Theres Always Next Year, Leah Johnson
Theres Always Next Year, Leah Johnson
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
Club: $9.99

There's Always Next Year
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick

Author: Leah Johnson, George M. Johnson

Narrator: Eric Lockley, Khaya Fraites

Unabridged: 6 hr 1 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/02/2025


Synopsis

“Deftly narrated by Khaya Fraites and Eric Lockley, this cozy, well-paced romp delivers small-town pride, family love, and adorable teenage queer romance.” — Booklist

"A snow-kissed, warmhearted ode to new beginnings, second chances, and the real, enduring magic of love and community." —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

From New York Times-bestselling author George M. Johnson and USA Today-bestselling author Leah Johnson comes a revolutionary new holiday romcom for fans of Lynn Painter, Alice Oseman, and Nicola Yoon.

Andy was supposed to shed her too-serious student journalist persona and reinvent herself on New Year's Eve. Instead, she puked on her crush, dropped her phone in a fish tank, and managed to get her car stolen. Now, she only has the first day of the year to stop the gentrification that’s threatening her family’s business, right her wrongs from the night before, and figure out why she feels so drawn to the electric new-girl-next-door. How can Andy find her voice when everything’s being turned upside down?

Dominique is an influencer on the verge of securing a major brand deal that will ensure his future and family legacy. But when he runs into his former best friend, unresolved feelings emerge -- and in a small town, there's nowhere to hide. Not from his cousin, Andy, who has always seen him for his true self, not from his busybody manager, Kim, whose favorite color is money green, and certainly not from himself. When all the world’s a stage, can Dominique rise to superstardom without leaving behind the ones he loves?

There’s Always Next Year is a dual POV, double love story about what it means to nearly blow your life up, and race to put it back together before your time runs out. And if Andy and Dominique fail? Well, there’s always next year.

“Deftly narrated by Khaya Fraites and Eric Lockley, this cozy, well-paced romp delivers small-town pride, family love, and adorable teenage queer romance.”—Booklist

"[Khaya] Fraites' expressive narration matches Andy's bright personality, and [Narrator Eric] Lockley captures Dominique's youthful spirit."—AudioFile

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

About Leah Johnson

Leah Johnson (she/her) is an eternal midwesterner and author of award-winning books for children and young adults. Her bestselling debut YA novel, You Should See Me in a Crown, was a Stonewall Honor Book, the inaugural Reese's Book Club YA pick, and in 2021, named by TIME as one of the 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time. She is also the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade novel, Ellie Engle Saves Herself, and the editor of the USA Today bestselling anthology, Black Girl Power. When she’s not writing, you can find her at Loudmouth Books, her Indianapolis-based independent bookstore that specializes in highlighting the work of marginalized authors and uplifting banned or challenged books.

About George M. Johnson

George M. Johnson (they/them) is an Emmy nominated, award-winning, and bestselling Black nonbinary author and activist. Their debut memoir, All Boys Aren’t Blue, was a New York Times bestseller and garnered many accolades. It was the #1 most banned book of 2024 in the United States, according to the American Library Association. For their work fighting book bans and challenges, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) honored George with its Free Speech Defender Award, and TIME Magazine named them one of the “100 Next Most Influential People in the World.” They also wrote Flamboyants: The Queer Harlem Renaissance I Wish I'd Known. Originally from Plainfield, New Jersey, they now live in Los Angeles, California.

About Eric Lockley

Eric Lockley is an OBIE award-winning actor, writer, host and voice-over artist with over twenty years of professional experience. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland (Go Ravens!), Lockley is inspired by stories that highlight the complexities of marginalized communities - from world-building fantasy, to grounded non-fiction, Eric is passionate about giving voice to the oft “voiceless”. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Eric specializes in Young Adult, Horror, Self-Help and Comedic narration. Lockley’s versatile work can be heard in books, documentaries, podcasts and audio dramas produced by BBC, Audible, Macmillan Audio and more. Recent highlights include Lockley’s work in the “big-hearted speculative horror” Listen To Your Sister by Neena Viel.

About Khaya Fraites

Khaya Fraites is a New York–based voice actor. She has narrated over 50 books and has been featured in Business Insider, Empire Magazine, and NBC's Today in the Bay for her voice work. She has received an Earphones Award and has been nominated for a One Voice Award.Some Macmillan titles she's lent her voice to include Where Shadows Meet by Patrcie Caldwell and The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika & Maritza Moulite. She is inspired by stories about women across all genres and loves the opportunity to help tell these stories with her voice work.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Sarah on August 18, 2025

DNF at 40% thank you to leah johnson, george m johnson, their publishing team, and netgalley for the ARC. unfortunately, this just didn’t work for me, and i found myself not really caring about what was happening. hence the DNF. nothing against the authors; i thought the premise behind the book was in......more

Goodreads review by Viktor on December 02, 2025

I listened to this audiobook thanks to the publisher and Net Galley and am very thankful for having had the chance to listen to it. The narrators are incredible and added so much emotion, reflection, and individual cadence to each character that really enriched this story. It's a very timely and una......more

Goodreads review by Tom on May 31, 2024

This was not an easy read. Perhaps because my reading life has included Richard Wright's "Native Son" and several by James Baldwin I was able to grasp the first person narrative style but, as I say, the process is not easy. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding piece of literature by a challenging au......more

Goodreads review by Brittany on November 25, 2025

*Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for early copy for review* I'm do glad I was able to listen to this book. The multiple narrators did a great job at telling this story. With having two different authors it felt like we had a different narrator for each one. The story itself was two queer stori......more

Goodreads review by Nev on November 30, 2025

I enjoyed how There’s Always Next Year took tropes that are common in holiday romances, but gave them a bit of a twist for a YA book. Like someone coming home to their small town from the big city, reconnecting with people, having to save local landmarks, and having whirlwind holiday adventures. Thi......more


Quotes

"A snow-kissed, warmhearted ode to new beginnings, second chances, and the real, enduring magic of love and community." —Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

"As sweet and cozy as it is meaningful and justice-minded... Johnson and Johnson have penned a takedown of gentrification that doesn’t skimp on the romance or the fun." —Booklist, starred review

"A well-told holiday tale about family, forgiveness, love, and doing what’s right." —Kirkus

"[A] winning queer romance... Organic, voice-driven alternating POV chapters interspersed with social media and blog posts and podcast transcripts weave together complexly rendered relationships complicated by socioeconomic conflicts and divides." —Publishers Weekly