Between the Notes

Fifteen-year-old Devin Wright has always lived in the shadows—of the Lower East Side, of his older siblings, and most of all, of a truth he’s terrified to say out loud. Half Puerto Rican, half Jamaican, and completely unsure of who he’s allowed to be, Devin learns to survive by blending in, staying quiet, and pretending he doesn’t feel what he feels.Until the acceptance letter arrives.After a year of waiting, Devin is awarded a life-changing scholarship to St. Andrew’s School, an elite performing arts boarding school in London. Suddenly, the boy who never imagined leaving New York is thrown into a world of music studios, historic courtyards, demanding teachers—and classmates who seem to shine effortlessly.And then there’s Amari Stephens.Amari is everything Devin isn’t sure he can be: confident, talented, warm, and impossible to ignore. With his cocoa-brown skin, soft curls, and a dancer’s grace, Amari quickly becomes the center of Devin’s world—first as a roommate, then as a friend, and eventually something deeper. But Devin’s heart is still a battlefield, shaped by fear, confusion, and a father who reappears only to question who he’s becoming.As first semester unfolds, Devin navigates:The pressure of proving he belongs on scholarshipCultural shock in a foreign countryComplicated family relationships on both sides of the oceanHis best friend April keeping him grounded—and humanGrowing feelings he can no longer denyA love that challenges everything he thought he knewWhen family weekend arrives and their two worlds collide, Devin and Amari must decide whether their connection is worth the risk, the judgment, and the courage it demands.Set across two iconic cities and filled with music, friendship, identity, and first love, Between the Notes is a heartfelt LGBTQ+ coming-of-age novel about discovering who you are, who you can be, and the boy who helps you find the courage to stop hiding.Perfect for fans of Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Nic Stone, and Alice Oseman.