Second chances are a hard thing to come by, especially for society's cast-offs. New Haven is a place full of them, cast-offs and second chances.
Esme Lihua didn't honestly think she'd get a second chance. She wasn't hung up on it though, she'd go back and do everything again, any time. She'd never been one to shy away from a puzzle though, and the girl with the ocean blue eyes and over sized hoodies is definitely that.
Darya Haddix isn't looking for a second chance. She doesn't deserve one. But getting sent to New Haven threw a wrench in those plans, and the scary girl with a dark past and fiery eyes doesn't help at all.
Well meaning adults, a chicken named Macbeth, a nosy car thief, and a dysfunctional found family make New Haven a perfect place to find hope, friends, and maybe even a little romance.
{Fair warning, there will be swearing and some darker things, like mentions of murder, rape, suicide attempts, and self harm/self destructive behavior. Also the title and cover likely could change.}
In which two ex-step-siblings reconnect after just about blowing up their family the first time around...
Three years ago, Maddie fell hard for Jacob Isaacs, the smartest boy in her school. The only problem was this: Her dad had quite literally gotten engaged to his mother. The two tried to dampen the flames of their burgeoning attraction for each other but not before they got caught and were the talk of the town for months.
After the fall out, Maddie moved away to try and start her life over and not be known as the girl who got caught doing it with her 'brother' at prom. She hasn't seen her family in ages and intends to keep things that way.
Jacob, on the other hand, has worked hard to accomplish everything he's ever dreamed of. He's stayed close to home, done exceptionally well at school, and is adored by just about everyone who meets him. There's only one problem: There's a Maddie-shaped hole where his heart used to be. But no matter how hard he tries to reach out and find her, he can't. She won't let him. He let her down and gave up on them when she needed him most. And she's not ready to forgive and forget.
But then Maddie's dad passes and she's forced to come home for his funeral. It should be a quick visit. She intends to make it one. But Jacob has other plans. He let his girl slip through his fingers once and he won't let that happen again. So now he has to convince her to give him one more chance. After all, they're not related to each other anymore.