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Not Going to Plan

Shortlisted – Carnegie Medal for Writing 2026
Shortlisted – The Windsor Academy Trust 2026 Secondary Book Awards
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Marnie's really messed up this time!

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Thrown out of her posh boarding school just before GCSEs, the only empty seat in Marnie’s new class is next to Zed, a nerd with zero tolerance for mistakes.

 

Marnie (great at art and Spanish but definitely not numbers) can’t wait to party - whereas Zed (great at maths and physics but definitely not languages) is a loner who can’t stand being touched.

 

But they need good grades at GCSEs. And what starts as a trade in tuition, turns into an unlikely friendship... A friendship that’s tested to breaking when Marnie is tricked into having sex without a condom.

 

Now she needs Zed’s help to make the hardest decision of her life.

 

Not Going to Plan is an intensely topical, accessible YA verse novel which wades into the muddy waters of coercion and consent.

 

Written in highly accessible, very visual verse,

Crossing the Line was researched with Brook, the charity which promotes sexual health & wellbeing.

 

Suitable for ages 14 – 18, published by Hot Key Books, 2025.

“A fresh approach to the topic of teenage relationships and identity, avoiding cliches, sentimentality or simple answers.”
Lisa Hallgarten, Brook Sexual Health and Wellbeing
"This poignant, powerful, often hilarious 14+ verse novel asks questions about respect, consent and how to hold it together when the plan falls apart."
The Guardian Children's Books Round Up of the Best
"An essential read for young adults navigating sexual and platonic relationships and the issues of peer pressure, consent and social conformity. Important taboos are smashed."
School Reading List
"Fisher explores a wide variety of sensitive topics whilst still crafting a narrative that feels honest, believable and character-driven, challenging stigmas that girls are often made to feel around sex. These are messages that need to be heard by both female and male readers."
Just Imagine
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