You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao: A Heart-Wrenching Tale of Love, Loss, and Letting Go

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao is a poignant debut that explores the complexities of grief, love, and the struggle to let go. The story follows Julie, a seventeen-year-old girl who finds herself lost after the sudden death of her boyfriend, Sam. When she unexpectedly reconnects with him through a mysterious phone call, Julie gets a second chance to say goodbye, but as she clings to their fleeting connection, she must decide whether holding on is helping her heal or preventing her from moving forward.

You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao

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Seventeen-year-old Julie has her future all planned out—move out of her small town with her boyfriend Sam, attend college in the city, spend a summer in Japan. But then Sam dies. And everything changes.

Heartbroken, Julie skips his funeral, throws out his things, and tries everything to forget him and the tragic way he died. But a message Sam left behind in her yearbook forces back memories. Desperate to hear his voice one more time, Julie calls Sam’s cellphone just to listen to his voicemail.

And Sam picks up the phone.

In a miraculous turn of events, Julie’s been given a second chance at goodbye. The connection is temporary. But hearing Sam’s voice makes her fall for him all over again, and with each call it becomes harder to let him go. However, keeping her otherworldly calls with Sam a secret isn’t easy, especially when Julie witnesses the suffering Sam’s family is going through. Unable to stand by the sidelines and watch their shared loved ones in pain, Julie is torn between spilling the truth about her calls with Sam and risking their connection and losing him forever.

Julie is a deeply flawed and often unlikeable protagonist, which makes her journey through grief both relatable and frustrating. Her anger and selfishness, both in the present and in flashbacks, paint a picture of a girl struggling to cope with an unimaginable loss. I found her portrayal to be realistic – grief isn’t always pretty or noble, and Julie’s messy emotions reflect that. However, her behaviour can be off-putting, making it challenging to fully connect with her at times. Despite this, watching her slowly transform and come to terms with her grief made me root for her. Her journey felt raw and honest, and while she may not be the most sympathetic character, her struggle to let go of Sam is something many can relate to.

Sam is the heart of the story, even in his absence. His kindness and love for Julie shine through their calls, making the grief of his loss palpable. Sam’s presence as a loving, supportive boyfriend makes the pain of their separation all the more heart-wrenching. Though we mostly experience him through Julie’s memories and their otherworldly calls, Sam’s character feels fully realised and profoundly touching. He represents the lingering impact of a lost loved one, and every interaction with him is bittersweet.

While the focus is heavily on Julie and Sam, the side characters felt a bit underdeveloped. They serve as reminders of the world Julie is neglecting in her grief, but I wish their roles had been more fleshed out to further ground Julie’s journey and show the broader impact of Sam’s death.

The plot centres on Julie’s struggle to cope with Sam’s death and her miraculous connection with him through a series of phone calls. The pacing starts slow, reflecting Julie’s deep sense of loss and her reluctance to move on. As the story unfolds, it balances between past and present, giving a fuller picture of Julie and Sam’s relationship. This structure helped deepen my understanding of their bond and made the story’s emotional moments hit harder. The plot isn’t heavy on twists or complex mysteries, but it doesn’t need to be – its strength lies in the emotional journey of letting go. Although the twist at the end felt a bit underexplored, it added a layer of intrigue that kept me engaged until the final page.

The writing is beautifully descriptive and does an excellent job of conveying the raw emotions of grief and longing. Thao’s style is lyrical without being overly flowery, making the book feel intimate and deeply personal. The atmospheric prose pulled me into Julie’s world, and the vivid portrayal of her pain made the story resonate on a visceral level. However, the pacing can feel slow at times, mirroring Julie’s reluctance to confront her reality, which might be a drawback for some readers looking for a more plot-driven narrative.

The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the painful process of moving on. Julie’s story is a testament to how grief can distort reality, making it hard to say goodbye even when you know you must. The book delves into the idea that letting go isn’t about forgetting but about finding a balance between holding onto memories and living in the present. It touches on the universal yearning for one more moment with those we’ve lost, and how those lingering connections, while comforting, can also hinder our ability to heal.

You’ve Reached Sam fits well within the young adult contemporary genre with a touch of magical realism. The novel’s focus on emotional exploration over plot action aligns it more with character-driven narratives typical of YA fiction. It also has elements of romance and coming-of-age, as Julie learns to navigate her grief and the complexities of moving forward.

Positives of You’ve Reached Sam

• Emotional Depth: The portrayal of grief is raw and relatable, making the emotional journey feel authentic.
• Unique Premise: The concept of reconnecting with a lost loved one through phone calls offers a fresh take on coping with loss.
• Strong Central Relationship: The bond between Julie and Sam is touching and believable, adding weight to the story’s emotional stakes.
• Lyrical Writing: Thao’s descriptive and atmospheric prose enhances the book’s emotional impact, drawing readers into Julie’s world.

Negatives of You’ve Reached Sam

• Unlikeable Protagonist: Julie’s behaviour can be frustrating, and her selfishness makes it difficult to fully connect with her at times.
• Slow Pacing: The plot’s slow pace may be off-putting for readers expecting more action or a faster-moving storyline.
• Underdeveloped Side Characters: Supporting characters could have been more fleshed out to provide a richer narrative context.
• Unexplained Twist: The supernatural element of the phone calls isn’t fully explained, leaving some aspects of the story feeling unresolved.

You’ve Reached Sam is a beautifully crafted, heart-wrenching debut that explores the intricacies of love, loss, and the struggle to let go. Dustin Thao’s writing captures the rawness of grief in a way that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. While the pacing is slow and the protagonist can be challenging to connect with, the emotional depth and unique premise make this a memorable read. If you’re looking for a tear-jerker that delves into the pain of goodbyes and the difficulty of moving on, You’ve Reached Sam is worth picking up. I’d rate it 4 out of 5 stars for its touching portrayal of grief and the bittersweet reminder that love lingers, even after loss.

I received You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao from the publisher. This is an unbiased and honest review

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