'Heartwarming and hopeful, Amalie Jahn's Phoebe Unfired explores what it might be like to navigate an anxiety disorder in post-Covid America. jahn navigates the romance and social-commentary aspects expertly, and the work offers strong attention to detail, a well-paced plot, and intriguing major characters.' - Kirkus Reviews 'an engaging narrative about coping with anxiety with an optimistic outlook. 'heartfelt and hopeful, Phoebe Unfired is a timely and compassionate portrait of anxiety, family, and friendship-and what it means to fully live (and love) in a world composed of that which you fear the most.' - Amber Smith, New York Times bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Last to Let Go Now Walter's devised a plan to help Phoebe overcome her anxiety, and she must decide whether to continue isolating herself or risk everything initiating a friendship with the charming subway busker she can't help but want to touch.

By the time she reaches high school, her only sources of respite are pottery class and her friendship with Walter, the elderly owner of the used bookstore where she works part-time. To protect Toby's health in the years that follow, Phoebe dedicates herself to pathogen avoidance, refusing to touch any potential sources of contamination-handrails, doorknobs, vending machine buttons, and even other people-leading to an unintended life of seclusion. Before she got Covid and infected him, putting his already fragile life in danger.

There was a time she didn't worry obsessively about rogue pathogens lurking on every surface, lying in wait to contaminate her.īut that was before her brother Toby's premature birth left him with underdeveloped lungs. Sixteen-year-old Phoebe Benson wasn't always germophobic.

Tin Men by Amalie Jahn