Worst-Case Scenario
A Novel
Published on 19. February 2026
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-4197-6499-8 (ISBN)
Description
An enemies-to-lovers romance about nemeses who are forced to share their school's Queer Alliance presidency following a tie in the election, new from beloved author Ray Stoeve
Sidney has one goal for their junior year. Well . . . two, if they're being honest. Number one: become president of their school's Queer Alliance club. And number two: keep their self-diagnosed anxiety in check so their grades don't tank like they did last year.
But when the election results in a tie with none other than Sidney's arch nemesis, the class clown Forrest, the two are forced to share the presidency until a revote at the end of term. Sidney expects Forrest to be insufferable, but it turns out that working together is . . . kind of nice?
As surprising feelings for Forrest emerge, Sidney's techniques for managing their anxiety stop working. With the reelection approaching and assignments starting to pile up, will all this pressure be too much for Sidney to handle on their own?
Sidney has one goal for their junior year. Well . . . two, if they're being honest. Number one: become president of their school's Queer Alliance club. And number two: keep their self-diagnosed anxiety in check so their grades don't tank like they did last year.
But when the election results in a tie with none other than Sidney's arch nemesis, the class clown Forrest, the two are forced to share the presidency until a revote at the end of term. Sidney expects Forrest to be insufferable, but it turns out that working together is . . . kind of nice?
As surprising feelings for Forrest emerge, Sidney's techniques for managing their anxiety stop working. With the reelection approaching and assignments starting to pile up, will all this pressure be too much for Sidney to handle on their own?
Reviews / Votes
***STARRED REVIEW***"All the myths and misdiagnoses surrounding OCD are explored in the safe environment of the world Stoeve creates-this is perfect for students who want to read more about someone living with OCD and how to be a good friend to them...Stories about diverse teens dealing with all types of difficulties while having full, rich lives and romance are still rare finds. This, and all of Stoeve's novels, will fill that empty space on shelves perfectly." * School Library Journal * ***STARRED REVIEW***
"It's the perfect queer enemies-to-lovers romance for those who crave an emotionally devastating ride." * Booklist * "[T]he writing is readable and straightforward, depicting Sidney's feelings and experiences authentically and poignantly. Teens seeking a realistic and compassionate depiction of mental health challenges and those who enjoy low-key love stories will find this novel resonates...An honest depiction of OCD paired with a cute queer romance." * Kirkus Reviews * "Enlivened by playful rom-com devices, empathetic prose and Sidney's vulnerable first-person narration vividly portray the protagonist's emotional distress, resulting in an honest unpacking of one teen's struggle to manage their spiraling mental health alongside authentic high school drama." * Publishers Weekly *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
Abrams
Target group
Young adult
US School Grade: From Seventh Grade to Twelfth Grade, Interest Age: From 12 to 18 years
Dimensions
Height: 215 mm
Width: 148 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
376 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4197-6499-8 (9781419764998)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Ray Stoeve is the author of the young adult novels The Summer Love Strategy, Arden Grey, and Between Perfect and Real. They also contributed to the young adult anthology Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance. They received a Made at Hugo House Fellowship and created the YA/MG Trans and Nonbinary Voices Masterlist, a database that tracks all books in those age categories written by trans authors about trans characters. When they're not writing, they can be found gardening, making art in other mediums, or hiking in their beloved Pacific Northwest.