Things I Should Have Known, written by Claire LaZebnik, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary:  When Chloe’s sister, Ivy, who is on the autism spectrum, starts asking Chloe questions about dating, Chloe decides that Ivy may be interested in a boyfriend. She dutifully selects an eligible bachelor from Ivy’s class, Ethan, a movie-obsessed boy who is also on the spectrum. Ivy agrees to the date, but only if Chloe will come too, an agreement that suits Chloe until she discovers that Ethan’s brother, who similarly joined the date, is her school nemesis, David. As Chloe and David are forced to spend time together as chaperones, they grow closer as they see in each other a kindred spirit able to truly understand both the joys and troubles of having an autistic sibling. While the relationship between Ivy and Ethan is uncertain from the start, Chloe and David seem destined to become something more than friends.

Straight Talk for Librarians:  The absolute strength of this book is its insightful, realistic depictions of family life and sibling relationships with a person on the autism spectrum. Ivy and Ethan’s characterization is perceptive and authentic, as are Chloe and David’s interactions with their siblings. This book is worthy of purchase for these depictions alone as they are the primary focus on the story. The romance between David and Chloe is satisfying in its slow burn, enemies-to-lovers storyline and in Chloe’s realization of the power of having deep, meaningful relationships based on shared experiences and mutual understanding and acceptance. That being said, many of Chloe’s other relationships are superficial and make the story lag a bit. Several of the adult characters are quite frustrating as well, but offer some context as to why the sibling relationships between Chloe and Ivy and David and Ethan are so special. Some teen sexual activity makes this a better bet for high school students. This book will appeal most to teens who have a close relationship with someone with special needs, or to those who are interested in gaining insight into the lives of those who do. A solid choice for adding much-needed neurodiversity representation to a collection.