Counting Down with Theodore Brown

by Daniel Devenney

A fantastic coming-of-age love story with a twist.

You can't fight time, or love ...

A coming-of-age love story with a twist!

When Theodore Brown looks into a person's eyes he sees a the exact number of days he'll spend with them. It's hard to make friends when there's a literal countdown!

He's kept everyone at a safe distance since his dad died. But now that he's in college, he fears he's missing out. Even his stuffy English professor thinks he needs to get a life. So, to improve his mental health and sharpen his writing skills, he decides to do just that.

Then Lil Sanchez crashes into his world like a tidal wave. She's fearless, creative, and only around until the end of summer. But Theo begins to wonder if the pleasure of knowing her might be worth the pain of losing her.

Only time will tell — and the clock is ticking ...

For teens who
- a book you just can't put down and have to read all night
- a love story for the ages
- stories that are dramatic and funny and sad, all wrapped up in one great package
- books like The Perks of Being a Wallflower

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 8, 2026

Reviews

[Venice White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a joy to get to read, both because of the months worth of excited conversations with Daniel at work (yes I will keep namedropping) and because the story itself was divine. I spend a lot of time in the YA genre and this took me back to the whimsy angst of the John Green glory days, with original ideas, character profiles and sense of humour. Theodore chronicles his life through diary entries, going back to formative and traumatising experiences in his younger years, all of which culminates to open his mind to the people he meets later (also triggered by a professor telling him he needs to live a little) all despite living with a very unusual and distressing condition that for a long time prevented him from connecting to anyone.

this book deals with some heavy topics and the characters go *through* it but everything was handled so well. I could have kept reading and reading, which was such a nice feeling because the entire year I haven't been able to focus on any book properly.

Theo cracked me up by being such a man about things sometimes but I loved spending the summer with him and Lil and watching him grow and see how many people love him and that are out there for him to love 💛

[Brody Hitchcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Counting Down with Theodore Brown by Daniel Devenney is a coming-of-age love story with a massive twist. When Theodore Brown looks into a person's eyes, he sees a literal number that tells him the exact amount of days he will spend with them. Because of this countdown, he has kept everyone at a very safe distance ever since his dad died. But now that he's in college, he decides to actually try living his life and making connections—which is exactly when the fearless and creative girl crashes into his world. The massive catch is that her countdown shows she is only around for a short time, forcing Theo to decide if the pleasure of knowing her is worth the inevitable pain of losing her.

​I gave this one a full 5 stars. If you look up the definition of bittersweet, it would just be a picture of this book. I was honestly fighting for my life not to cry at the end! It was so incredibly good. It is not very often that I finish a book and am just left sitting there staring at the wall thinking, "What am I to do now?"

​These characters were so cool, and I genuinely just want more of them. I was holding out for so long with that countdown, constantly thinking, "Surely she doesn't actually go, surely something changes!" I dont want to spoil so youll have to read and find out what happens.

​Plus, I have to say, my absolute favorite parts were definitely the few nightmare scenes scattered throughout—they were so exceptionally well done!

[Asha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, I did finish this in one sitting, and no, I’ve never done that before. So I think that says a lot about this book. I was very lucky to win an advanced copy from Allen & Unwin, and it turned out to be the perfect read while I was off work recovering from surgery.

Counting Down with Theodore Brown is such a unique and refreshing story. The concept of being able to see how many days you have left with someone just by looking into their eyes is incredibly intriguing and really pulls you in. The novel follows the trials and tribulations of teenage life, making it a powerful coming-of-age story.

It explores a range of meaningful themes, including mental health, identity, friendship, sexuality, love, loss, and music, all woven together in a way that feels authentic and relatable.

I also really appreciated reading from a male perspective. It’s not something I gravitate toward often, as I tend to read books by female authors with female main characters, so this felt like a refreshing change. Experiencing the story through the eyes of a teenage boy added a different depth that I really enjoyed.

[Maggie Walch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I loved this! I was destined to love it!!
The way I was absolutely enraptured reading this - I totally forgot where I was when I was reading it, and the characters felt like close personal friends. This story is original, it’s fun, it’s touching, and it’s just so so real. What a pleasure this was to read!! Daniel, you’re my hero

[Ronald Molina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love this book. It’s beautifly written and a very original story full of passion, love, magic and adventure. It brought me nostalgia through the music. I just couldnt stop reading it. The characters made me feel many deep emotions. For me it’s more than a young adult book, it’s a masterpiece that any age can enjoy. A clever and honest story from the lovely Daniel Devenney.

[Caeden · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is the kind of book that makes you want to neglect all your responsibilities to keep reading. i cant wait for it to to be published. i can already see that it’s going to mean so much to so many different people!!

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting young adult novel. Covering topics of grief, anxiety, depression relationship and love. Memorable.