Becki Jayne Crossley on her emotional YA novel, Tart

Libby’s life is turned upside down when a video of her ‘cheating’ on her boyfriend, Dan, goes viral the night he has a serious bike accident. Now the whole school has turned on her and her only friend is Neha, the new girl everyone else ignores.

If Dan doesn’t wake up from his coma soon, the secret he’s been carrying around might disappear along with him. A secret that will change everything. And he’s not the only one hiding things – Neha’s been crushing on Libby for months…

To celebrate the release of Tart, we invited Becki Jayne Crossley to chat about her book.

We love how the title “Tart” carries multiple meanings. How did you arrive at that?

I’d been writing the story for a while and really struggling to come up with a title – I think I’d even already used the word ‘tart’ in the book at that point. And then one day I was talking to a friend about the plot and interrupted myself to say “Tart, the book should be called Tart!” I loved how sharp it was and how exceptionally British.

Tart explores how a viral video can upend a teenage girl’s life. Why did you choose social media as the catalyst for Libby’s journey?

Social media can be an amazing power for connection, but it can also be used to really isolate people. And when it does, it’s inescapable – the bullying doesn’t end when the school day does.

Even outside of the viral video, Libby talks about how seeing posts of her old friends together amplifies her loneliness. It’s such a huge part of our lives, and I wanted to look at the different ways it can turn on you.

Libby’s boyfriend falling into a coma is a bold and emotionally weighty plot point, especially in a YA novel. What made you choose to explore such a serious event?

As a huge reader of YA (both as a teenager and now) I’ve always appreciated the ones that tackle big topics without shying away from them, while also keeping them accessible for younger readers. I wanted to explore that prolonged, uncertain grief – Libby even questions if ‘grief’ is the right word for what she’s experiencing.

I also wanted to show the quiet side of grief, the isolation and even boredom. A lot of the time it feels like it should always be dramatic and huge, but there comes a point where you’re just a bit exhausted by it.

In fact, why do you think this story works so well as a YA story? 

The themes are so universal for teenage readers – feeling out of place, discovering things about yourself, and being afraid of what the world thinks of you. It’s a story I would have really benefited from when I was young, and I hope it can make others feel less alone.

Balancing an emerging romance with grief, guilt, and identity is no easy feat. How did you ensure readers get to read about queer joy, without overshadowing the emotional weight of the rest of the novel?

Dark times can bring out the worst in people, but also the very best. You find out who is there for you (and who isn’t), so for these characters they were finding their people at the very moment they needed them the most. I wanted to show that there can be that balance, and that with the right people at your side you can get through anything.

Let’s also chat about the humour in the book. How did you decide on the tone of the book? Did you intentionally add humour to balance out the heavy topics? 

I think it’s very human to seek out moments of joy and humour in times of sadness and loss. I’ve gone from tears of grief to tears of laughter in a matter of seconds before – when everything is heightened, that includes the funny stuff. So it was intentional to add humour to balance out the heavy topics, but it also felt fairly natural. It just made sense to me, and I don’t think the presence of one has to mean the absence of the other.

How do you think Libby and Neha’s relationship will develop after the final page? Do you ever imagine what happens next for them?

Yes! I love imagining what comes next. Mostly it’s just normal little moments of their relationship. Neha definitely takes Libby to her first Pride and introduces her to the queer scene. Libby helps Neha to feel more at home in Chipping Hollow. It wouldn’t make a great book, because it’s all very ‘happily ever after’, but I figure I’ve put them through enough already and they deserve it.

Tart by Becki Jayne Crossley is out August 14, 2025 (Bloomsbury UK).