John

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a horrific accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from that shed.

Are you ever going to find The One? Does she look like her online dating profile pic? Is he really into you, or is he just playing games? And what did that text even mean? Love is so confusing. But one thing's certain - everyone's addicted. We're lonely when it's not around, and can't get enough when we finally find it. How to Tell If Somebody Loves You explores our back-and-forth relationship with love through a collection of 18 funny, sad, and life-affirming personal essays on dating, sex, random hook-ups, fiery flings, and serious relationships.