Publication Date: July 22, 2025
What if the one person who sees you is the one the world won’t listen to?
Sixteen-year-old Owen Kelly is barely holding it together after his grandfather’s death. He’s shut down, tuned out, and hiding behind the pages of his sketchbook.
Until he meets Jun-ho Lee. Jun is Deaf, half-Korean, and new to Dublin. He doesn’t use words, but he understands Owen better than anyone.
But in a world full of judgment and expectation, their connection is under fire before it’s even begun. When Jun’s family pressure closes in, staying silent isn’t an option anymore.
They’ll have to speak, in whatever language they can, or risk losing each other for good.
The Sound of You is a heartfelt queer YA romance about first love, resilience, and finding your voice when no one wants to listen.
But how can you be heard when all you have is silence?
Perfect for fans of Heartstopper, I’ll Give You the Sun, and The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
The Sound of You is categorized as a young adult queer romance. But this novel stands out far beyond a story of teen romance. Author Simon Doyle blends grief, parental disappointment, romance, and all levels of acceptance into a very unique story.
The shining element for me was how the author illustrated the depths of a teenager’s grief over his grandfather. Owen was close to his grandfather. Not only was his grandfather’s death sudden, but Owen witnessed his last moments. The character’s thoughts and actions demonstrate how deeply he is grieving, and the author weaves these throughout the whole story.
The first few chapters describe the physical and emotional loss of a recently deceased relative and the mental confusion of the grieving family. This kickoff of the story is extraordinary.
Owen feels lost without his grandfather’s daily presence. They not only shared daily chats and routines, but also a love of art. After some time, Owen decides to paint near a pond that was a favorite spot for his granddad. Painting wasn’t Owen’s choice of medium. His grandfather was the painter. But after a short time, Owen cleans up and absentmindedly runs into another young man, spilling paint over the stranger’s sweater. Owen apologizes and wonders why he isn’t being yelled at. Instead, the boy stares, shakes his head, and walks away.
After their paths cross again, Owen soon finds out Jun-ho is deaf. They have an immediate connection. Owen is determined to understand his new friend, so he joins a sign language class. This does help their relationship to grow, but it isn’t necessary. Owen and Jun easily communicate in so many ways.
All is moving slowly and respectfully, and then Jun’s absent father arrives and threatens everything.
Simon Doyle has written a young adult novel that challenges misconceptions about people who are hearing-impaired. The Sound of You is filled with teenaged characters who are witty, compassionate, supportive, and rather heroic!
Simon Doyle (he/him) was born and raised in Ireland. He discovered that he could travel the world on a shoestring by reading books at a very young age. When he won a local poetry competition at the age of nine, it sparked a lifetime love of words. But he swears never to write poetry again.
He is the author of novels for young adults including Snow Boys.
He lives with a very neurotic rescue dog, and Lucas, his human soulmate. They met in kindergarten. Where all good stories begin.
