People go through struggles every day, whether it’s school, losing someone, figuring themselves out…it can be anything. Mason Deaver’s I Wish You All The Best perfectly captures what it’s like to go through the struggle of identity and acceptance. In Deaver’s book, we follow Ben as they navigate through their new life after a falling out with their parents.

After being kicked out for coming out as nonbinary, Ben ends up moving in with their sister, Hannah (who they haven’t seen in ten years) and her husband, Thomas (who they’ve never met before). Not only that, but they have to finish their senior year at a new school. Ben’s parents’ rejection leaves them with anxiety disorder, and fearing that what happened with their parents will happen again, they come out to only Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist. At Ben’s new school, they meet charming and comical Nathan, who (despite Ben’s best efforts to keep their distance) they eventually become friends with. With the help of Nathan, their friends and family, and art, Ben starts to see a silver lining in their life.

Although I Wish You All The Best is fiction, it captures real struggles many people face today. While talking about the book in a review, Alethea Kontis of NPR writes, “Ben’s story is compelling; it flies by, but it’s not the easiest to read.” Her quote pretty much sums up the process of reading I Wish You All The Best. Mason Deaver’s book gives readers a better understanding of the LGBTQ+ community, and shows us just how important acceptance is to not only the LGBTQ+ community, but anyone.