From the highly-acclaimed author of My Kind of Crazy comes an uplifting coming-of-age story about two teens who hit the road on a journey to forge their own paths.
Jack has always wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, but when his dad suddenly dies, Jack's carefully thought out plans start to unravel. Longing for closure before he leaves for college, Jack decides to go to San Francisco and find his estranged brother, Alex. If he can heal things with Alex, he might be able to truly move forward.
Hallie is sitting on huge news that she isn't ready to share with anyone. And she doesn't want to think about it, either, because a friend from her online cancer support group has taken a turn for the worst. There's a small window to travel to Oregon to say goodbye, so she buys a bus ticket and tells her parents she's going to a friend's for the weekend.
Jack and Hallie had a class together years ago and haven't seen each other since, but fate puts them into the same rideshare to the bus terminal. When wildfires in Los Angeles cause major travel delays, Jack comes up with an unconventional way to get to their destinations. With the clock ticking and a lot on the line for both, the two set off on an unexpected adventure that may lead them to their own true selves…and maybe to each other.
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Gr 9 Up-It's Jack's last day of high school and his 18th birthday. Still reeling from the death of his father the previous year, struggling with anxiety, and feeling ambivalent about his college plans, Jack has a lot on his plate. When his girlfriend, Natasha, drops a bomb on him days before they are set to begin the next chapter of their lives together, it throws everything into question. Meanwhile, Hallie's cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment have forced her to miss out on much of her high school experience and has put a strain on her family's finances. Although she has been in remission for some time, she has found it difficult to plan for the future or find pleasure in things she used to enjoy. At the start of this novel, her thoughts are consumed by some concerning news she received at her last doctor's appointment. After their paths cross in a serendipitous meeting, Jack and Hallie end up on an unexpected road trip together, both searching for answers. In alternating perspectives, the protagonists feel authentic, as does the connection they form. While the ending wraps up a bit too tidily, readers will be invested in these characters and enjoy watching them become confident in forging their own paths versus doing what is expected of them. Main characters' ethnicity isn't stated. VERDICT A fun and thought-provoking read for mid-size or larger collections.-Kimberly Tolson, Millis P.L., MA