Sick Kids in Love

Isabel Garfinkel is a high school student with rheumatoid arthritis who writes for her school newspaper. She meets Sasha Sverdlov-Deckler, who has Gaucher disease, in the infusion room of a hospital. Isabel doesn't date, believing relationships are too messy and complicated. Sasha challenges her outlook as they get to know each other through shared experiences with chronic illness and their Jewish heritage. Their growing connection forces Isabel to confront her assumptions about relationships and her own limits. Both teens navigate their respective illnesses while dealing with family dynamics, school pressures, and their evolving understanding of themselves. The novel explores themes of vulnerability, trust, and the ways chronic illness shapes identity without defining it. Through Isabel and Sasha's story, the narrative examines how people choose to open themselves to connection despite life's uncertainties.

Readers appreciate the authentic portrayal of chronic illness, with many noting the accurate depiction of invisible disabilities and medical gaslighting. The romance develops naturally, and readers connect with the main characters' Jewish identity and culture being central to the story without focusing on trauma. Specific praise focuses on the communication between characters, with reader @bookishblinder noting "they actually talk through their issues instead of creating melodrama." Multiple reviews mention the refreshing absence of character death despite illness being a major theme. Common criticisms include a slow-paced middle section and some repetitive dialogue. Several readers found the protagonist's journalism subplot underdeveloped. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (6,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (230+ ratings) BookTok/BookTwitter: Frequently recommended in chronic illness and disability representation lists Most negative reviews still rate the book 3+ stars, with primary complaints about pacing rather than content or representation.

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🔍 Author Hannah Moskowitz wrote her first published novel, Break, when she was just 13 years old. 💝 The book features a unique romance where both main characters have chronic illnesses - Isabel has rheumatoid arthritis and Sasha has Gaucher disease. 🎭 Unlike many "sick lit" novels, neither main character dies in this book - a fact the author explicitly promotes with the tagline "They don't die in this one." 📚 The story was partly inspired by Moskowitz's own experiences with chronic illness and her desire to see representation of chronically ill characters in stories that weren't tragic. 🗽 The book is set in New York City and features authentic Jewish representation, with both main characters coming from Jewish families and their faith being naturally woven into the story.