Icarus

* A LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD FINALIST *

Perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, this suspenseful queer YA romance from critically acclaimed author K. Ancrum reimagines the tale of Icarus as a star-crossed love story full of secrets and lies between a young art thief and the son of the man he’s been stealing from—think Portrait of a Thief for YA readers.

Icarus Gallagher is a thief. He steals priceless art and replaces it with his father’s impeccable forgeries. For years, one man—the wealthy Mr. Black—has been their target in revenge for his role in the death of Icarus’s mother. To keep their secret, Icarus adheres to his own strict rules to keep people, and feelings, at bay: Don’t let anyone close. Don’t let anyone touch you. And, above all, don’t get caught.

Until one night, he does. Not by Mr. Black but by his mysterious son, Helios, now living under house arrest in the Black mansion. Instead of turning Icarus in, Helios bargains for something even more dangerous—a friendship born from forced proximity that breaks every single one of Icarus’s rules.

As reluctance and distrust become closeness and something more in a tense slow burn romance, they uncover the gilded cage that has trapped both their families for years. One Icarus is determined to escape. But his father’s thirst for revenge shows no sign of fading, and soon it may force Icarus to choose: the escape he’s dreamed of, or the boy he’s come to love. Reaching for both could be his greatest triumph—or it could be his downfall.

"The sparse prose in this unconventional, must-read of a trauma-infused borderline thriller is packed with emotional breadth." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"In this intimate poetic reimagining of the Icarus myth, Ancrum crafts a subversive triumph that is a love letter both to healing from trauma and to the importance of connection and empathy." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Beautifully written...Psychologically acute, subtle, and sophisticated." —ALA Booklist (starred review)

"In her extraordinary fifth novel, Icarus, K. Ancrum performs a confident high-wire act, balancing the weighty manifestations of connection, desire, and contradiction." —BookPage (starred review)

“Gradually, many secrets are revealed, suspense builds, and the romantic tension between the characters ratchets up—all of it enhanced by the vivid prose in this refreshingly succinct novel.” —The Horn Book

"Both romance and thriller fans will likely be gripped by this memorable love story, tinged with mythology, built around a mystery made up of bitter secrets between the two families." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

• Star-Crossed Lovers: He’s the thief sent to destroy a family. He’s the son of the man who holds all the cards. Falling for each other was never part of the plan.
• Myth Retelling: A lyrical and suspenseful reimagining of the Icarus myth, where flying too close to the sun means risking it all for love.
• Morally Grey Characters: Icarus lives by a strict code of isolation to protect his father’s secrets, but his growing feelings for Helios threaten to burn everything down.
• Found Family: Beyond the gilded cage of their families, powerful new friendships offer Icarus a glimpse of a life he never thought possible—if he’s brave enough to trust them.