The Easy Part of Impossible by Sarah Tomp

The Easy Part of Impossible

Sarah Tomp

HarperCollins · Paperback · July 27, 2021

After an injury forces Ria off the diving team, an unexpected friendship with Cotton, a guy on the autism spectrum, helps her come to terms with the abusive relationship she’s been in with her former coach.

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Who it’s for
A focused YA title that leans into interiority more than spectacle.
Genres
Abuse & Trauma for Teens, Water Sports, Contemporary YA Romance
Published
HarperCollins, July 27, 2021

About this book

After an injury forces Ria off the diving team, an unexpected friendship with Cotton, a guy on the autism spectrum, helps her come to terms with the abusive relationship she’s been in with her former coach. Ria Williams was an elite diver on track for the Olympics. As someone who struggled in school, largely due to her ADHD, diving was the one place Ria could shine.

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But while her parents were focused on the trophies, no one noticed how Coach Benny’s strict rules and punishments controlled every aspect of Ria’s life. The harder he was on her, the sharper her focus. The bigger the bruise, the better the dive. Until a freak accident at a meet changes everything. Just like that, Ria is handed back her life, free of Benny. To fill her now empty and aimless days, Ria rekindles a friendship with Cotton, a guy she used to know back in elementary school. With Cotton, she’s able to open up about what Benny would do to her, and through Cotton’s eyes, Ria is able to see it for what it was: abuse. Then Benny returns, offering Ria a second chance with a life-changing diving opportunity. But it’s not hers alone—Benny’s coaching comes with it. The thought of being back under his control seems impossible to bear, but so does walking away. How do you separate the impossible from possible when the one thing you love is so tangled up in the thing you fear most?

Grounded Intimacy

A focused YA title that leans into interiority more than spectacle.

Come here for

  • teen-centered emotional terrain
  • category-fit reading with a grounded, intimate feel

Expect

  • illness and disability themes
  • an immersive, reflective read

Where it sits

Abuse & Trauma for Teens77%
Contemporary YA Romance54%
Water Sports31%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Coming of Age
  • Religious YA
  • Contemporary YA Romance
  • Disabilities & Special Needs for Teens
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Emotions & Feelings for Teens
  • Friendship for Teens
  • Mental Illness for Teens
  • Abuse & Trauma for Teens
Authors
Sarah Tomp
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
July 27, 2021
Format
Paperback
Reading lane
Coming of Age