Reasons We Break

A December 2025 Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Book Pick

In this contemporary romantic drama for young adults, the high-stakes gang politics of Breaking Bad meets the star-crossed romance of Romeo & Juliet.

To keep Rajan out of prison, Simran agrees to handle his former gang’s books—but when a gang war erupts, they must decide how much they’ll sacrifice for each other.

As long as Simran has known Rajan, her immigrant community has warned her away. She knows what they call him, especially since he got out of juvie: an addict. A gangster. A killer. But Simran can’t believe Rajan is beyond hope. She’s seen his thoughtfulness firsthand: He’s the only one who’s noticed the pressure she’s under to be perfect—and how close she is to breaking. So when Rajan’s old gang tries to force him back in, Simran makes a desperate bargain: She’ll become their bookkeeper to clear his debts and keep him out of prison. But Rajan won’t leave her side while she works, and their forbidden attraction is becoming harder to ignore. Worse, there’s a gang war brewing—and neither of them is likely to get through it unscathed . . . if they get through it at all.

This high-stakes forbidden romance is perfect for fans of star-crossed love and the rich themes and singing prose of Sabaa Tahir and Angie Thomas.

Story Locale: an Indo-Canadian immigrant community in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada