The Free Verse Society
A tender hate-to-love YA romance about two teens who connect through their high school poetry club, where the power of the written word tears down the walls they’ve built around their hearts.
No one in Delray knows Jae Aƒenyo’s story—that she’s a teen mom who placed her baby for adoption—and she intends to keep it that way. After moving in with her uncle, Jae is looking for a fresh start. But an accidental run-in with the school’s delinquent Derek Patel is not exactly what she had in mind. She soon finds a haven in the poetry club—at least, until Derek joins.
Derek Patel is desperately clinging to his old life—where his dad was alive, his mom was healthy, and they lived on Ocean Boulevard instead of a run-down pink bungalow. He’ll do anything to hide his problems from his friends, including breaking into his old house to keep up the charade that he still lives there. But the house now belongs to the school’s lit teacher, who offers him the chance to join the poetry club as a penance.
As the newest members of the club, Jae and Derek are tasked with planning the end-of-semester poetry reading. While Derek is hell-bent on keeping his broken family a secret, Jae is desperate to prove to her uncle that she’s more than a walking statistic—which means guarding her heart against Derek, who her uncle thinks is no good.
A poignant exploration of love, loss, and the power of words to draw people together, The Free Verse Society announces the arrival of an important new voice in YA romance. Perfect for readers who love Forced Proximity, Opposites Attract, Hate to Love, the Misunderstood Bad Boy, Opposite Sides of the Tracks, Secret Baby, and Reading/Literature Club Bonding!
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Additional information
| Genre | Book Club, Contemporary, General Fiction, Romance |
|---|---|
| Age | Young Adult |
| Publisher | Independent |
| Imprint | Peachtree Teen |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format(s) | Audiobook, eBook, Hardcover, Trade paperback |
| Author | Delali Adjoa |
| Release Date | 10 February 2026 |
| Release Month | February Releases |
| Author Identity | BIPOC |
About the Author
Delali Adjoa was born in Togo to Ghanaian parents but grew up in Canada, where she traded sunny cottons for wool tuques and snowsuits. She has been chasing warmer weather ever since.
Delali writes fiction centered on identity, freedom, and family, and loves the American South for the stories it has buried. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and Georgetown University. Instagram: @DelaliWrites.
