All Categories
Product Description Award-winning author Hadley Dyer’s YA debut is smart, snarky, and emotionally gripping, about a rebellious cop’s daughter who falls in love with an older man, loses her best friend, and battles depression, all while trying to survive her last year of high school. Feisty and fearless George Warren (given name: Frances, but no one calls her that) has never let life get too serious. Now that she’s about to be a senior, her plans include partying with her tight-knit group of friends and then getting the heck out of town after graduation. But instead of owning her last year of high school, a fight with her best friend puts her on the outs of their social circle. If that weren’t bad enough, George’s family has been facing hard times since her father, a police sergeant, got injured and might not be able to return to work, which puts George’s college plans in jeopardy. So when George meets Francis, an older guy who shares her name and her affinity for sarcastic banter, she’s thrown. If she lets herself, she’ll fall recklessly, hopelessly in love. But because of Francis’s age, she tells no one—and ends up losing almost everything, including herself. This is a gorgeous, atmospheric, and gut-wrenching novel that readers won’t soon forget. From School Library Journal Gr 9 Up—It's the beginning of George's senior year of high school and things are getting complicated. George's dad's health is in trouble; complications from diabetes have lead to his leg being amputated, and he isn't healing, physically or psychologically, like he should be. His inability to work adds financial stress on the family, which might change George's college plans. And to top it all off, George has a falling out with her best friend. But then she meets Francis and kisses him, and they start to fall in love. The problem is that Francis is 29 years old and the town's new constable. George is 17, and her dad used to be on the police force. The impropriety of George and Francis's relationship will both frustrate and exhilarate teens. The narrative unfolds as the two try to live normal lives while stealing time away for one another. When tragedy strikes, George must put the pieces of her life back together while grieving a broken heart in secret. Quiet and subdued, with gentle doses of humor, Francis and George's love story has emotional weight. The author explores the problematic love affair with nuance. VERDICT A deeply felt romance constructed with equal respect to both sides, this love story is bittersweet like a Joseph Monninger novel, and equally hard to forget.—Jennifer Miskec, Longwood University, Farmville, VA Review “A gorgeous read, so wonder-full of surprises.” (Tim Wynne-Jones, award-winning author of Blink & Caution) “A sad, funny, heartbreaking, and beautiful book.” (Margo Rabb, author of Kissing in America) “A refreshing and engrossing tale about an illicit romance, sure to be a page-turner for teens. The voices are authentic and witty — hats off to Dyer.” (Susan Nielsen, author of We Are All Made of Molecules) “Evocative and literary.” (Kirkus Reviews) “With unpredictable plot twists and an entertaining streak of sarcasm, Dyer explores the blurred lines between right and wrong and the risks and dangers of an all-encompassing love.” (ALA Booklist) “A deeply felt romance constructed with equal respect to both sides, this love story is bittersweet like a Joseph Monniger novel, and equally hard to forget.” (School Library Journal) “A lush, romantic tale of star-crossed lovers. Dyer depicts first passion and love with a precise, delicate hand. Robust in wisdom and sparkling word play, this is a thoroughly satisfying read.” ( The Toronto Star) “Empathetic, comforting, and wise. A story about forbidden love. Poetic realism at its finest.” ( The Globe and Mail) About the Author Hadley Dyer is the award-winning author of Here So Far Away and Johnny Kellock Died Today, among other books for children and young adults. She worked in the children