Yearning Difficulties by Elle McNicoll – at a glance
The School Reading Lists’ five word review: neurodivergent love, exactly as yourself.
YA book title: Yearning Difficulties.
YA author: Elle McNicoll.
Genre: Young Adult / Romance.
Published by: First Ink.
ISBN: 9781037402180.
Recommended for children aged: 12+.
First published: October 2026.
This YA novel is ideal for: Readers who enjoy young adult romance, fans of friends to lovers type stories and neurodivergent teens who are seeking role models and optimistic characters. Ideal for fans of Alice Oseman, Beth Reekles and McNicolls earlier novels in the Lake Pristine series, Some Like It Cold and Wish You Were Her.
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Our review:
In the sleepy town of Lake Pristine, Zella has gone from one half of the high school’s golden couple to the girl nobody quite knows what to do with. Since splitting from Dave Calvert, she’s learned that the friends she thought she had were only ever his, and her dream role co-hosting Radio Panache, the school’s radio show, has become torture now that she has to share the microphone with her arrogant ex. Zella has always struggled to fit in: her opinions rub people up the wrong way, her habits are seen as odd, and her teachers are quick to put her differences down to mental health problems. Apart from Max, the elusive friend from her past, she has never felt truly understood. Then quiet Killian Bergary phones in to the show and fearlessly puts Dave in his place on air, and Zella finds herself drawn to him.
Killian’s mother runs a prestigious creative writing seminar that could open doors to Zella’s university future, but she’s rumoured to favour wealthy students. So when Killian proposes a plan, Zella can’t resist: they’ll pretend to date for the autumn, giving her a way into his family and getting sweet revenge on Dave in the process. Yet Killian has secrets of his own; he is still haunted by a mystery girl he once kissed in a darkened cupboard at a Halloween party. As their pretend romance deepens, Zella finds she can finally relax and be herself with him. The arrival of Killian’s cousin Cherry, who is autistic and carries herself with a confidence Zella admires, begins to shift how Zella sees herself.
But Killian’s lies are starting to unravel, and the line between pretence and reality is blurring fast. As their friendship begins to crack under the weight of everything left unsaid, Zella is left with questions she never expected to ask. Who is the girl Killian can’t forget? What does Cherry see in her that Zella has never been able to name? And if the feelings were never fake, what happens when autumn ends?
Our verdict:
Yearning Difficulties reinvents the fake-relationship premise, viewing it through an unmistakably autistic lens. The charade gives Zella and Killian a low-risk space to test what a relationship might feel like before either dares to call it genuine. Even the crossed wires, a device that often irritates readers, feel justified: the pair aren’t avoiding honesty but simply failing to read each other’s signals, and the reasons are always understandable. Told entirely from Zella’s point of view, this instalment of the Lake Pristine series feels distinct from the previous books and draws readers closely into her thoughts. She is a sharp, layered heroine whose growth across the story is compelling to follow, and Killian complements her beautifully. Their slow-burning romance is tender and absorbing, while a lively ensemble, with the standout Cherry, gives Lake Pristine real warmth.
The novel’s greatest strength lies in Zella’s gradual recognition, and eventual embrace, of her own autism. Anyone who has received a diagnosis later in life will identify with her quiet sense of not quite fitting without understanding the cause, and younger readers may discover in her the language that many autistic adults lacked growing up. McNicoll portrays neurodivergence with remarkable honesty. Zella, Killian and Cherry share certain experiences, yet each is wholly their own person, a reminder that the spectrum is varied. Heartfelt and uplifting, this is a celebration of being cherished for exactly who you are, and a wonderful choice for teenage readers, particularly neurodivergent ones hoping to find themselves reflected in fiction.
Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:
Neurodiversity and self-discovery
- Zella’s gradual realisation that she may be autistic offers a way into discussing late diagnosis, masking and how people come to understand themselves.
The many faces of autism
- Zella, Killian and Cherry are all autistic, yet they are very different people. This helps challenge stereotypes and shows that no two autistic experiences are the same.
Friendship, belonging and honesty
- After her breakup, Zella discovers her social circle was never really hers, while Killian’s lies begin to damage their friendship. Students can explore what genuine connection looks like and what deception costs.
Book Club Questions
- Fake dating is a much-loved concept in romance, even though most adults wouldn’t recommend it in real life. Why do you think it’s so appealing in fiction? Did the pretence help Zella and Killian discover something they couldn’t have found otherwise?
- The story is told entirely from Zella’s point of view, yet readers know from the start that Killian is in love with her. How did that dramatic irony shape your reading? Did you find yourself frustrated, sympathetic or both?
- Zella has spent years feeling different without knowing why, while others, including her teachers, offer their own explanations. How did you respond to her journey of self-discovery? What role did Cherry play in helping Zella see herself differently?
- Zella realises after her break-up that her friends were really Dave’s, yet with Killian she can finally be herself. What do you think the novel says about belonging and being accepted for who you are? Which relationship in the book felt the most genuine to you, and why?
Many thanks to First Ink for the review copy.
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