a bad rating I decided to DNF at 31%. Please check out other reviews if you want to read this one!

Thank you Pennor Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

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[Gareth Jones-Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story flowed very nicely,there were a few parts where I was overthinking things but I enjoyed the storyline.
The only let down for me was the ending felt it happened to quickly

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super cute.
As someone who was a high school senior in 2015, I will say this managed to make me feel old in a way I was unprepared for. Xander mentioning mean girls and Stetson being shocked he was familiar with it really threw me for a loop until my sister mentioned the new mean girls musical and I realized I'm old once again.
But ignoring me being entirely too old to be the target demographic, this book was really good. I liked how it managed to be a gay romance while maintaining a strong focus on non-romantic love as well. Dara's (albeit minor) character arc did this super well, and then Stetson maintaining Whitley as his most important person also helped with that. That being said, the story was a bit frustrating with Stetson constantly putting her on the back burner during the middle of the story. It was giving "women have to suffer for male character development" a bit.
I also loved how Stetson maintained his dream throughout the story. He didn't need to give up on getting away just because he wasn't running from something anymore. It was a refreshing resolution to be sure.
Overall, I thought it was cute. A little basic, and very YA, but not in a bad way on either point.
(I received a free copy for review)

[Harrison · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5⭐️
No, just no.

I will admit: I’m not the biggest YA fan; but even I can tell when a book just does not work. Strap in, because I’m about to go off:

To start, my biggest issue is the “what did Murray, the boyfriend, do to Stetson.” It is a cheap ploy to string the reader along with “I don’t know if I can say” or “I’m not sure I want to ruin his image” excuses from the main character. Even if you don’t want the other characters to know, at least tell the reader. And to reveal it at the 2/3rd mark and have it not be that bad?! Oohh, I’m getting heated…
To save you the trouble: Stetson wants to go to college out-of-state but tells his boyfriend (of 2+ years, mind you) in a way that does not leave room for conversation. Stetson basically says “I’m getting into a college out of state that I never told you I was considering, but you’re not supporting me and want to keep me tethered here, why are you not being a good boyfriend?” Blah, blah, blah. The two fight and eventually things get heated and Murray throws a beer bottle that slices Stetson’s forehead and pushes him, sending Stetson down the stairs.
Now, do I think Murray is justified in this situation? Absolutely not! Do I think Stetson’s actions are inflammatory and dramatically overreactive? Well, yes! Both are extremely volatile and do not know how to communicate in a healthy way. A lot of the drama could have been easily avoided if they had talked through what their plans were for after high school and gone from there. Bye.
By the way: no, that is not abuse. Yes, Murray did some irrational things, but Stetson did far more damage, and that is a hill I will die on. Speaking of…
Stetson is melodramatic and overreactive. I don’t want to hear anything about “oh, he’s a teenager we’re all like that!” For an 18-year-old that has scholarship potential, going to college, and has had a relationship for 3 years, I’d expect a little bit more maturity. Also, he is a terrible friend. I felt so bad for Whitley, she is constantly sidelined and left out of his life and it, honestly, infuriated me.
Also, what is the reason Stetson wants to leave his hometown again? I get it’s small, and the gay things, sure. But: he’s got a boyfriend, doesn’t get bullied (that we know of), his parents and friends are supportive…Sooooooo?
Now, on to the world building/magic system…it’s a chop. Xander is invisible? And anything he touches is invisible? Okay…wouldn’t the rest of the town have sort of picked up on the fact that food and supplies go missing? Like when Xander makes him and Stetson milkshakes, wouldn’t the cook have seen the missing supplies? Or, at the least, heard the blender going for said milkshakes? That doesn’t even touch on the fact of why Xander needs to eat at all! Does he feel hunger? What is happening, am I insane?
And then! At the end, when Xander “comes back to life,” how old is he? He’s been 17 for 10 years, since 2015….Soooo, is he 17 still or 27 now? I am confusion.

I’m probably missing a lot of other details, but oh boy, I could probably do a 3-hour long rant about how inane this book is.

The one glimmer of hope is the representation of supportive families and pro-LGBTQ+ messaging. Proud parents, gay camp counselors; yes, very good.

Overall, I don’t think I can find much good with this book, sad to say.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brian Zepka for an ARC of this novel.

[Jonny Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Within These County Lines completely mesmerized me from the opening lines through the very end. Brian Zepka effortlessly transports readers to Penango County, PA, a small town full of quiet rules, lingering magic, and the kind of place Stetson Delancey can’t wait to escape. That is, until he meets Xander…a boy only Stetson can see and interact with.

The mystical elements are wonderfully woven throughout the story, particularly the unknown abilities Xander possesses, abilities that ultimately prove to Stetson’s best friend Whitley that Xander isn’t dead, yet not quite alive either. This sense of mystery adds an emotional depth that mirrors Stetson’s own in-between state as he navigates identity, belonging, and the ache to leave home.

The slow-burn friendship-to-romance between Stetson and Xander is tender, heartfelt, and absolutely beautiful. The legendary Adora Tree adds another imaginative layer, tying the community together while enforcing its own rules and consequences, especially when it comes to proclamations of love. Zepka’s writing is lyrical and whimsical without ever losing its emotional depth, and I found myself completely enraptured, unable to put this book down. A magical, queer YA story about longing, love, and finding meaning where you least expect it.

Thank you Pennor Books, NetGalley, and Brian Zepka for this eARC!!

[Daria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Pennor Books for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

From me - 4.5/5

Turns out, life isn't a simple math. Two things can be true at once.

Stetson lives his last summer in his hometown, a god-forgotten county in Pennsylvania. He dreams big and wants to study at a college as far away from his home state as possible. But his boyfriend, Murray, isn't supportive. Something happens between two of them, and Stetson breaks everything between them up. Being angry and shocked, he runs to the famous Ardor Tree to destroy their carved names from it. He wants to eliminate everything that reminds him of his boyfriend. Something happens, and... Some people don't see him anymore. Or are they pretending?
So, things are changing too fast. His long-term relationship is over, his dream of Tennessee is hanging uncertain. His work doesn't give him enough money to cover his goals and dreams. His best friend seems not to understand his struggles. And here he is. Xander.

I loved the fiction part. To be honest, I read this book more as a fairy tale than a romance or a mystery. And that's why I enjoyed it.
Short chapters, fun jokes, from friends to lovers, supportive families and friends. Goal-oriented boys - do they even exist? I loved how it was shown that even while understanding the importance of a goal, a person still can get distracted by something even more important. Because that's life, how it is. Nothing ever goes as planned. Never.
I love Xander. I loved some side characters.

But still, there are some flaws.
First of all, the book has to be proofread once again. I'll leave these details to the other place, but it is crucial. For example, there are pretty noticeable inconsistencies.
Second of all, for me first few chapters were enough to get that Stetson wears earbuds, earbuds, earbuds. Please, stop. I get that repetitiveness is one of the first concepts of the Writing Method, but please. It was important for the story just twice.
Also, it was supposed, I guess, to be a romantic mystery fiction, but for me, there was not enough mystery. Again, I loved the mystery and the fiction. But it could be presented a bit deeper.
The Murray wrongdoing. There was so much suspense about it, but it ended up being... pff...


To crown it all, I loved the book as a fairy tale. That's a kind of book that makes me wonder if I want to find myself in love. I took 0.5 points mainly because it should have been proofread better. And because there were not enough details on the origin of the curse.

[Jason Conrad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual Rating — 2.5 out of 5 ⭐️ I’ll round up.

I’m a little bit bummed as I write this. And I was a little bit bummed while reading the book. For me, it was a swing and a miss. And that breaks my heart, because I LOVED The Temperature of Me and You.

I’ll start with the good:

- The book had a great premise, even if it wasn’t executed perfectly.

- The mystery elements were fun.

- There are some very exciting chapters that are fast-paced and interesting.

- There’s good humor worked into the writing.

- I LOVED Xander.

Now, the “room for improvement” part of the review.

What a lot of my disappointment comes down to is that the concept just wasn’t well-defined enough. There were some glaring gaps in logic and world-building that were kind of just dismissed / explained away … it felt like the story was kind of just relying on the fact that it’s in a book with fantasy elements, so why should everything have to “make sense”?

And when we finally start getting answers and things get more intriguing, it all happens directly at the end, and those answers are rushed — in fact, they only left me with more questions. There were too many important things that weren’t elaborated on. The resolution just wasn’t satisfying enough for me. It felt rushed and half-baked.

Some of the plot “twists” / realizations were incredibly obvious from the moment they were alluded to early on in the story, and not at all shocking when they were explained 100+ pages later.

The characters … eh.

Stetson needed some improvement. His narrative voice was repetitive and he lacked common sense. Essentially, he was a very average protagonist who I won’t remember.

Whitley was not a good friend. She was self-centered, she was rude, and she was petty. Her personality and actions were inconsistent, which just showed that she wasn’t developed enough.

In reality, the book may have needed another round of editing / tweaking before it was fully ready for release.

Although the book didn’t work for me, I will still read whatever Brian Zepka comes up with next, as I do indeed have faith in him as a writer.

A BIG thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

[Sasha Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing mystery about a boy on the brink of going to college who discovers after an accident that his ex-boyfriend can no longer see him, even though everyone else can - but instead, he himself can now see another boy who's supposed to have vanished without trace ten years earlier.

I enjoyed the central mystery a lot, as the characters work out what's going on and learn a lot in the process. For the last third of the book, I couldn't put it down at all.

Earlier in the book, there were some awkward moments where I didn't find the main character's actions and motivations very plausible. There's a hint that he may be neurodivergent, but it's never made clear, and I'm not sure it would explain everything anyway. Most notably, he's driven by a desire to get out of the small town he lives in, but it's never really clear why he resents it as much as be does. He alludes to being gay as one of the reasons, but it doesn't seem like anyone in the town gives him a hard time about that; he seems to have nothing but support. He's very melodramatic in general. There's also some awkward dialogue that doesn't feel like anything a real person of any age would say, and some of the prose feels like it's trying too hard. There are other times when it works well, though, and then it can be quite moving or quite funny, depending on the mood. I also found the portrayal of the attraction between the MC and his love interest unusually well done and relatable for a YA book. Finally, I liked the overall theme of love being shown through safety, care, support and being receptive to what the other person is sharing with you.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pennor Books for providing me with an ARC in return for an honest review.

[Smallbob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

DNF @ 35%

I just could not with these kids. I know they're teens, but they are so insufferable.

The MC's best friend is the worst, like, if my best friend returned from a meeting with his ex with a gash on his head that he refuses to explain, and also adamantly refuses to talk to or meet said ex again, I would be joining some dots and calling the cops, not arranging for him to meet up with his ex!! What??? Also idk if this is legal in the US/Pennsylvania, but regardless, hunting coyotes for whatever reason is not ok. Why does this teenage girl have a shotgun??

It's one thing to write flawed characters, but it doesn't feel like the author is writing their flaws deliberately; more like he's unaware how illogical their actions and decisions are.

And the MC has some of the most insufferable quirks, like constantly listening to podcasts even during conversations, and only listening to live recordings of songs. We get it dude, you're not like the other guys.🙄

P.S. As someone who lives on a literal island, it's also kind of funny how the MC constantly complains about how his town is too small and acts like it's the end of the world if he doesn't go to an out of state college.

[Brady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Pennor Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Such an enjoyable read! There’s not much that happens in Stetson’s county in Pennsylvania unfortunately nobody gets out either. But Stetson is determined to leave, college is coming and he’s going to get out. Only his boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend now, Murray isn’t supportive. After they break up Stetson ends up at the Ardor Tree where couples carve their name in it. Including Stetson and Murray. In a fit of rage Stetson destroys their name but something weird happens, it’s like the tree comes to life. Bizarre things also start to happen, shadows flicker that shouldn’t and some people seem not to see him anymore, including his ex. He needs to figure out what is going on before he vanishes altogether. Then he meets a boy that only he can see, who has secrets of his own. Together they’ll work to figure out what is happening and maybe as they spend time together their feelings will grow. I was hooked and couldn’t put this one down! A cozy feel good story that kept me highly entertained and intrigued! Brian Zepka delivers a little mystery, a little queer romance, and a little speculative fiction!

[Lou Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my more enjoyable reads. Not sure if anyone grew up on Dude! That's my Ghost- but this book was essentially that if the two guys were somewhat romantically interested in each other. I wonder what it would be like to be a guy, falling for another guy, only he can never have him because he's you know... dead.

Rather bizarre story from start to finish. Nothing extra ordinary, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Also the ex story line, loved the arc with that one. Not too bad, this is the sort of book I expect to read when I see Brian Zepka is writing. If I saw this in my library I would pick it up.

It reminded me of some of the stories I read back in 2015, so there was also the nostalgic element for me. As this book hasn't been released yet, I won't spoil too much: but would recommend reading. It's more of a gay, romance, mystery kind of thing. Uncanny valley to some extent.

Special thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for giving me a free e book in exchange for my honest review.

[Mollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Pennor Books for sending me this ARC!

Within These County Lines mixes the everyday with magic. I found the folklore of the Ardor Tree fascinating. I do think there should have been more focus surrounding the tree itself, as well as Abigail and Louise and their story.

At first I wasn't Whitley's biggest fan - I thought she came across as quite self-centred, but she grew on me as the book went on.

I wish there was more focus on the abuse Stetson suffered from Murray, and that he told Whitley the reason why he was so distant.

The pacing felt a bit off for me, and there were a lot of metaphorical paragraphs that ended in something poignant, which is fine to an extent, but when it happens every other page the point you are making loses its importance.

3 stars.

[Andrea Ariza · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting me this arc.

Oye pues me ha gustado mucho, ojo con esta novedad, es una historia preciosa y me ha tenido superenganchada 🥹

El uso metafórico de los elementos fantásticos y el realismo mágico me han parecido muy bien llevados, el terremoto al principio que solo el protagonista siente y lo que acaba siendo es que es para chillar!!!! Qué genialidad.

¿Lo único? Quizá se encariña de Xander demasiado rápido, aunque solo le atraiga o lo que sea. Chaval, lo conoces desde hace dos días, calm down.

Pero, insisto, la metáfora de cómo los jóvenes queer en entornos rurales se hacen invisibles es fantástica, me tenía atrapada desde el primer minuto.

[bookishmarcos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Pennor Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

2.5 stars.

A strong premise with uneven execution. The idea of a small-town curse tied to first love and invisibility is intriguing, and the mystery does become more engaging toward the end.

However, the story struggled with clarity and consistency. The rules of the magic felt underdeveloped, several plot points were brushed past, and character behavior didn’t always feel believable. Stetson’s narration became repetitive, and some relationships lacked the depth needed to make their emotional impact fully land.

There are thoughtful ideas here about first love, self-identity, and the fear of being stuck in your hometown, but the rushed resolution and loose worldbuilding kept the book from reaching its full potential.

[ines · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. The start felt a bit slow as we got to know Stetson and his situation, but once the strange magic of the Ardor Tree kicked in and he met Xander, I was completely hooked.

For me, the heart of the book was the characters and their dynamic. His connection with Xander was the highlight—their interactions and developing bond were written with so much warmth and comfort that it just made me want to keep reading about them. It's exactly the kind of relationship that makes you smile while reading.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of this book

This book was a let down for me. The writing felt overly cheesy, and even childish at some points. There were things about the characters and story that were repeated too many times. The pacing felt weird; some things moved really fast while some things dragged on. The characters didnt feel relatable as even they felt overly cheesy at times. The writing was what turned me off of this book; the story itself with the curses and tree and stuff was interesting.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A somewhat unusual and, at times, quite scary story. There were a number of missing people in the small town, and Stetson was able to see some of them while others couldn't. Xander hadn't been seen for ten years, and together with Stetson, and sometimes Whitley tried to figure out what was going on. I sometimes struggled a bit with linking parts (for example, hunting a coyote with Whitley), and the ending was good but felt very abrupt. The reason behind the mysteries was very interesting if quite creepy.
Thanks for the advance copy via NetGalley, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[Bethany Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Pennor Books for the digital copy to review!

This teen romance with a touch of magical realism was truly an intense read. From the jump, I was caught up in Stetson’s story and his breakup. I was so so worried about what happened to him and I hate that I was proven correct :(.

Also, when we meet Xander, how could you *not* feel for him? This quote sent me: “But this is something else entirely. It’s panic, grief, exhaustion, something five times heavier. He’s about to hyperventilate in my arms.” Poor Xander!!! As we learn more about him and this mystery got bigger, I was flipping pages so fast to find out what happened.

I liked the friendships in the book and I loved the end. It was really an interesting take on magical realism and it does have a happy ever after that is well earned and felt beautiful. I teared up toward the end.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story. I would’ve liked more backstory regarding the tree. There are also a bunch of inconsistencies with events that happen that get brushed off, most of them involving Whitley. Like when Bennie gets attacked by what she assumes is a rabid coyote but then never takes him to the vet for rabies vaccines. Or when she hurts her ankle but then is walking her dog five minutes later as she storms away from Stetson.

[Michael T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was very good. The main characters development with Stetson and Xander was done very well. I like the realism in how Stetson struggled with all the pressure he was under in trying to save the money he needed fir school. There were times when I was a bit frustrated with his best friend, as I would have wanted answers for some of the suspicious things that were going on. One thing I would have liked was more details about the curse. Other than that it was a very good read.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the type of book that makes you wonder about 'so many things...' and that's good!

The author, Brian Zepka can write an interesting love story...that's twisting, lovable and nerve-wracking!

Just a great read...and a fun read...where two boyfriends find themselves separated and lost...?

Recommended for those who want to fall in love...;)

[Cheeks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5 rounded up. RTC

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Usually, a guy who listens to podcasts is a red flag. ESPECIALLY if he’s named after a famous American cowboy hat. Fortunately, this is not the case for Stetson Delancey.

Brian Zepka’s sophomore story holds many of the hallmarks of his first - a cute boy meets a cuter, much more mysterious boy, they fall in love, and there’s some curse-breaking and soul-searching along the way. The summer before college is always stressful, but when you throw in a weirdly green pool and an evil tree? Chaos. Within These County Lines goes slightly deeper than Zepka’s first story, however. Stetson is dealing with the fallout of a horrific breakup and all the mental baggage that comes with being abused, so while this is mostly a wholesome love story and fun mystery, there are heavy topics involved (handled sensitively).

I love our main cast of characters. Stetson is an anxious wreck, Xander is the sweetest non-ghost, and Whitley is the best friend anyone could ever ask for. I do wish we’d gotten a bit more on Victor’s backstory (why was he so weird?) or Dara’s ending, but ultimately, I think everyone’s story wrapped up nicely. I’m excited to see which curse/superpower Zepka bestows on some poor, unsuspecting gay kid next!