It’s a rainy day when I meet Sarah Dessen in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It’s not the super glamorous day she was hoping when we get to see the campus where she kickstarted her writing career from, but it is the perfect vibe to head to her local bookstore, Flyleaf Books, to pick up some reads and chat. It’s a moment that absolutely leaves me buzzing as my younger self cheers at the chance of hanging out with an author who has definitely impacted an entire generation with her stories. But the big question on my mind was, When are you going to come back? I didn’t know it then, but she actually had a big secret she was keeping and now she’s ready to reveal it all.
Cosmopolitan can officially announce that Sarah Dessen is back! The beloved author is making her big return in 2026, which will mark the end of her seven-year hiatus. In a special three-book deal with Simon & Schuster, the author will also release novels in 2027 and 2028. The first book, Change of Plans, is set to be released on May 5, 2026.
“Change of Plans is about the lives we envision, those we end up living and the twists and turns in between. There’s also love, heartbreak, family and breakfast sandwiches,” Sarah told Cosmopolitan. “I’m thrilled to be working with Simon & Schuster and can’t wait to share it with my longtime readers as well as new ones.”
Here’s the official description from our friends at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers:
Finley has always felt most comfortable in someone else’s shadow. Fortunately, she’s got Colin, her magnetic boyfriend, who sweeps her along for activities, friendships, and future plans. Then, post-graduation, she winds up on a last-minute trip with her distant mom to a family vacation house Finley didn’t know existed and is about to be sold. Since her mom was estranged from her own parents and siblings since leaving home for college, it’s a novelty for Finley to see her aunts and cousins, and to meet the handful of teens who work at the Egg, her aunt’s diner, and make up a found family of their own—including undeniably handsome guitarist Ben.
Then her relationship with Colin goes into sudden freefall, and Finley’s vision for life after high school is out the window. Suddenly unmoored, she has no choice but to live, for the first time, without plans. As Finley gets to know her relatives better, she learns the truth about why her mother stayed away all those years—and why she’s brought Finley here now. And the closer she grows to new friends at the Egg, the more she starts to fall for grounded, meditative Ben—and to realize how much of herself she’s been missing. By the end of the summer, nothing will be the same—for this community or for Finley herself.
And that’s not the only surprise! We’re also revealing the book’s cover which features Finley and you’re definitely going to want to zoom in on her sunglasses.
S&S Books for Young Readers
Of course, we’re all dying to find out more about Finley’s story and what other surprises Sarah has in store for us. While we have to wait a bit longer to find out more, you’re definitely not going to want to miss out a second so don’t forget to pre-order the book and even check out some of Sarah’s other releases as well!
Welcome back, Sarah! It’s safe to say that it was so worth the wait!
Change of Plans, by Sarah Dessen will be released on May 5, 2026. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:
AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE BOOKS-A-MILLION BOOKSHOP TARGET WALMART HUDSON BOOKSELLERS