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Wayfarers: A Road Trip Romance Novel in Verse for Teens
Not yet published
Expected 18 Aug 26A must-read for fans of Morgan Matson and Kasie West, this YA novel in verse and conversation—cowritten by bestselling authors Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro—follows a girl trying to outrun her problems and a boy just discovering the outside world as they embark on a life-changing road trip.
What do you do
when there’s nothing
in this world you want
more than to spend two
more hours with someone
and nothing in the world
you want less than to only
spend two more hours
with someone?
Sylvie said she wanted to live the van life after high school, but all she really wanted was to escape. With unlimited resources and an escape-artist golden retriever by her side, she keeps her eyes on the road to distract her from everything she left behind.
Knox grew up on the edge of society, without a phone, a school, or a real name. He’s never felt like he had a firm place to stand, but he’s done writing his story in vanishing ink.
On one of the worst days of Sylvie’s life, Knox helps rescue her dog and breaks his arm in the process. To apologize, Sylvie offers him a ride. But Knox is keeping some big secrets, and so is Sylvie. They must decide: If the other person knew the whole story, would they take a chance on—and maybe even fall for—a wayfaring stranger?
What do you do
when there’s nothing
in this world you want
more than to spend two
more hours with someone
and nothing in the world
you want less than to only
spend two more hours
with someone?
Sylvie said she wanted to live the van life after high school, but all she really wanted was to escape. With unlimited resources and an escape-artist golden retriever by her side, she keeps her eyes on the road to distract her from everything she left behind.
Knox grew up on the edge of society, without a phone, a school, or a real name. He’s never felt like he had a firm place to stand, but he’s done writing his story in vanishing ink.
On one of the worst days of Sylvie’s life, Knox helps rescue her dog and breaks his arm in the process. To apologize, Sylvie offers him a ride. But Knox is keeping some big secrets, and so is Sylvie. They must decide: If the other person knew the whole story, would they take a chance on—and maybe even fall for—a wayfaring stranger?
432 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication August 18, 2026
About the author
Jeff Zentner
12 books2,643 followersJeff Zentner is the author of The Serpent King, which Kirkus Reviews named one of the best books of the 21st Century, as well as In the Wild Light, Goodbye Days, Rayne & Delilah’s Midnite Matinee, Colton Gentry's Third Act, and Sunrise Nights, coauthored with Brittany Cavallaro. He has two books—Wayfarers and Love, Like Apples—forthcoming in 2026.
Among other honors, he has won the ALA’s William C. Morris Award, the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award twice, the Muriel Becker Award, the International Literacy Association Award, been longlisted twice for the Carnegie Medal, and is a two-time Southern Book Prize finalist.
His books have been translated into fifteen languages and been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and in Vanity Fair and People Magazine. Before becoming a writer, he was a musician who recorded with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry. He lives in Nashville.
Among other honors, he has won the ALA’s William C. Morris Award, the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award twice, the Muriel Becker Award, the International Literacy Association Award, been longlisted twice for the Carnegie Medal, and is a two-time Southern Book Prize finalist.
His books have been translated into fifteen languages and been featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and in Vanity Fair and People Magazine. Before becoming a writer, he was a musician who recorded with Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, and Debbie Harry. He lives in Nashville.
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to @netgalley @quillpress and @harpercollinsch for the gifted advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Peanut butter and chocolate. Chips and guacamole. Burgers and fries. Things that are outstanding by themselves, but when paired together become otherworldly. That is Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro—two phenomenally gifted authors who together create magic. They did it with SUNRISE NIGHTS and reunite for WAYFARERS, their latest novel in verse and conversation.
If you’ve never read a novel in verse or shy away from YA books, I encourage you to ignore your concerns and prepare to fall in love with Knox and Sylvie. Allow Zentner and Cavallaro to take you on an unforgettable road trip of discovery and healing.
On the surface, Knox and Sylvie are polar opposites. One lives a bohemian lifestyle, traveling from place to place with nowhere to put down roots. The other comes from a solid upper middle class background where material needs are never in question. In truth, they are more alike than different. Both carry secrets that make them question their worthiness to be loved. Over the course of a week and hundreds of miles, they form a connection that neither anticipated.
Through Knox and Sylvie, the authors give voice to the big feelings associated with finding your place in the world. They showcase the insecurities and vulnerabilities while still brandishing the boundless hope that is a hallmark of youth.
I honestly thought I would make it through this novel without shedding a tear. I was very wrong.
Peanut butter and chocolate. Chips and guacamole. Burgers and fries. Things that are outstanding by themselves, but when paired together become otherworldly. That is Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro—two phenomenally gifted authors who together create magic. They did it with SUNRISE NIGHTS and reunite for WAYFARERS, their latest novel in verse and conversation.
If you’ve never read a novel in verse or shy away from YA books, I encourage you to ignore your concerns and prepare to fall in love with Knox and Sylvie. Allow Zentner and Cavallaro to take you on an unforgettable road trip of discovery and healing.
On the surface, Knox and Sylvie are polar opposites. One lives a bohemian lifestyle, traveling from place to place with nowhere to put down roots. The other comes from a solid upper middle class background where material needs are never in question. In truth, they are more alike than different. Both carry secrets that make them question their worthiness to be loved. Over the course of a week and hundreds of miles, they form a connection that neither anticipated.
Through Knox and Sylvie, the authors give voice to the big feelings associated with finding your place in the world. They showcase the insecurities and vulnerabilities while still brandishing the boundless hope that is a hallmark of youth.
I honestly thought I would make it through this novel without shedding a tear. I was very wrong.
May 11, 2026
Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro’s Wayfarers is a road trip story about two people carrying far more pain than they know how to handle, slowly finding comfort and healing in each other along the way. The verse style makes everything feel really raw and emotional without ever feeling heavy handed. I loved how honest and vulnerable the characters felt, and how the book balanced grief and hope so naturally. Their connection felt real, messy, and comforting in the best way. This story completely pulled me in, and it’s one of those books that sticks with you after you finish it.
May 26, 2026
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read and review before publishing.
Zentner and Cavallaro have done it again. They have crafted a story through verse and prose that encapsulates the intricacies of adolescence while also exploring life events that shape who we are at our core.
By collaborating together, Zentner and Cavallaro bring a unique voice and perspective to Knox and Sylvie respectively. This allows the reader to connect with Knox and Sylvie individually while also appreciating the evolution of their friendship. Knox and Sylvie's voices expressed in verse draw the reader in at an emotional level might not have been achieved otherwise.
One of my favorite parts of the story structure is the road trip that Knox and Sylvie find themselves on. By framing the story through the lens of a road trip, Zentner and Cavallaro are able to put Knox and Sylvie in situations that give them opportunities to reflect on and voice their vulnerability and humanity bringing an authenticity to the story and characters that might not have been there otherwise. It also allowed for a levity that helps balance the life experiences that Knox and Sylvie have both had.
Zentner and Cavallaro are brilliant voices in the YA world, and I will gladly read anything they collaborate on.
Zentner and Cavallaro have done it again. They have crafted a story through verse and prose that encapsulates the intricacies of adolescence while also exploring life events that shape who we are at our core.
By collaborating together, Zentner and Cavallaro bring a unique voice and perspective to Knox and Sylvie respectively. This allows the reader to connect with Knox and Sylvie individually while also appreciating the evolution of their friendship. Knox and Sylvie's voices expressed in verse draw the reader in at an emotional level might not have been achieved otherwise.
One of my favorite parts of the story structure is the road trip that Knox and Sylvie find themselves on. By framing the story through the lens of a road trip, Zentner and Cavallaro are able to put Knox and Sylvie in situations that give them opportunities to reflect on and voice their vulnerability and humanity bringing an authenticity to the story and characters that might not have been there otherwise. It also allowed for a levity that helps balance the life experiences that Knox and Sylvie have both had.
Zentner and Cavallaro are brilliant voices in the YA world, and I will gladly read anything they collaborate on.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for this arc!
I am going to start out by saying that I am an avid Jeff Zentner fan and have been since I was in middle school, so as soon as I saw that this book was available to request on NetGalley I ran to the website! Even so, Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro exceeded every expectation I could have possibly had. I devoured this story and read it every single waking second that I could.
The story follows two young adults, Sylvie and Knox, as they are first encountering the world on their own. Sylvie’s teenage years have been spent in AP classes, constantly accepting no less from herself than perfection, and taking care of everybody around her, except for herself. When she finally decides to follow her dreams, disaster strikes, and this novel begins as she is left to pick up the pieces. Knox’s teenage years have been pretty much the opposite. Always on the move, along with his mom’s chosen “family”, he’s never been able to settle down, fall in love, or truly make any choices for himself. When he decides that enough is enough, he’s truly on his own, until he meets Sylvie. Now that they are free of their past, they must discover who they are as their own person, side by side, to discover what they truly want.
These characters became parts of me as soon as I began to learn their stories. Sylvie’s perspective was extremely relatable, and I connected so deeply to her, and yet Knox’s character was so interesting and unique. The balance between the lightheartedness of their youth and adventure and the depth of their pasts and hidden secrets was incredible and kept me always longing to know more. This is the authors’ second shared novel in verse and conversation and somehow it is even better than the first. The switch between perspectives flowed seamlessly, even though the characters’ personalities were so different.
Overall, I loved every single second of reading this book. Zentner’s novels often make me emotional, and this one was no exception. This story is a showcase of the magic of human connection. I truly felt as if I was on a journey with these characters and this was exactly the kind of story that sticks with you and you keep coming back to over and over again. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone and am greatly looking forward to what comes next from these two authors!
I am going to start out by saying that I am an avid Jeff Zentner fan and have been since I was in middle school, so as soon as I saw that this book was available to request on NetGalley I ran to the website! Even so, Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro exceeded every expectation I could have possibly had. I devoured this story and read it every single waking second that I could.
The story follows two young adults, Sylvie and Knox, as they are first encountering the world on their own. Sylvie’s teenage years have been spent in AP classes, constantly accepting no less from herself than perfection, and taking care of everybody around her, except for herself. When she finally decides to follow her dreams, disaster strikes, and this novel begins as she is left to pick up the pieces. Knox’s teenage years have been pretty much the opposite. Always on the move, along with his mom’s chosen “family”, he’s never been able to settle down, fall in love, or truly make any choices for himself. When he decides that enough is enough, he’s truly on his own, until he meets Sylvie. Now that they are free of their past, they must discover who they are as their own person, side by side, to discover what they truly want.
These characters became parts of me as soon as I began to learn their stories. Sylvie’s perspective was extremely relatable, and I connected so deeply to her, and yet Knox’s character was so interesting and unique. The balance between the lightheartedness of their youth and adventure and the depth of their pasts and hidden secrets was incredible and kept me always longing to know more. This is the authors’ second shared novel in verse and conversation and somehow it is even better than the first. The switch between perspectives flowed seamlessly, even though the characters’ personalities were so different.
Overall, I loved every single second of reading this book. Zentner’s novels often make me emotional, and this one was no exception. This story is a showcase of the magic of human connection. I truly felt as if I was on a journey with these characters and this was exactly the kind of story that sticks with you and you keep coming back to over and over again. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone and am greatly looking forward to what comes next from these two authors!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Sometimes choosing yourself is brave. Sometimes it breaks someone else. Sometimes it's both at the same time
I don't even know how to explain what this book made me feel, but I'm going to try. Because I thought I was reading a book about teenagers having adventures while getting to know each other, it's so unassuming... this is wild y'all
Sylvie has had stability her whole life but wants escape, at least for a while. Knox has had nothing but movement and aches for a place to stay. Neither one is wrong. And I liked how we are not told good vs bad, or right vs wrong here. The authors managed to open two windows and let you look through both, you decide what to feel and what to think. I love a book that helps you see reality through different lenses and consider that your truth isn't the absolute truth.
What works for one person might not work for another, and I think that's such an important message right now.
I understood that what we take for granted is a privilege. To be able to say: that's where I fell off my bike; that's where I bought ice cream; that's where I grew up. Knox doesn't have a geography of memories. But then, there's a moment where Sylvie compares Knox using her phone to stepping on fresh snow and you realize that is also a privilege. She finally understands that his experiences aren't hers to walk through casually. And suddenly something ordinary becomes extraordinary.
I will pre-order this book for my daughter and her friends. I also need this in audiobook format because the way it is written was made to be heard.
**Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
I don't even know how to explain what this book made me feel, but I'm going to try. Because I thought I was reading a book about teenagers having adventures while getting to know each other, it's so unassuming... this is wild y'all
Sylvie has had stability her whole life but wants escape, at least for a while. Knox has had nothing but movement and aches for a place to stay. Neither one is wrong. And I liked how we are not told good vs bad, or right vs wrong here. The authors managed to open two windows and let you look through both, you decide what to feel and what to think. I love a book that helps you see reality through different lenses and consider that your truth isn't the absolute truth.
What works for one person might not work for another, and I think that's such an important message right now.
I understood that what we take for granted is a privilege. To be able to say: that's where I fell off my bike; that's where I bought ice cream; that's where I grew up. Knox doesn't have a geography of memories. But then, there's a moment where Sylvie compares Knox using her phone to stepping on fresh snow and you realize that is also a privilege. She finally understands that his experiences aren't hers to walk through casually. And suddenly something ordinary becomes extraordinary.
"Memory is a skin, not a shirt; something you wear and can't take off."
I will pre-order this book for my daughter and her friends. I also need this in audiobook format because the way it is written was made to be heard.
**Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins Children's Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wayfarers
by Jeff Zentner; Brittany Cavallaro
Pub Date: Aug 18, 2026
Thank you, Jeff and Brittany, for creating another work of poetic art for my high school students to enjoy.
Knox and Sylvie couldn’t have had a more different upbringing. Pure-hearted Knox and his mom joined a traveling band of free loving, anti-establishment, (and quite often, thieving) nomads when he was young, while ever-prudent Sylvie grew up with a keeping-up-appearances (and lovers half her age) mom with a “just throw money at it” attitude, of which, apparently, she has plenty. Both have come to a time in their lives when they feel what their parents are offering them isn’t what they want out of life. Just as Knox tells his mom he will not be leaving their current campsite with “the family”, Sylvie, who has set off on a solo van camping adventure for her own reasons, comes crashing into his life.
While being completely themselves with each other, they each still hold back a huge truth from the other which could totally destroy the quickly igniting feelings growing between the two.
So much witty, but believable, banter infused with the wonder of young adulthood while taking the ultimate break-out-of-your-shell, post senior year roadtrip while falling in love with a stranger that just feels right makes this a warm, fuzzy adventure you can’t put down.
Written in prose, this is the second team-up of Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro, and while my students and I loved the first one Sunrise Nights, I think my students will love and relate to this one even more.
#Wayfarers
#JeffZentner
#BrittanyCavallaro
#netgalley
by Jeff Zentner; Brittany Cavallaro
Pub Date: Aug 18, 2026
Thank you, Jeff and Brittany, for creating another work of poetic art for my high school students to enjoy.
Knox and Sylvie couldn’t have had a more different upbringing. Pure-hearted Knox and his mom joined a traveling band of free loving, anti-establishment, (and quite often, thieving) nomads when he was young, while ever-prudent Sylvie grew up with a keeping-up-appearances (and lovers half her age) mom with a “just throw money at it” attitude, of which, apparently, she has plenty. Both have come to a time in their lives when they feel what their parents are offering them isn’t what they want out of life. Just as Knox tells his mom he will not be leaving their current campsite with “the family”, Sylvie, who has set off on a solo van camping adventure for her own reasons, comes crashing into his life.
While being completely themselves with each other, they each still hold back a huge truth from the other which could totally destroy the quickly igniting feelings growing between the two.
So much witty, but believable, banter infused with the wonder of young adulthood while taking the ultimate break-out-of-your-shell, post senior year roadtrip while falling in love with a stranger that just feels right makes this a warm, fuzzy adventure you can’t put down.
Written in prose, this is the second team-up of Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro, and while my students and I loved the first one Sunrise Nights, I think my students will love and relate to this one even more.
#Wayfarers
#JeffZentner
#BrittanyCavallaro
#netgalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Y’all, I have been fortunate as hell to have been introduced to @jeffzentner’s writing by his unofficial booksta fan group and I’ve never been more grateful to a group of passionate readers. 🙌🏻 Wayfarers is co-authored by @bricavallaro who is new to me, but with this gorgeous book, I’ll be digging into her backlist.
Wayfarers begins with Sylvie on a solo (well, with her dog companion ) camper van road trip. But something isn’t right. She’s just going through the motions, but where is the joy she’d expected? Counted on, really.
Things take a turn when she’s robbed, assaulted, and her dog runs off. This all brings Knox into her orbit. He’s dealing with his own issues, but the two of them sense they can trust the other even as they hold onto their secrets. Sylvie offers to drive him to his destination with a few detours along the way and they become closer.
What a beautifully written book! I love Sylvie and Knox. They’re young and complicated and imperfect and I wanted to keep reading their story.
HIGHLY recommended for lovers of complex feelings, road trips, and those early butterflies when you’ve met someone who will mean the world to you.
I received this DRC via @netgalley and @harpercollinsch. All thoughts are mine alone.
ya fiction | young adult novels | reading | road trip romance | Jeff Zentner | Brittany Cavallaro | Wayfarers | book recs | recommendations | book reviews | bookstagram | five star reads
Wayfarers begins with Sylvie on a solo (well, with her dog companion ) camper van road trip. But something isn’t right. She’s just going through the motions, but where is the joy she’d expected? Counted on, really.
Things take a turn when she’s robbed, assaulted, and her dog runs off. This all brings Knox into her orbit. He’s dealing with his own issues, but the two of them sense they can trust the other even as they hold onto their secrets. Sylvie offers to drive him to his destination with a few detours along the way and they become closer.
What a beautifully written book! I love Sylvie and Knox. They’re young and complicated and imperfect and I wanted to keep reading their story.
HIGHLY recommended for lovers of complex feelings, road trips, and those early butterflies when you’ve met someone who will mean the world to you.
I received this DRC via @netgalley and @harpercollinsch. All thoughts are mine alone.
ya fiction | young adult novels | reading | road trip romance | Jeff Zentner | Brittany Cavallaro | Wayfarers | book recs | recommendations | book reviews | bookstagram | five star reads
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️
Thank you, Quill Tree Books, for the gifted eARC to read and enjoy prior to pub day in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Thrown together after Sylvie is robbed at campsite and Knox has decided to leave the traveling family he’s belonged to his whole life, the two meet when he helps rescue her dog and subsequently breaks his arm doing so. She helps him in the aftermath and offers to give him a ride. They both have secrets. Pasts. And BAGGAGE. Yet, over the course of their life-changing road trip, the two experience beautiful healing.
Wayfarers is Jeff and Brittany’s second novel in verse and dialogue together. Somehow they masterfully co-write a beautiful story that not only switches POV, but switches style. The prose is stunning. The flow is smooth and easy. The pacing is perfect. If you haven’t read a book in verse, or tend to shy away from YA, I encourage you to give this a try.
Someone PLEASE let me hug Knox and Sylvie!!!! I loved their journey so much. If you like reading about teens waxing poetically and having philosophical debates…then this is the book for you. They both have such an innocence about them coupled with some deep pain and trauma, and the result of their forced proximity and growing friendship is something quite lovely. It’s one of those books where you are just minding your own business and then randomly crying. And then giggling. And then tearing up again. Let me say it again, someone let me hug Sylvie and Knox.
Thank you, Quill Tree Books, for the gifted eARC to read and enjoy prior to pub day in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Thrown together after Sylvie is robbed at campsite and Knox has decided to leave the traveling family he’s belonged to his whole life, the two meet when he helps rescue her dog and subsequently breaks his arm doing so. She helps him in the aftermath and offers to give him a ride. They both have secrets. Pasts. And BAGGAGE. Yet, over the course of their life-changing road trip, the two experience beautiful healing.
Wayfarers is Jeff and Brittany’s second novel in verse and dialogue together. Somehow they masterfully co-write a beautiful story that not only switches POV, but switches style. The prose is stunning. The flow is smooth and easy. The pacing is perfect. If you haven’t read a book in verse, or tend to shy away from YA, I encourage you to give this a try.
Someone PLEASE let me hug Knox and Sylvie!!!! I loved their journey so much. If you like reading about teens waxing poetically and having philosophical debates…then this is the book for you. They both have such an innocence about them coupled with some deep pain and trauma, and the result of their forced proximity and growing friendship is something quite lovely. It’s one of those books where you are just minding your own business and then randomly crying. And then giggling. And then tearing up again. Let me say it again, someone let me hug Sylvie and Knox.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
"I think I loved you the second I saw you."
"And then your dog broke my arm and I knew it for sure."
I thought this was a cute book, but I couldn't get into it. I think part of it was my fault. I like poetry, but the poetry in this book seemed a bit clumsy and awkward to me when I was reading it. I also missed where this was a novel in verse, so that was my mistake. I think I still would have read it though. It was an interesting concept and some of them were actually really good. About half of the book is poetry, which is refreshing in a way. I liked the idea of telling a story through poems and getting a look into both Sylvie and Knox's thoughts when they put them into verse.
Essentially, this book is about two young people (Knox and Sylvie) who meet in an unexpected way and find themselves on a road trip that leads to them to find out they're both running from something and maybe it would be better to run with someone. Overall, it was a cute story that I had a fun time reading. It was funny, charming, and the Golden Retriever made it all the more entertaining.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"And then your dog broke my arm and I knew it for sure."
I thought this was a cute book, but I couldn't get into it. I think part of it was my fault. I like poetry, but the poetry in this book seemed a bit clumsy and awkward to me when I was reading it. I also missed where this was a novel in verse, so that was my mistake. I think I still would have read it though. It was an interesting concept and some of them were actually really good. About half of the book is poetry, which is refreshing in a way. I liked the idea of telling a story through poems and getting a look into both Sylvie and Knox's thoughts when they put them into verse.
Essentially, this book is about two young people (Knox and Sylvie) who meet in an unexpected way and find themselves on a road trip that leads to them to find out they're both running from something and maybe it would be better to run with someone. Overall, it was a cute story that I had a fun time reading. It was funny, charming, and the Golden Retriever made it all the more entertaining.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an advanced copy of Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro to review! I loved the format of Sunrise Nights when it came out last year, so I was excited to see that they paired together to write another book. And they always have the most gorgeous covers! Doesn't it just make you want to go on a spontaneous summer road trip?
From the beginning, Knox and Sylvie seem like opposites. They have drastically different backgrounds, and yet the find similarities with each other. They're both running from dark secrets, trying to change the way their futures unfold. Zentner and Cavallaro bring both of them to life, and capture their emotions with beautiful verse. And there are a lot of big emotions in this.
What I enjoyed the most about this book is that Knox and Sylvie seemed to meet each other at the exact time they needed. They form a quick connection, balancing the grief of their past with the hope they have for the future. This is definitely a book that will stay with you after you finish it.
If you like novels in verse that explore messy emotions, this is definitely the book for you!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for an advanced copy of Wayfarers by Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro to review! I loved the format of Sunrise Nights when it came out last year, so I was excited to see that they paired together to write another book. And they always have the most gorgeous covers! Doesn't it just make you want to go on a spontaneous summer road trip?
From the beginning, Knox and Sylvie seem like opposites. They have drastically different backgrounds, and yet the find similarities with each other. They're both running from dark secrets, trying to change the way their futures unfold. Zentner and Cavallaro bring both of them to life, and capture their emotions with beautiful verse. And there are a lot of big emotions in this.
What I enjoyed the most about this book is that Knox and Sylvie seemed to meet each other at the exact time they needed. They form a quick connection, balancing the grief of their past with the hope they have for the future. This is definitely a book that will stay with you after you finish it.
If you like novels in verse that explore messy emotions, this is definitely the book for you!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Wayfarers is like eavesdropping on a couple of Gen Z kids that are so engaged with each other that they don’t notice you’re there. Knox and Silvia are broken but hopeful, and they find their hope with each other. It’s a road trip romance, two people brought together and each develops a strong character arc. They each find their healing in how they tell each other their story. And they each help each other reframe their past within the context of who they are. It’s beautiful.
The format intersperses poetic verse with standard narrative. And it’s some of the most sparkling dialogue I’ve read—
YA or no. There is a sincerity in the characters that is a breath of fresh air. These characters will stay with me a long time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC. Book to be published August 17, 2026.
The format intersperses poetic verse with standard narrative. And it’s some of the most sparkling dialogue I’ve read—
YA or no. There is a sincerity in the characters that is a breath of fresh air. These characters will stay with me a long time.
Thanks to NetGalley and Quill Tree Books for the ARC. Book to be published August 17, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Omg, I LOVED this book! It was such a beautiful story told in both verse and conversation. It sounds different, but it just works. I almost like the verse chapters more because they give you an insight into what the character is thinking and feeling, almost like reading a diary entry. Sylvie is embarking on a solo road trip with her dog and Knox is wanting to leave his off grid lifestyle to find his home. Two strangers who are brought together by one special golden retriever. Jeff Zentner and Brittany Cavallaro showed how good of a writing team they are with Sunrise Nights, and Wayfarers just solidified them as a must read duo. I am anxiously awaiting their next story!
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wayfarers comes out August 18th, 2026.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Wayfarers comes out August 18th, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was so cute! And an early edition. I got this from NetGalley to read before it's published, and I really enjoyed it. The novel goes between Sylvie and Knox, two teenagers that both have troubled pasts. They have a chance meeting at a campsite, and end up on a road trip together, helping one another out along the way. The novel alternates between verse and first person perspective (either Sylvie or Knox), and I found both parts - verse and first person POV - to be enjoyable. This is a really sweet novel that deals with grief, family troubles, and making it on your own, while also finding the beauty in life and being vulnerable with those you care about. A cute, easy to read, summer book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Oh, these two authors have done it again! What an unforgettable road trip we take with Sylvie and Knox filled with healing, hope, truth, and secrets. Sylvie meets Knox at a campground and agrees to take him to his mamaw’s house in North Carolina. The two come from very different backgrounds but have fun doing different things while being very open about their feelings until they’re not. Things come up that neither talked about and when Knox runs into his mom and her friend, Sylvie gets mad and leaves. However, Knox sees Sylvie again later and she says she will still take him to his mamaw’s. What happens when they get there?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
So much beauty in this book! I have read books by both of these authors and went in already admiring their writing -- this book grew that admiration even more. Sylvie and Knox are two extraordinary characters that truly come off the page. And I mean, who wouldn't love Winslow?! I felt deep things for all three and their journey together.
However, my three star rating comes down to what felt like a lack of story for me. Nearly the whole book resided in their conversations and that was hard for me as a reader to really get interested in.
I will still happily stock this on my classroom shelves for students to read and love. Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books for the ARC!
However, my three star rating comes down to what felt like a lack of story for me. Nearly the whole book resided in their conversations and that was hard for me as a reader to really get interested in.
I will still happily stock this on my classroom shelves for students to read and love. Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Quill Tree Books for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I love Zentner and Cavallaro together! This free verse story reminded me a lot of the style of Sunrise Nights, also written by this duo. The love story is sweet and wholesome, without bad language or spiciness. My only complaint is that the main characters are 18 years old, but speak like they are much older. As a high school English teacher, I hear 18-year-olds speak all day every day, and not one of them would speak with such wisdom and advanced vocabulary. It's sad, but true. Otherwise, I love love loved this book!
I love Zentner and Cavallaro together! This free verse story reminded me a lot of the style of Sunrise Nights, also written by this duo. The love story is sweet and wholesome, without bad language or spiciness. My only complaint is that the main characters are 18 years old, but speak like they are much older. As a high school English teacher, I hear 18-year-olds speak all day every day, and not one of them would speak with such wisdom and advanced vocabulary. It's sad, but true. Otherwise, I love love loved this book!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I do NOT like romance books, but I loved this one. I love that it’s a novel in verse, with maps, completely unexpected characters, and dogs who matter to the plot, because all those things should happen more often in stories. And in the world, too, for that matter. Some of these poems could stand on their own, which I really love, also. These are two teens, just trying to do their best, despite their pasts and their crazy parents, and their own loss. It’s beautiful and however unlikely, it feels real. The upper classmen will love this book. There’s so much I could teach here. But, there’s also a skinny dipping scene…which doesn’t go into detail! Perfect.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
One thing you should know about me is I LOVE a novel in verse, and this was no exception. This isn't solely in verse, as there's also conversation, but amazing storytelling in both forms. It's the story of two teens on a road trip, and they each have some secrets and "stuff" they're navigating. I loved how the story built, I loved how you got a window into what they were feeling, and I just loved the feels it cultivated. It was a gem all-around. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this August 2026 release!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️ I did not notice that this book had two authors until I finished. But, prepare to be wowed by Knox and Sylvia. These two characters have two very different stories, but somehow they find each other and become friends who are each trying to work through very real problems. This story is about friendship, forgiveness, acceptance, and growth. I would call this a hyper novel in verse with beautiful prose mixed throughout. The writing is exquisite and heartfelt. Add this book to your TBR, it comes out in August. Thank you to @Netgalley, @Quillpress and@harpercollinsch
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Jeff Zentner’s 5 star streak continues. These characters are so beautifully crafted, and I love the gorgeous verse interpolated with truly delightful dialogue. Also, two good good dogs? It’s a real winner.
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