Promising Young Man

Winner 2026 IndieReader Discovery Award for New Adult Fiction, a troubled young man gets a shot at redemption in a fun & powerful exploration of belonging, societal expectations, and loss of innocence that BookLife Reviews calls "deeply relatable."

A modern Caulfield meets Harold and Maude with an ADHD twist—darkly witty, achingly real.

Oscar Danielsson is eighteen, brilliantly ADHD, and about to ruin his life—again.

He looks like a promise waiting to be kept. His biggest fear is everyone discovering he's not what they expect at all. Between his spectacular mistakes, self-medicating, and overwhelming existential dread, hiding in his room feels safe, even if it means blowing high school graduation.

One hazy mistake too many launches Oscar on a mysterious cross-country road trip with his free-wheeling Grammy, who's done playing by the rules. Leaving behind his girl crush, beloved dog, and comforting vices is torture. But Grammy has a secret that changes everything—and Oscar discovers one of his own.

Oscar is the defiant anti-hero you can't stop rooting for. Grammy's his unlikely wingman. Together they're almost okay.


Finalist, 2026 Next Generation Indie Book Award for Inspirational Fiction, Promising Young Man is perfect for readers who loved A Man Called Ove, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, or Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine; and anyone in high school, college, or deep in their career who's ever felt like a square peg in a round world or watched someone they love struggle to fit in.

Mature themes: mental health struggles, substance use, suicidal ideation, self-harm.

"fascinating, original, and exceptional...especially and unreservedly recommended" — Midwest Book Review (Library Bookwatch, May & June 2026)

"You'll hate yourself for putting it down to go to bed, but you'll remind yourself that you're trying to make it last." — Dr. Moses Altsech, Professor, Wisconsin School of Business

"The writing and dialogue are so on point... the book is sweet and endearing with something for everyone."  — BlueInk Review (Starred)

"Axel's writing crackles with energy and hard-won insight, capturing Oscar's inner monologue in a way that feels both authentic and deeply relatable." —BookLife Reviews (Editor's Pick)

"(Henry Fielding's) Tom Jones suggested that the world, no matter how messy, ultimately has answers. Promising Young Man does the same." — Windy City Reviews (Recommended)

"I love this book." — Jill Wine-Banks, author, The Watergate Girl, MS NOW legal analyst

"Beautiful read… Oscar's voice is unforgettable." — Doug Bolton, author, Untethered: Creating Connected Families, Schools, and Communities to Raise a Resilient Generation

"Oscar is breathtakingly real and appealing" — The BookLife Prize
 

"deeply moving, sharply observed... truly enjoyable." — Sarah C. Maza, Member American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Professor of History Emerita Northwestern University

"a quiet masterpiece" — Samuel Durr, Learning Specialist, William C. Goudy Technology Academy

Dark humor ~ Road trip adventure ~ Intergenerational friendship ~ ADHD representation done right