About

Discover the vibrant worlds of young love and self-discovery with Jackie Khalilieh and M.K. Lobb as they explore the highs and lows of romance in their latest young adult novels. In To Steal from Thieves, Lobb delivers a thrilling fantasy romance filled with loyalty, danger, and unexpected connections. Khalileh’s You Started It blends heartfelt emotion with witty charm, following a young woman navigating a summer breakup, a fake dating scheme, and the surprising ways new relationships can change everything. Together, these authors reveal how romance shapes identity, courage, and the journey from adolescence into adulthood.

Moderated by Lisa de Nikolits

You Started It

Read more about You Started It

Buy from

Buy from

Buy from Penguin Random House Canada

To Steal From Thieves

Read more about To Steal From Thieves

Buy from

Buy from

Jackie Khalilieh

Jackie Khalilieh is a Palestinian Canadian author who believes that young adult readers should have the option and freedom to read about evergreen issues facing teens in an authentic, positive way. Like many autistic women, she received her diagnosis as an adult. Something More, her debut YA novel, was shortlisted for the Ruth & Sylvia Schwartz Award, as well as the Snow Willow Award and the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award, and was selected for several Best Books of 2023 lists, including the New York Public Library and Audible Canada.

Read more about Jackie Khalilieh

Credit Nicole Finelli

M.K. Lobb

M.K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark—whether literature, humor, or general aesthetic.

Read more about M.K. Lobb

Photo credit: Rob Boyce.