by Sarah Dessen
First published 2002
Halley starts her junior year expecting the usual mix of classes and social drama. Then her best friend Scarlett's boyfriend dies in a motorcycle accident. The tragedy hits Scarlett hard, but worse news follows when she discovers she's pregnant with his child. As Scarlett struggles with her pregnancy and grief, Halley finds herself in her first serious romantic relationship. She must balance supporting her best friend through an unplanned pregnancy while exploring new feelings of her own. The weight of adult responsibilities crashes into their teenage world. Halley learns that growing up means making difficult choices about loyalty, love, and what kind of person she wants to become. Dessen captures the intensity of female friendship when life forces both girls to mature faster than they expected.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary, young-adult, contemporary-romance, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, friends-to-lovers
7 pages · Audio Cassette · Listening Library,