A cunning memory merchant falls for the handsome rookie officer on her tail in this swoony dystopian romance, hailed as “dynamic, vivid, and electrifying” (Ayana Gray, New York Times bestselling author of Beasts of Prey)
“[A] high-stakes story packed with slow-burn pining and plentiful tension.”—Publishers Weekly (One of the Best Books of the Year!)In 2364, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman dreams of a future beyond her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she uses the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to wealthy clients. Maybe a few illegally, but money equals freedom. So when a customer offers her a ludicrous sum to go on an assignment in no-man’s-land, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive.
Rookie Forceman Adrian Rao believes in order over all. After discovering that a renegade Proxy’s shady dealings are messing with citizens’ brain chemistry, he vows to extinguish the threat. But when he tracks Liv down, there’s one problem: her memories are gone. Can Adrian bring himself to condemn her for crimes she doesn’t remember?
As Liv and Adrian navigate the world beyond the Metro and their growing feelings for one another, they grapple with who they are, who they could be, and whether another way of living is possible.
Jill Tew was destined for speculative fiction nerddom from childhood. She grew up watching Farscape, Hercules, and The 10th Kingdom, and always had the latest copy of Animorphs tucked in her backpack. Now she writes the kinds of stories she loved as a kid, with characters she wanted to see more of— Black heroes asking big questions, saving the world, and occasionally falling in love along the way. A recovering business school graduate, Jill enjoys belting showtunes and baking in her spare time. She lives in Atlanta with her family.
★ "
A gutsy debut that will leave readers wanting more."
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
★ "Messy human emotions strain against technology and morality in this
high-stakes story packed with slow-burn pining and plentiful tension, enriched by skillful worldbuilding and nods to Henry David Thoreau’s
Walden."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ "
A masterpiece of speculative, postapocalyptic fiction that demands to be devoured in a night or two, this is a white-knuckle ride into the future that is both moving and frightening. If Octavia E. Butler’s
Parable of the Sower were written for teens, it might look like Tew’s debut."
—School Library Journal, starred review
"
A simple, sweet romance with dystopian flavor and a hopeful ending that is perfect for genre beginners." —
Booklist
“Dynamic, vivid, and electrifying.” —AYANA GRAY, New York Times bestselling author of
Beasts of Prey
“Jill Tew paints a world so real you could step straight into it.
A debut to watch.” —AMIE KAUFMAN, New York Times bestselling author of
The Isles of the Gods“A
compelling,
clever, and
endlessly swoony dystopian romance.” —ALECHIA DOW, award-winning author of
The Sound of Stars“A fresh, exhilarating adventure with swoon-worthy characters and an enthralling world.
Truly unputdownable.” —EMILY THIEDE, author of
This Vicious Grace“
A gripping dystopian romance with searing commentary. Action-packed and smartly written.” —LYSSA MIA SMITH, author of
Revelle“
This unforgettable sci-fi romance has it all: genius world-building, beautifully crafted characters, and twists I never saw coming.” —ANGELA MONTOYA, author of
Sinner’s Isle
