Seventeen-year-old Oliver Wu remembers four things about Saturday night.
1. He remembers going to the party and seeing Paloma, the girl he’s had a crush on for years.
2. He remembers the disappointment he felt when Paloma left early, just when he was sure his bravery had paid off.
3. He remembers the room spinning and someone helping him up the stairs.
4. He remembers waking up next to Tarryn, a girl he barely knows, with his clothes on the floor.
There’s just one notable memory missing.
Oliver doesn’t remember saying yes.
When Tarryn laughs off Oliver’s panic and tells him he should take her out for breakfast, he doesn’t say no. He stops himself from saying no to Tarryn for weeks because he’s waiting for what never comes—an honest answer about what happened that night.
With his friends shutting him out, and the rumors swirling, Oliver is turning into himself and just trying to make it through the rest of his senior year with his head down.
But the one person that Oliver wants to hide the truth from more than himself, Paloma, is the one person who won’t back down and accept his changed behavior. Oliver opening up to Paloma not only means facing what happened that night—it means airing a truth that could easily rip Paloma’s world wide open, too.
"A courageous and daring look into the complicated issue of sexual assault and culpability. This smart novel asks difficult questions about who we are, what we believe, and how to carve out an identity in the face of grief. I was riveted from the first page."
- Christa Desir, Author of FAULT LINE and OTHER BROKEN THINGS
"A Postcard Would Be Nice is a brutally honest, unflinchingly brave coming-of-age story with a wicked sense of humor. Oliver Wu's journey from affable shy guy to wary assault victim is nuanced and achingly believable, and the sense of self he's ultimately able to achieve with the help of a rich cast of friends is satisfying without ever veering into sentimental territory. This authors sparse, striking prose is a perfect complement to a story made all the more gorgeous because it refuses to smooth out the rough edges of pain and confusion. "
-Liz Reinhardt, Author of REBELS LIKE US
1. He remembers going to the party and seeing Paloma, the girl he’s had a crush on for years.
2. He remembers the disappointment he felt when Paloma left early, just when he was sure his bravery had paid off.
3. He remembers the room spinning and someone helping him up the stairs.
4. He remembers waking up next to Tarryn, a girl he barely knows, with his clothes on the floor.
There’s just one notable memory missing.
Oliver doesn’t remember saying yes.
When Tarryn laughs off Oliver’s panic and tells him he should take her out for breakfast, he doesn’t say no. He stops himself from saying no to Tarryn for weeks because he’s waiting for what never comes—an honest answer about what happened that night.
With his friends shutting him out, and the rumors swirling, Oliver is turning into himself and just trying to make it through the rest of his senior year with his head down.
But the one person that Oliver wants to hide the truth from more than himself, Paloma, is the one person who won’t back down and accept his changed behavior. Oliver opening up to Paloma not only means facing what happened that night—it means airing a truth that could easily rip Paloma’s world wide open, too.
"A courageous and daring look into the complicated issue of sexual assault and culpability. This smart novel asks difficult questions about who we are, what we believe, and how to carve out an identity in the face of grief. I was riveted from the first page."
- Christa Desir, Author of FAULT LINE and OTHER BROKEN THINGS
"A Postcard Would Be Nice is a brutally honest, unflinchingly brave coming-of-age story with a wicked sense of humor. Oliver Wu's journey from affable shy guy to wary assault victim is nuanced and achingly believable, and the sense of self he's ultimately able to achieve with the help of a rich cast of friends is satisfying without ever veering into sentimental territory. This authors sparse, striking prose is a perfect complement to a story made all the more gorgeous because it refuses to smooth out the rough edges of pain and confusion. "
-Liz Reinhardt, Author of REBELS LIKE US
