Life in Edgewater, a small town on the southern coast of Florida, is never boring. Mostly, the hot summer days are filled with tourists shopping and causing chaos on the north side of the beach, but the real story takes place with the locals on the south side. Meet Chloe, a teenage artist who has lived in this small town for her entire life, but is still trying to get over a tragic event that rocked her world. Next, there are Shane and Eli, who are Chloe's neighbors and best friends, despite the brothers being total opposites. When Chloe's cousin Gianna comes from the city to visit for the summer, the two will discover a bond they never saw before. And finally, there's Drew, the new girl who has lived in multiple different houses but has never had a home. With these five teenagers and one exciting summer, this book tells the story of young love, friendship, and just how far someone will go to save what they truly care about.
Ella is falling apart trying to live a "perfect" high school life. Then she meets Ren, who can see past her scars. Suddenly perfection isn't her only option.
*****
Ella Volkov is a gifted music student, but she's depressed and starting to crack under the pressure of high school. Her overbearing father won't even let her choose what instrument she plays. Then she finds herself alone at a party with Ren, her best friend's crush. She'd always thought he was rude, but after that night he's all Ella can think about. Now she's trapped. If Ella dates Ren, it will ruin her friendship with Jenny. But if she stays true to Jenny, she's losing the one person who can see past her scars. It's up to Ella to decide if she will forge her own path, or stay in the "perfect" box designed for her...
Content and/or Trigger Warning: depression, anxiety, self-harm, violence, sexual assault.
[[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]