Most people, from reading the blurb, assume that Don’t Forget Me centers around a love triangle. A book about a girl who meets a set of twins must explore in some way how and why she chooses who she’ll end up with, right?

Don’t Forget Me is not that story.

Love triangles in Young Adult Fiction can be done really well, but I didn’t want one to be the focus of this book. I didn’t want Hazel’s story to boil down to which boy she picks. I didn’t want it to be about boys at all, really, at least not in the romantic sense.

Sexualities aside, I can see the appeal of the twins being part of a love triangle. They’re as different as they are similar—Red is full of light and creativity and positivity, and Luca keeps his emotions bottled up and held tight to his chest. Red helps Hazel forget about everything she left behind in England, and Luca forces her to remember. They’re polar opposites, and they both play integral parts in her healing process and in helping her come to terms with her grief—but there is never any competition between the two. Hazel needs both of them in different ways, just like the brothers need each other.

Don’t Forget Me is a love story at its core, but it’s not necessarily the love story you expect. It’s a homage to families, both broken ones and blossoming ones. It’s a homage to friends and to how they shape us and help us grow. It’s a love letter to all the different types of love in the world and all the different kinds of relationships, with a little bit of romance thrown in too because, though I didn’t want Hazel to be defined by a boy, I’m still a hopeless romantic at heart.

There aren’t masses of YA novels out there that explore these different types of relationships, especially contemporary ones, but there are some! Here are my top three:

1. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

I saw the film adaptation of Andrews’ novel before I read the book, but I liked them both equally. The book follows Greg as he reconnects with his childhood friend Rachel, who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. It’s a story about friendship and about realizing your passions and finding the courage to follow them. 

2. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas 

The Hate U Give was one of my favorite books of 2017, as I’m pretty sure was the case for anyone who read it. Although Starr does have a boyfriend in the book, Chris, the book barely touches on their relationship. This is a story instead that explores Starr’s relationship with not just with her family, but also with the communities she is a part of. Starr finds strength and support from the people surrounding her, and it’s amazing to read how they help her through a really difficult time.

3. A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab

Although I haven’t read any more of her work, I know that many of Schwab’s books focus on platonic relationships rather than romantic ones. This one in particular is a story about magicians, parallel worlds, and adventure and features magical coats, cross-dressing pirates, and everything in between. And while there are great romances within, the friendships are really what drives the book forward—especially the brotherly relationship between Rhy and Kell.

BONUS: For anyone who loves a good film, How to be Single, starring Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, and a whole host of other great people, is a hilarious, touching story about one young woman’s journey to finding peace with being alone and realizing that she doesn’t have to be defined by her relationship with someone else. 

Don't Forget Me by Victoria Stevens

Seventeen-year-old Hazel Clarke is no stranger to heartbreaks, and being sent to live with a father she’s never met is the latest in a string of them. Even the beauty of eastern Australia isn't enough to take her mind off of her mother, who suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's and is living in a nursing home in England. But when Hazel meets the friendly, kindhearted Red and his elusive twin, Luca, she begins the slow process of piecing together a new life—and realizes she isn't the only one struggling with grief. As friendships deepen and love finds its way in, Hazel also learns that when you truly love someone, they are never really gone.

Don't Forget Me is Victoria Stevens's sparkling debut, and a touching testament to coming of age, falling in love, and finding home in unlikely places.

Start reading now.