Under All the Lights
Description
A songwriter wrestles with instant stardom and his bisexuality in this raw and propulsive novel for fans of If This Gets Out and Alice Oseman鈥檚 I Was Born for This.
After one of his songs goes viral, Ollie Cheriet gets the opportunity of a lifetime: a cross-country tour, an album deal, and a chance to help his family with their financial struggles. The only problem? Ollie has major stage fright, a symptom of his anxiety disorder. As pressure from performing, social media rumors, and his romantic life rises, his mental health starts to spiral. So he鈥檚 surprised at how grounded he feels when he collaborates with his wildly talented鈥攁nd distractingly cute鈥攖ouring partner, Jesse. Music has always helped Ollie through hard times, but he鈥檚 going to have to be more vulnerable than he ever thought possible to find self-acceptance in the glow of the spotlight.
Featuring characters from Maya Ameyaw鈥檚 acclaimed debut When It All Syncs Up, this story takes readers into the green room, immersing them in the vivid behind-the-scenes world of touring musicians.
Reviews
鈥�Under All the Lights is a compassionate and heartfelt story of survival. Ameyaw tackles difficult topics like sexual assault, homophobia, and the price of fame with nuance and a necessary tenderness. Readers will love returning to these characters, and will find healing in the pages.鈥�
- Jen St. Jude, author of If Tomorrow Doesn't Come
鈥淎meyaw imbues what sounds like every teenager鈥檚 dream鈥攖ouring with your musical idol鈥攚ith the kind of grounded, realistic emotion needed to make the story truly sing. In Under All the Lights, we stress, sweat, and crush right alongside Ollie.鈥�
- Alexandra Mae Jones, author of The Queen of Junk Island
鈥淏old and gentle, Under All the Lights is the best kind of encore. Ameyaw is finely attuned to her characters as Ollie is thrust out of his comfort zone into the spotlight.鈥�
- Trynne Delaney, author of A House Unsettled
鈥淎 triumphant and tender story filled with thoughtful characters whom you鈥檒l be rooting for throughout.鈥�
- Rod Pulido, author of Chasing Pacquiao
鈥淎meyaw creates an intensely beautiful exploration of the self and how the mind navigates the complexities of love, identity, trauma, and familial expectations.鈥�
- Aleema Omotoni, award-winning author of Everyone鈥檚 Thinking It
鈥淎meyaw鈥檚 superb novel is a marvel of verisimilitude, taking readers inside the music business while offering irresistibly empathic characters and a richly compelling plot.鈥�
- Booklist *starred review, 09/24
鈥淭he novel includes a steamy, slow-burn romance and multidimensional characters while deftly tackling tough topics 鈥� readers will cheer for a young man as he explores authenticity through music.鈥�
- Kirkus Reviews, 08/15/24
鈥淎meyaw writes about the complexities of teen life with skill and love. I was right there with Ollie, sweating through his anxieties and reveling in his triumphs. A heartful page-turner.鈥�
- Farzana Doctor, award-winning author of The Beauty of Us and Seven