Sick Kids in Love
By Hannah Moskowitz
YA Contemporary Fiction
November 5, 2019
About the Book:
Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It’s easier–
It’s safer–
It’s better–
–for the other person.
She’s got issues. She’s got secrets. She’s got rheumatoid arthritis.
But then she meets another sick kid.
He’s got a chronic illness Isabel’s never heard of, something she can’t even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father who’s a doctor.
He’s gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her.
Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It’s complicated–
It’s dangerous–
It’s never felt better–
–to consider breaking that rule for him.
Sick Kids in Love… I mean, how do you review something when the title basically reviews itself?
It’s heartache and romance.
What I was hoping for when I started reading was for something sweet and pure, and hopefully without anyone dying. I mean, it was a leap of faith, because so many books like this one do end up with one of the characters dying. Instead, I wanted to read a book about two kids with chronic illness, and I wanted a happy ending for them.
I just realized I’ve talked myself into a corner, since I’m unable to tell you whether or not I got my wish Even admitting if someone dies or not would be a spoiler, and I’m not going to do that to you.
Instead, let’s talk about what really worked in this story. For one, Isabel and Sasha were really cute together. I loved their dark humor. Isabel would make a joke about being sick, and Sasha loved it!
I loved it.
Ibby (cause that’s what they all called her) struggles with having an illness. She feels judged and ends up hiding it as much as she can, not wanting to rock the boat or be an inconvenience. Sasha was the exact opposite. It led to some interesting debates between the two of them, and brought on a new way to think about invisible illness.
Outside of their sickness, they were completely opposite. Ibby can talk with everyone. She has no problems with shyness, until she’s talking about being sick. Sasha hates talking to strangers. It always makes him feel awkward. UNTIL he needs something for his condition, then he’ll make demands all over the place. They had a balance between them that worked.
And, the romance was swoonworthy!
Sasha, of course, was super sweet and infectious. He was the light that brightened Ibby, and he brightened me. He made me glad I chose Sick Kids in Love as my second book of 2020.
I’ve had Hannah Moskowitz books on my to read shelf for years, and until now the only thing I’d read from her was one chapter in the anthology Violent Ends. Not anymore! I’ll be moving some of her oldies right up my list!
Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC, in exchange for an honest review.
Birdie Bookworm 
Interesting. I honestly thought this was the author’s debut novel because it’s someone I’ve never heard of.
I’m glad you enjoyed this one, Birdie. I’ll have to give it a go. 🙂
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Oh no, lol. I just think it’s her most recognized. I’ve had her book Gone, Gone, Gone on my TBR for years.
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