Nick and Charlie continue to work on their relationship. They communicate about if they want to/ are ready to take their relationship to the next level physically. They have supportive friends and parents.
Nick is thinking a lot about his future as he is scheduled to go to university the next year. He wants to maintain this important relationship but also needs to do more exploring about where will be a good fit for him.
Charlie is dealing with some body images. He distracted. He's in love. And he is willing to to risk beyond his comfort zone to play drums onstage
Their friend group members are supportive and deal with their own issues. ( )

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/N8uhuG_Otgw

Enjoy! ( )

In this volume, Charlie and Nick are having to confront upcoming changes in their lives. Nick is considering university options and the possibility of a long distance relationship with Charlie. Charlie is still working on his body image issues and his eating disorder, although he's doing much better. As he adjusts to the idea of school life without Nick around everyday, he also finds himself thinking about his and Nick's relationship. He thinks he's ready to take things to the next level, but is Nick?

After the bucketloads of anxiety that was volume 4, this volume was relatively low stress. Both Charlie and Nick are at a point in their lives where they're being forced to think about who they are outside of their relationship - especially Nick, who doesn't have a lot of people besides Charlie with whom he feels comfortable talking to honestly about his feelings. Luckily, both of the guys are better able to handle these issues than they initially realize. They also both have good and supportive people around them.

There's a bit of a subplot involving Tori, who comes out as asexual and has her own worries about relationships. I suspect that's fleshed out more in Oseman's Solitaire, which I haven't read.

All in all, a very good volume.

Extras:

An Osemanverse timeline that lays when various works in this world (Heartstopper volumes, Solitaire, "This Winter" novella) take place and how much time they cover.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

More heartstopper fluff. I'm pleased this one is a bit less dark than the 4th one. Gentle angst, about exams, and which universities to apply to, and how far to go with your partner, and being brave enough to play in the band. Definitely a cliff hanger ending though, and oh, how will they cope long distance? ( )

The end of the school year is approaching, bringing with it final exams for Charlie and university tours for Nick. Each eyes the future with uncertainty, but their relationship, at least for now, feels closer than ever. Oseman depicts the joy, fears, insecurities and all the other emotional highs and lows of teens with amazing authenticity. This series is so wholesome and awwwww. I'll be sad when it's over. A heads-up for younger readers, in case it makes you squirmy: half the book is either conversations about, anxiety surrounding, or actual sex, just as it's on many real teens' minds a lot of the time. The scenes are cute, realistic, and not at all explicit, but this mom in hindsight probably should have read it first in order to have given fair warning before handing the book off to her 13yo. :) ( )