Just Until by Joseph Moldover

Hannah must choose the impossible—put her nephews into foster care so she can stay true to her dream, or take them on and lose everything she’s worked so hard to achieve.

17-year-old Hannah Lynn has just one goal: to get out of Evans Beach, Maine. It’s where she lost her mother to cancer. Where her estranged sister, Pauline, fell apart before moving out. Where her father, Larry, holds court as a local legend who once played twelve games for the Red Sox. Hannah has never fit in, but that doesn’t matter now that she is finally on the cusp of escape. All she needs is a little help from her chemistry tutor, Richard, a fellow junior who she finds equal parts compelling and infuriating.

Then, one winter night, Hannah’s life is turned upside down. Pauline’s two sons are taken by the state, leaving Hannah and Larry the only people standing between the boys and the child welfare system. Her father promises that it will only be for a little while, just until Pauline gets back on her feet, but Hannah knows nothing is that simple when it comes to her troubled older sister.

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In Just Until, Joseph Moldover crafts a deeply emotional story that hits hard with its themes of family, sacrifice, and resilience. Seventeen-year-old Hannah Lynn has her sights set on leaving the small town of Evans Beach, Maine, behind forever. She's focused on escaping the painful memories of her mother’s death, her estranged sister Pauline's downward spiral, and her father Larry's unfulfilled baseball dreams. But her carefully laid plans are shattered when Pauline’s two sons are taken by the state, and Hannah suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: put her nephews into foster care or give up her dreams to raise them herself.

This book is tough to read in parts—not because of any flaw in the writing but because it’s so well done that you can feel every bit of Hannah’s pain and frustration. She’s trapped between her hopes for the future and the weight of her family’s troubles, and you can sense the world closing in on her with every page. Moldover's portrayal of Hannah's struggle is raw and unflinching, making the reader experience every setback and every heartbreak. It’s a difficult journey, but ultimately an uplifting one that leaves you rooting for Hannah and her nephews to find a way forward.

Hannah’s relationships, especially with her father and her chemistry tutor Richard, are complex and compelling, adding layers to her character and highlighting her growth throughout the book. If you’re looking for a story that explores the painful choices we make for family, filled with a mix of grit, heartache, and hope, Just Until will stay with you long after the final page.

If you enjoyed this, you might also like:

• Books: Far From the Tree by Robin Benway; How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian
• Movie: The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Just Until publishes on the 29th October, 2024. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.