A Smile Like Yours, Emily Thomas

For fans of Heartstopper and Bloom, a sweet YA graphic novel about first love - and navigating life when you see things differently. Rhys Moore is worried as he starts his first year of university. And not just about the usual things. Rhys has face blindness, which means he struggles to recognize and remember people’s faces. He has ways of coping, but they don’t always work, so he isn’t sure how to manage being around so many new people. There is one bright note, though. Malcolm. He’s caring and kind, and he’s empathetic when Rhys finally reveals his disability to him. Could Malcolm be just what Rhys needs to get through the year? Emily Thomas’s debut graphic novel offers a delightfully fresh take on falling in love and learning how to truly see another person. It’s both a compelling queer romance and a pitch-perfect coming-of-age story that keenly captures the ups and downs of university life. Readers are sure to be swept up in the romance as Rhys navigates his new feelings and experiences. The book deftly explores themes of disability, friendship, love, mental health and queer identity. A note about prosopagnosia, known as face blindness, and an author’s note are included at the end.