When Haru Was Here

Description

We Are Okay meets WandaVision in this devastatingly beautiful, high-performance contemporary fantasy novel about the agonizing anatomy of loss, the tricks of the human mind, and learning the ultimate strength of letting go. From Dustin Thao, the internationally bestselling author of the global smash-hit You’ve Reached Sam, comes When Haru Was Here—a profoundly moving, atmospheric, and emotionally raw masterpiece that explores the blurred boundaries between profound grief and absolute magic.

Following the sudden, tragic death of his absolute best friend, Eric Ly is completely consumed by a suffocating void. To survive the exhausting, overwhelming weight of his daily grief, he begins creating elaborate, highly vivid imaginary scenarios in his head—a quiet mental sanctuary where the pain cannot reach him. But his fragile coping mechanism takes a shocking, magical turn when one of his fantasies inexplicably bleeds into reality. Haru Tanaka, the enigmatic, kindhearted boy Eric met the previous summer during a transformative trip to Japan, suddenly finds his way back into his life. When Eric least expects it, Haru walks directly into a local coffee shop and sits down right next to him. The only terrifying catch? Absolutely nobody else can see him.

In this surreal twist of fate, Eric suddenly has a deep, intimate connection to cling to, instantly making him feel less profoundly isolated and lonely in a world that has completely moved on. As the two boys spend more and more time together, sharing secrets and wandering through a beautifully melancholic landscape, the lines of reality begin to dangerously fracture. Eric finds himself hurtling into a psychological maze, desperately questioning what is real and what is merely a phantom born of his broken heart. When he begins to lose control of the very illusion that is holding him together, Eric is forced to a critical crossroads: he must finally confront his raw reality and step out of the shadows, even if it means losing Haru and their beautiful connection forever.

Masterfully executing the young adult contemporary fiction, magical realism, LGBTQ+ romance, psychological drama, and grief & bereavement genres, When Haru Was Here delivers an incredibly comforting yet tear-jerking reading experience. Written with Dustin Thao’s signature lyrical prose, sharp emotional intelligence, and heartbreaking sincerity, this stunning paperback edition is a mandatory masterpiece for anyone who has ever had to say a difficult goodbye.