Old Enough

A Novel

By: Haley Jakobson

Narrated by: Jenna Kray, Haley Jakobson

Finalist for the Lambda Literary Award in Bisexual Fiction

“Old Enough is full of growth, heartbreak, and winsome bisexual chaos.”—Vogue

A debut novel “as astute, funny, and loving as your best friend from college”* about a young bisexual woman who is pulled between a new sense of community and loyalty to a friendship she’s outgrown

*Isle McElroy

Savannah "Sav" Henry is almost the person she wants to be, or at least she's getting closer. It’s the second semester of her sophomore year. She’s finally come out as bisexual, is making friends with the other queers in her dorm, and has just about recovered from her disastrous first queer “situationship.” She is cautiously optimistic that her life is about to begin.

But when she learns that Izzie, her best friend from childhood, has gotten engaged, Sav faces a crisis of confidence. Things with Izzie haven’t been the same since what happened between Sav and Izzie’s older brother when they were sixteen. Now, with the wedding around the corner, Sav is forced to reckon with trauma she thought she could put behind her.

On top of it all, Sav can’t stop thinking about Wes from her Gender Studies class—sweet, funny Wes, with their long eyelashes and green backpack. There’s something different here—with Wes and with her new friends (who delight in teasing her about this face-burning crush); it feels, terrifyingly, like they might truly see her in a way no one has before.

With a singularly funny, heartfelt voice, Old Enough explores queer love, community, and what it means to be a sexual assault survivor. Haley Jakobson has written a love letter to friendship and an honest depiction of what finding your people can feel like—for better or worse.

An utter gift

This book is an utter gift for women, survivors, and anyone who had ever wanted to have their story told through the most gentle, loving, human voice imaginable. I found myself tearing up, beaming, giggling each in turn. I was so sad when it was over, and am so grateful for this incredible novel (and voice performance),

Devoured this

As most of the readers here, I found Haley and her writing style on Instagram when those girlies were the thing. She’s stayed in my feed due to the fact that she’s vulnerable, honest, accountable and offers a really validating perspective to many on a lot of the things we as women in the US haveexperienced in this life. So often these thoughts, feelings and emotions go unspoken and in turn leave so many of us feeling alone. I felt as though I was observing what I wished my college experience had been like, Sav had the courage to be who I have since become and grown further from. Jakobson did a phenomenal job sharing an important story and pushing to challenge readers own thoughts in the process. Bravo!

P.s. have met Haley in Brooklyn once recently and have to say the narrator chosen sounds suspiciously like her!

Listened twice, loved it both times

Elder millennial here 🙃 These characters gave my college age in the closet baby queer self so much healing.

Figuring it

Well written, the words flowed and the characters were well defined. A girl comes to to terms with her trauma and learns what she wants to be

This book broke my heart in the best ways

The most beautiful book I’ve read/heard. It is so relatable in so many ways but also broke my heart in just as many. I recommend this book to anyone who will hear and all I will talk about. I’m obsessed and read it 3 times over already!!