You’ve Found Oliver
Dustin Thao
Dutton Books for Young Readers
Published September 30, 2025
Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads
About You’ve Found Oliver
A new story, a new love, an impossible divide. The much-awaited companion to the New York Times bestselling You’ve Reached Sam will break your heart open.
I’ve missed you every day since you left. But I’m sure you already knew that. It’s time to let you go now. I’ll miss you all the time, Sam.
It’s been a year since his best friend, Sam, died. Even though Oliver knows he won’t get a response, he can’t stop texting Sam’s number, especially as the anniversary of his death approaches.
Then one day he accidentally hits the call button, and someone picks up.
The voice on the other end isn’t Sam—Sam’s number was reassigned and a stranger has been reading Oliver’s private and vulnerable messages for months. But Ben, an astronomy student in Seattle, won’t remain a stranger for long.
When they finally meet in person, their spark is undeniable. Everything seems perfect until Oliver discovers something strange that could keep them from being together.
My Review
I love that this story connects to You’ve Reached Sam, but is an entirely new tale, too. The story opens with a montage of scenes showing Oliver’s memories of Sam leading up to his death. He messages Sam’s number, and accidentally dials. When Ben answers, Oliver is shocked.
Right away, the two connect, their conversations easy and heartfelt. By contrast, Oliver struggles to connect with other people in his life. Their relationship is sweet from start to finish. They celebrate one another’s victories and long to see each other, even when they discover something odd happening when they do see each other.
I like that the story also gives readers a window into Julie’s life a year after Sam’s death. She’s dated a few people, but nothing serious. She seems stable, but not unaffected by her loss. There were a couple of moments where I thought she might open up to Oliver about her experience calling Sam’s phone, but it didn’t happen. She does seem to put together that the strange events Oliver experiences are connected to Sam in some way.
The story also explores some philosophical ideas about time and space, which works well with some of the components of the plot. I like some of the connections the author made there.
All in all, this is a sweet story about finding a new, unexpected love after a deep loss. It explores some questions about how much one should give up for love and how loving someone carries risks.
I definitely think fans of You’ve Reached Sam will enjoy this companion novel for its glimpse back into the people Sam left behind.
Content Notes
Recommended for Ages 14 up.
Profanity/Crude Language Content
Two instances of profanity.
Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing. Brief, vague references to an ex having cheated on someone.
Spiritual Content
None.
Violent Content
Brief, vague references to a car accident death.
Drug Content
Adults drink alcohol at a fancy dinner party.
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