Before Your Time

by Lily Grace

Joel is a sixteen year old boy who is relatively happy with his life. He dreams of being a rockstar, but for the moment, he’s content to play at open mic nights and hang out with his friends. His relationship with his girlfriend is less than ideal, but whatever is going on with her will blow over eventually. And sometime soon he’ll probably be able to pull it together and control his overwhelming anxiety.

Seventeen years later his daughter, Vienna, wishes she could be anyone else. Most days she can barely get out of bed and can’t seem to do anything right. She loves her dad, but he doesn’t understand what it’s like to be her. His life would have been very different if she was never born. Sometimes, she wishes that she wasn’t.

Before Your Time follows parallel stories between a father and daughter as they struggle with mental health, societal expectations, and the tumultuous experience of high school.

245 pages, Paperback

Published August 27, 2026

Reviews

[Ava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, where do I even start with this book? It was genuinely so well done, and it’s gonna be living rent free in my head for a while now. The characters were well developed and likeable. Thecentral father-daughter relationship made me emotional. I can relate, as I have a close relationship with my own father. The way anxiety and depression were described in this were so visceral, just…perfect. Five stars, no notes. Lily Grace, you’ve done it again. I can’t wait to read what you create next.

[ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books I’ve ever read. finished in two sittings. so so easy to picture everything in your mind and get lost in the story and very hooked. the two timelines tie into each other so well. writing is meaningful and witty and thoughtful. I feel seen! the father daughter relationship makes me insanely emotional. lily grace you are seriously the author of our generation. i am so honoured to know someone so genuinely talented and passionate about writing.