Painfully geeky Noah Grimes thinks his best chance at social normalcy is to strike up a romance with Sophie. But his delusional plans are hopelessly derailed when his best (and only) friend Harry kisses him at a party. That's when things go from bad to utter chaos.



"A riotous, real-feeling debut" - The Guardian Poor Noah Grimes! His father disappeared years ago, his mother's Beyonce tribute act is an unacceptable embarrassment, and his beloved gran is no longer herself. He only has one friend, Harry, and school is... Well, it's pure hell. Why can't Noah be normal, like everyone else at school? Maybe if he struck up a romantic relationship with someone - maybe Sophie, who is perfect and lovely - he'd be seen in a different light? But Noah's plans are derailed when Harry kisses him at a party. That's when things go from bad to utter chaos. One of the UK's leading writers of LGBTQ+ teen fiction, Simon James Green is the author of Alex in Wonderland, Gay Club and the Noah Can't Even books. A perfect next read for fans of Heartstoppers and Adam Silvera Noah Can't Even was Longlisted for the Branford Boase Award, won the Wirral Paperback of the Year, was shortlisted for the Leeds Book Awards and got Bronze in the Amazing Book Awards! Simon's book You're The One That I Want won the Bristol Teen Book Award 2022 & has been shortlisted for the YA Book Award in association with Edinburgh International Book Festival 2022 MORE PRAISE FOR NOAH CAN'T EVEN 'I loved Noah's voice: warm, loveable, awkward'. The Bookseller 'Slapstick but wonderfully funny' Jewish Chronicle 'A debut I very much loved' Juno Dawson, author of The Gender Games and role model for Stonewall UK 'Sweet, barmy, charming, unexpectedly romantic delight of a YA novel. I smiled the whole way through.' Lisa Williamson, author of The Art of Being Normal 'A riotous, real-feeling YA debut' - The Guardian