“I remembered Owen telling me how music had saved him in Phoenix, that it drowned everything out, and it was the same for me now. As long as I had something to listen to, I could blur the things I didn't want to think about, if not block them out completely.”

American novelist of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Sarah Dessen writes coming-of-age stories that explore teenage resilience and family dynamics with quiet empathy. Her novels, like *The Green Glass Sea* and *Just Listen*, blend realism with emotional depth, offering nuanced portraits of young women navigating love, loss, and self-discovery.