Gritty and full of emotion the two central characters, Jess and Nicu, keep you utterly hooked. We Come Apart is a brilliantly told story reflecting the somewhat grim reality of life as an immigrant and as a delinquent teen. With prejudice, hate and fear driving those around them, how can Nicu and Jess protect themselves and each other from the inevitable outcome? Nicu and Jess’ momentary solace in each other is short-lived and their troubles soon spill over to interfere with their plans of escape. As their paths collide, what at first seemed marked differences soon become the threads that hold them together. For Nicu, it’s almost love at first sight when he sees Jess for Jess, can she really be friends with someone who’s always a target for her mates’ bullying? Both have secrets they want to hide. Jess and Nicu meet properly when they end up on a community service programme. Equally vile is the treatment of Jess and her mother by Jess’ step-father, a daily trauma Jess is desperate to hide and desperate to escape from. Nicu is an immigrant but also a Roma Gypsy and the actions of the school bullies towards him are vile. Nicu and Jess may be at the same school but couldn’t be further apart when it comes to their backgrounds.

And as the world around them grows more hostile, the only safe place Jess and Nicu have is with each other. As they grow closer, their secrets surface like bruises. But he wants to work hard, do better, stay here.

His parents are planning his marriage to a girl he’s never met back home in Romania. He’s all big eyes and ill-fitting clothes, eager as a puppy, even when they’re picking up litter in the park for community service. We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan & Brian Conaghan

We come apart