When You Get the Chance

When You Get the Chance follows Mark and Talia, cousins who could not be more different. Talia is a stickler for rules, generally hates disorganization, and wants people to get along. Mark just wants to have fun, even if that means breaking rules, causing trouble, or even getting drunk and disorderly in the middle of an already tense week-long stay at a remote family cabin. The only thing that ties the two together at all is their shared queer identities. When a family emergency gets Mark and Talia’s estranged families back together for the first time in a while, the two end up clashing almost constantly, with Mark’s sister, Paige, being one of the few voices of reason to keep things from falling into complete chaos.

While Talia is mostly concerned about an on-again-off-again relationship with Erin, her nonbinary school sweetheart, Mark is focused entirely on getting to Toronto Pride for the first time. When Mark finds an old car on the cabin property, he tries to sneak off to Toronto without Talia or Paige, but, when he is caught, Talia realizes this is an opportunity for her to find Erin. So, with Paige in tow, the cousins embark on a road trip against their parents’ wishes. Along the way, the trio come across an older lesbian couple—who help them get to Pride—an older gay couple, and a group of queer and trans young people to hang out with.

Stevenson and Ryan are a powerhouse writing team, bringing to life a cast of complex, realistic, compassionate, and sympathetic characters. Although the narrative focuses on Talia and Mark, Paige often steals the show when she appears on the page. In addition, their characters grapple with the ever-changing landscape of gender and sexual identities and orientations; they make mistakes, accidentally misgender, use outdated terminology, but ultimately—and the most important part—they learn and change for the better.

Even the parental figures, who have their own messes to sort out, care about their children and try their best, even if their efforts are mistaken and sometimes fall flat. The parent-child dynamic is superbly constructed. The parents overreact, the teens overreact, and everyone blames everyone else for things that may or may not be their fault. It’s so realistic.

Together, Ryan and Stevenson have created something truly special with When You Get the Chance. Teen readers and adult readers will find much to enjoy and learn in this charming and complex narrative of love, friendship, family, and Pride.