Beyond Cliches

Madeline Evans is, what, seventeen? No, she hasn't got her life all figured out yet and no, she doesn't really have the motivation to do so. Her mother, bless her soul, is about as devout as a person can get, but Maddie isn't exactly thrilled to run around evangelizing for her.

News comes around to the Evans that there's two new families ready to plop into Peoria -- the McAllisters and the Rao-Wozniaks -- and Mrs Evans is eager to push Madeline into their laps.

Scandal shrouds the McAllisters, who have gotten money from a lawsuit and a claim that Laszlo, hunky high school feller, is the illegimate son of a billionaire. The Rao-Wozniaks are the more obscure family -- with a daughter, Peony-Georgia, who doesn't mind going commando in public and a brother, Krish, who's skilled in astral projecting.

Navigation of high school is accompanied by Winnie, the boy-crazy socialite, and Dakota, the cynical Chinese-medicine expert. It may be possible that Maddie finds love It also may be possible they will just spend time eating copious amounts of ice cream whilst pining over fictional characters. Whatever the case, this is a love story that is beyond cliches.