People I Know Now

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2026 NZ BOOKLOVERS AWARD FOR BEST YA FICTION

The People I Know Now is a powerful young adult novel about love, loss and finding the courage to move forward.

After enduring the most difficult year of her life, nineteen-year-old Lyla Strafford spends a summer living with her Aunt Caroline in the small seaside township of New Brooke. With the support of a group of new friends, Lyla begins to heal, and she finds herself opening up to a boy who seems to understand her better than anyone else.

But just when things appear to be getting back on track, Lyla is faced with a life-threatening experience that stems from the trauma of times gone by. Challenged by the concepts of love, loss, and the definition of family, Lyla begins to question what it means to move forward when she can’t seem to leave the past behind.

Format: Paperback
Pages: 220
Imprint: Mary Egan Publishing
Publication date: 07/10/2025