Both are trying to escape: Jess from a violent and abusive stepfather and Nicu from parental pressure for an arranged marriage. Both teenagers live on the edges of their communities, friendless and unsupported. Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan have collaborated to write the stories of Jess and Nicu respectively. Brian Conaghan's powerful debut, When Mr Dog Bites, was shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie Medal, Peters Book of the Year and CBI Book of the Year Award. Perfect for fans of Patrick Ness, Malorie Blackman, Rainbow Rowell and John Green.Sarah Crossan received the 2016 CILIP Carnegie Medal for her astonishing novel One, which also won the YA Book Prize,CBI Book of the Year Award and the CliPPA Poetry Award. But they can't be together, forever, and stay safe - can they?An extraordinary, high-impact, high-emotion collaboration between two Carnegie honoured rising stars of YA. The only safe place they have is with each other. But his dad's fists are the most powerful force in Nicu's life, and in the end, he'll have to do what his dad wants.As Nicu and Jess get closer, their secrets come to the surface like bruises. He wants to get educated, do better, stay here in England. The last thing Nicu wants is to get married. His dad brought Nicu and his mum here for a better life, but now all they talk about is going back home to find Nicu a wife. She's got a lot to hide.Nicu thinks Jess is beautiful. Nicu is all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they're picking up litter in the park for community service. Jess would never have looked twice at Nicu if her friends hadn't left her in the lurch. YA rising stars Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan join forces to break readers' hearts in this contemporary story of star-cross'd lovers.

We come apart sarah crossan