When You're Brave Enough

by Rebecca Bendheim

A heartfelt, gorgeously written debut middle grade novel about best friends, first crushes, and coming out—perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Jake Maia Arlow.

Before she moved from Austin to Rhode Island, everybody knew Lacey as one half of an inseparable duo: Lacey-and-Grace, best friends since they were toddlers. Grace and her moms were practically family. But at school, being lumped together with overeager, worm-obsessed, crushes-on-everyone Grace meant Lacey never quite fit in—and that’s why at her new middle school, Lacey plans to reinvent herself. This time, she’s going to be cool. She’s going to be normal.

At first, everything seems to go as planned. Lacey makes new friends right away, she finds a rabbi to help her prepare for the bat mitzvah that got deprioritized by her parents in the chaos of the move, and she even gets cast in the lead role of the eighth-grade musical. Which is when things start to get stressful, because it turns out the students at her new school have a long-standing, unofficial tradition: No matter what the show is, in the final performance, the leads always kiss for real.

Lacey’s never kissed anyone before—she’s not even sure she’s ever had a crush. And in Bye, Bye, Birdie, there are a few different co-lead kiss possibilities for Lacey to choose from. There’s confident, cocky Andre. There’s sweet, friendly Jaden. And then there’s the other new girl at school: dryly funny, impossibly cool Violet.

But while her new friends and older sister create whiteboard wall charts and botched field trip schemes to help her decide, suddenly Lacey can’t stop thinking about Grace, who she was so sure she wanted to leave behind. When Grace comes back into her life, Lacey needs to decide if she's brave enough to be who she really is, in front of the person who matters most.

Genres: Middle Grade, Queer, Jewish, Lesbian, Contemporary, LGBT

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Allie Verrilli · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book!! The characters feel so deeply lived-in, and I fell in love with every single one of them. From the protagonist Lacey, who is trying to fit in while questioning what it means to be her authentic self, to nonconformist Grace, with her love of worms and deep emotional honestly, to even the resident musical bad boy Andre, each character feels vivid and unique. From the jump, the writing pulls you into Lacey’s world. I felt like I was right there for every Not-Birthday celebration and fully immersed in her innermost thoughts, at the least the ones she’s willing to admit to herself ;)

I loved the way the plot delivers classic coming-of-age experiences, moving to a new town, auditioning for the school musical, first crushes, friendship schemes, class trips and a bat mitzvah, but with a fresh perspective that absolutely shines through. This book also does a wonderful job balancing humor alongside moments of real emotional weight. I laughed and cried (sometimes even during the same chapter), just another way it truly captures the trials and tribulations of growing up and figuring out what—and who—allows you to be your fullest self.

I can’t wait for the world to experience When You’re Brave Enough, and I’m so excited to see what Rebecca Bendheim has in store for us next!

[Florence Migga · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Finished this book with the biggest, happiest smile on my face. Lacey truly went on a journey and it was great to be there with her every step of the way. I loved the different themes running through the book — like tradition, which can be meaningful, powerful, and help us grow (as in faith) or can just be something that was done but now no longer serves a purpose and might even be harmful (leads kiss.) Rebecca is one of the most visual writers I have ever read: all Lacey’s emotions were so beautifully painted. We didn’t just see how she was feeling — we felt it, too, because of the specifically detailed imagery. I also loved her family so much! What a great supporting cast, and emphasis on the supporting. This book took me through all the emotions: happiness, sadness, despair, hope, love. Of course, love. All while being a page turner that kept me up past my bedtime repeatedly. I cannot wait for young readers to get ahold of this! I am so excited for the understanding and connection it will provide.

[Marissa Macy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First thing’s first, Rebecca Bendheim’s writing is fantastic. After this, I’d pick up anything with her name on it. When You’re Brave Enough follows Lacey after a move from Austin to Rhode Island, and Bendheim gives a queer twist to the new girl in town story. Chock-full of drama — friend drama, sibling, romantic, and the literal theatrical kind — plus sweet moments of first love, I devoured this book in just a few sittings. Not to be missed for fans of queer coming-of-age stories and for anyone either currently surviving or having survived the trials of being thirteen.

[T.C. Kemper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a triumph! The story builds with expertly-crafted drama (family drama, friend drama, LGBTQ+ romantic drama, and theater kid drama) in a way that makes it hard to put down. Lacey is an incredibly well-written character and the writing itself is a standout—the author’s choice to use heartfelt emails between Lacey and her friend Grace as a key storytelling tool was a wonderful addition to an already fantastic tale of friendship, bravery, and first kisses.

This impressive debut is everything readers love about coming of age stories.

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC read - full review closer to publication: Rebecca Bendheim perfectly captures the glorious messiness of finding your true self in 8th grade. From crushes and friendship to big dreams and even bigger drama, young readers will relate to this adorable, funny, and heartfelt middle grade debut. I especially can't wait to hear what students think of the feeling that you're auditioning for a new friendship. I felt that in my soul! So brilliant. Highly recommend!

[Ads! · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartfelt, relatable and incredibly well written novel about finding yourself even when you don’t know where to start. it remind me so much of myself at Lacey’s age and I hope other young people can find themselves in this novel as well.

thank you to the publishers for the advanced readers copy, I am honored to be one of the first readers

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Fans of middle grade books related to theater performances like Pancholy's Nikhil Out Loud, Miller's Shannon in the Spotlight, Stroker and Davidowitz's The Chance to Fly, and Asher's Upstaged or Federle's Better Nate Than Ever might enjoy this one.

[rachel x]

"A heartfelt, gorgeously written debut middle grade novel about best friends, first crushes, and coming out—perfect for fans of Kyle Lukoff and Jake Maia Arlow"

[Ari Koontz · Rating 5 out of 5]

when I tell you that I am absolutely OBSESSED with this book!!! oh my gosh - what an honor to get to read this early, and I'm going to be shouting about it for the next ten months until its release (and then into perpetuity)... it's just so delightful in every way. Lacey, our narrator, has an enormous imperfect heart and a lot to figure out; Grace, her best friend, is one of the sweetest & wisest kiddos I've ever met; and their newly long-distance friendship is so close to my own experiences moving around as a kid and the complications, heartaches, and discoveries that come with such a big change. But it's not just the main characters who shine here - every relationship in this book is depicted with nuance and dimension, from Lacey's well-meaning but often overbearing family to her new friends and peers. I can only imagine how much this story will mean to those kids who are struggling to figure themselves out, fit into their niche, or find their voice, and who will unearth as much bravery in these pages as humor, joy, and heart.

also: the nature metaphors? the gorgeous setting? the tentative exploration of spirituality and coming of age alongside the big drama of middle-school theatre? the WORMS (if you know, you know)? absolutely inspired, so much fun, so many feelings all the way through!

tldr: GO PREORDER THIS BOOK ASAP & I'm staying tuned for more of Rebecca Bendheim's brilliance!

[Nicole Melleby · Rating 5 out of 5]

official blurb to come!

[Julia Bendheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

So grateful to have read this early on! Lots of suspense and an unexpected plot twist that ended with a perfect finish. Full of love, wonder, and exciting discoveries. Can’t wait to read the next one!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this book prior to publication -- you are going to want to preorder it!!! SUCH a precious gem of a story!!