When You Were Mine - by Rebecca Serle (Paperback)

About the Book

Seniors Rosaline Caplet and Rob Monteg, neighbors and best friends, have finally become a couple at their Southern California high school, but when Rosie's estranged cousin Juliet moves back into town and pursues Rob in an unstable, needy, and vindictive manner, Rosie starts to worry not just about Rob's emotions, but about his very life.

Book Synopsis

THE NOVEL THAT INSPIRED ROSALINE--NOW A HULU MOVIE

From the New York Times bestselling author of One Italian Summer and In Five Years comes an intensely romantic modern recounting of the greatest love story ever told--narrated by the girl Romeo was supposed to love.

What's in a name, Shakespeare? I'll tell you: everything.

Rosaline knows that she and Rob are destined to be together. Rose has been waiting for years for Rob to kiss her--and when he finally does, it's perfect. But then Juliet moves back to town. Juliet, who used to be Rose's best friend. Juliet, who now inexplicably hates her. Juliet, who is gorgeous, vindictive, and a little bit wild...and who has set her sights on Rob. He doesn't even stand a chance.

Rose is devastated over losing Rob to Juliet. This is not how the story was supposed to go. And when rumors start swirling about Juliet's instability, her neediness, and her threats of suicide, Rose starts to fear not only for Rob's heart, but also for his life. Because Shakespeare may have gotten the story wrong, but we all still know how it ends.

Review Quotes

"A powerful story about the thrill of first love and the devastation of first heartbreak." -Leila Sales, author of Mostly Good Girls and Past Perfect

"A sweet, fun, and utterly irresistible read." -Deb Caletti, National Book Award Finalist

"A whirlwind of drama, intrigue, political scandal, and romance worthy of the Bard himself. Serle infuses plenty of realism and heart into her tale....She has made such an appealing character that the story goes from being another retelling of R&J to Rosaline's story, told at long last." --VOYA

"By turns heart-stoppingly romantic and heart-poundingly exciting, When You Were Mine is a book you'll want to make yours." --Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus, bestselling authors of The Nanny Diaries

"I cried, I swooned, I pumped my fist in triumph! When You Were Mine is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring, with enough sizzling romance and compelling drama to make Shakespeare jealous." -Sarah (aka Poshdeluxe), founder of Forever Young Adult

"I swooned. I cried. I loved, loved, loved this delicious novel." -Sarah Mlynowski, author of Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) and Gimme a Call


"This emotionally authentic debut novel about a fragile first love keeps the pages turning....Serle gets the nuances just right. The optimism of new love, the concerned friends after Rose's heartbreak and the dynamics of a triangle--not just the love triangle between Rose, Rob and Juliet, but also the triangle of female best friends." --Shelf Awareness

About the Author

Rebecca Serle is the New York Times bestselling author of Once and Again, Expiration Dates, One Italian Summer, In Five Years, The Dinner List, and the young adult novels The Edge of Falling and When You Were Mine. Serle also developed the hit TV adaptation Famous in Love, based on her YA series of the same name. She is a graduate of USC and The New School and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Find out more at RebeccaSerle.com.