Within these county lines
Pre-order now at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop, Amazon, or wherever you get your books. Available February 24, 2026.
Eighteen-year-old Stetson Delancey never thought breaking up with his boyfriend would turn him invisible.
In Penango County, Pennsylvania, high school couples carve their names into the legendary Ardor Tree, a rite of passage said to grant love that lasts. Stetson and his boyfriend were no exception. But a bitter breakup just before college splinters their future, and in a moment of anger, Stetson does the unthinkable: he hacks their names from the tree.
That’s when everything in his rural hometown goes from boring to bizarre. Shadows flicker where they shouldn’t. Strangers pass by like he’s not even there. And some people stop seeing him altogether.
With just two months left in Penango and his college dream slipping away, Stetson races to uncover the tree’s secrets before he vanishes for good. But when he meets a boy only he can see—a boy who may have secrets of his own—Stetson begins to wonder if breaking free from his hometown means letting go of everything or learning to hold on to what matters.
WITHIN THESE COUNTY LINES is a queer coming-of-age novel about the unraveling of first love, hometown magic, and how sometimes we can’t uncover the truth about others without confronting the truth about ourselves.
Praise for within these county lines
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"Brian Zepka delivers another queer romance with a unique speculative twist and genuine characters that truly sparkle."
Sher Lee, author of Fake Dates and Mooncakes and Legend of the White Snake
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"With a mysterious ancient tree, young heartache in a small town and an imaginative interpretation of what it means to truly feel seen, Within These County Lines has the perfect ingredients for a fun, beautifully emotional and vivid read."
Sidney Karger, author of Best Men and The Bump
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"Within These County Lines is mysterious, adorable, and so very relatable!”
Jordon Greene, author of Every Word You Never Said
The Temperature of Me and You
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Sixteen-year-old Dylan Highmark thought his winter was going to be full of boring shifts at the Dairy Queen, until he finds himself in love with a boy who's literally too hot to handle.
Dylan has always wanted a boyfriend, but the suburbs surrounding Philadelphia do not have a lot in the way of options.
Then, in walks Jordan, a completely normal (and undeniably cute) boy who also happens to run at a cool 110 degrees Fahrenheit. When the boys start spending time together, Dylan begins feeling all kinds of ways, and when he spikes a fever for two weeks and is suddenly coughing flames, he thinks he might be suffering from something more than just a crush. Jordan forces Dylan to keep his symptoms a secret. But as the pressure mounts and Dylan becomes distant with his closest friends and family, he pushes Jordan for answers.
Jordan's revelations of why he's like this, where he came from, and who's after him leaves Dylan realizing how much first love is truly out of this world. And if Earth supports life that breathes oxygen, then love can only keep Jordan and Dylan together for so long.
THE TEMPERATURE OF ME AND YOU is the story of first love, and the lengths we'll go to figure out our hearts. What starts as an electric, chance encounter at a Dairy Queen quickly evolves into a heated romance, a journey of trust and identity, and a ticking clock for survival.
Praise for the temperature of me and you
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"Catapults the notion of sizzling romance to a whole new fun level with both metaphoric and literal sparks, flames, and superhuman pyro-powers brightly burning in a smokin' hot story."
Alex Sanchez, author of Rainbow Boys and You Brought Me the Ocean
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"With so much heart, mystery, and sci-fi intrigue, Brian lit a fire in my soul that had me burning through these pages! Not only will the action have you on the edge of your seat, but the sparks flying between Dylan and Jordan will make you melt."
Jason June, NYT bestselling author of Out of the Blue
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"As an average guy coping with things science can’t explain―love included―Dylan is an appealing character."
Publishers Weekly
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"One of the ten best young adult books arriving in 2022."
Seventeen Magazine
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"A shimmering LGBTQ YA novel to illuminate winter nights."
Lambda Literary
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”One of the best youth books to read at any age.”
Esquire Magazine