Love at Second Sight

by F.T. Lukens · 2025

First published 2025 · 368 pages · English

7 quotes ★ 4.02 (2,799) Fantasy

Quotes from the Book

I wouldn’t allow myself to be diminished for the comfort of others.

The tips of Mateo’s ears turned red and then began to lengthen. Mateo scrambled for his beanie, yanking it out of his jacket pocket, but he fumbled with it due to his claws. Kaci smiled. “Because Mateo likes you.

The soda can Mateo held in his hand burst open as his fingernails suddenly grew into claws.

They’re not only in trouble with law enforcement but also with the association of covens, the werewolf families, the entire Sprite Alliance, and the Psychic Guild.

It’s time to hold hands and start the chant.

I ate several of those peaches.” “Good for you,” I said. “I bet they were delicious.” “They were,” she said, appalled.

Reese was there for the giggles,

Did you know?

The novel was published on April 29, 2025, by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
Protagonist Cam Reynolds is a human who unexpectedly becomes a clairvoyant, one of the rarest supernatural beings in the story's world.
The book's central murder mystery is sparked by a public psychic vision Cam has from the killer's point of view.
Cam's experience as a clairvoyant functions as a metaphor for being outed as queer and pressured to appear 'normal.'
It received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.
Author F.T. Lukens is also known for the queer YA novels 'So This Is Ever After' and 'Otherworldly.'

About F.T. Lukens

F.T. Lukens is a New York Times bestselling American author of queer young-adult speculative fiction, including 'So This Is Ever After,' 'In Deeper Waters,' 'Spell Bound,' and 'Otherworldly.' Their debut, 'The Rules and Regulations for Mediating Myths & Magic,' won the Bisexual Book Award for Speculative Fiction. They live in North Carolina.

More about the author →

More by F.T. Lukens

In Deeper Waters F.T. Lukens

2021★ 3.87

About the book

"Love at Second Sight" is a young-adult paranormal mystery by F.T. Lukens, published in 2025. It follows fifteen-year-old Cam Reynolds, who hopes to fly under the radar at a school where many of his classmates have supernatural powers, including his witch best friend Al and his werewolf crush Mateo. When Cam has a public psychic vision of a teen girl's murder from the killer's point of view, he is suddenly revealed to be a clairvoyant, one of the rarest supernatural beings, and finds himself racing to identify and stop the killing before it happens.

Beneath its murder-mystery plot, the novel uses Cam's sudden clairvoyance as a metaphor for queer identity and the experience of being unwillingly outed and pressured to be 'normal.' Across its largely queernormative world, the book examines prejudice, social pressure, family strife, and the weight of unrealistic expectations, while balancing first-crush romance with the suspense of a supernatural whodunit.

The book was received as an entertaining, thematically substantial addition to Lukens's body of queer YA speculative fiction. Trade reviewers praised its propulsive plotting, distinct characters, and immersive worldbuilding, with Publishers Weekly awarding a starred review and Kirkus calling it a fun, twisty mystery with deep undertones.

Key characters

Cam ReynoldsFifteen-year-old protagonist who discovers he is a clairvoyant
MateoWerewolf classmate and Cam's longtime crush
AlCam's witch best friend
AidenCam's older brother

Book details

First published: 2025
Length: 368 pages
Reading time: 7 hours
Author: F.T. Lukens
Genre: Fantasy
Goodreads rating: 4.02 (3k ratings)

Critical reception

Publishers Weekly gave the book a starred review, praising its propulsive, balanced plotting, distinct characters, and immersive worldbuilding that examines prejudice, social pressure, and family strife.
Kirkus Reviews described it as a fun, twisty mystery with deep undertones.
The book was also reviewed by trade outlets including Booklist and School Library Journal.