Room to Breathe by Kasie West

“When the walls close in, the truth comes out.

When Indy’s life came crashing down, she made a no one could know. To the world, she’s still the same Indy—cool, calm, unshaken. But behind the scenes? It’s chaos.

Her tight-knit crew—Beau, Caroline, and Ava—were once her everything. Now they’re strangers she can’t seem to reach—especially Beau. And the only person she talks to these days is Cody, a skater-boy she used to think was so not her type. Funny how everything changes when your world flips upside down.

And then, as if things couldn’t get weirder, Indy finds herself literally stuck in a school bathroom with Beau. After months of silence, and there’s no escape. If they want out, they’ll have to face the messy truth about what happened between them and find a way back to what they once had. Or maybe even more . . .” - taken from Goodreads.

Indy finds herself locked in the teacher's bathroom after school on a Friday without her cell phone. Her life has been turned upside down due to some family issues. When her former friend Beau gets locked in with her as well, Indy's story between then and now begins to unfold. Locked in the bathroom together overnight, can Indy and Beau repair their damaged friendship and find a way out?

Visit Kasie West’s website.

Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill

 

“Amir Trudeau only goes to his half brother Marcel’s birthday party because of Chloe Danvers. Chloe is rich, and hot, and fits right into the perfect life Marcel inherited when their father left Amir’s mother to start a new family with Marcel’s mom. But Chloe is hot enough for Amir to forget that for one night.

Does she want to hook up? Or is she trying to meddle in the estranged brothers’ messy family drama? Amir can’t tell. He doesn’t know what Chloe wants from him when, in the final hours of Mardi Gras, she asks him to take her home and stay—her parents are away and she doesn’t want to be alone.

Amir never gets an answer to his question, because when he wakes up, Chloe is dead—stabbed while he was passed out on the couch downstairs—and Amir becomes the only suspect. A Black teenager caught fleeing the scene of the murder of a rich white girl? All of New Orleans agrees, the case is open and shut.

Amir is innocent. He has a lawyer, but unless someone can figure out who really killed Chloe, it doesn’t look good for him. His number one ally? Marcel. Their relationship is messy, but his half brother knows that Amir isn’t a murderer—and maybe proving Amir’s innocence will repair the rift that’s always existed between them.

To find Chloe’s killer, Amir and Marcel need to dig into her secrets. And what they find is darker than either could have guessed. Parents will go to any lengths to protect their children, and in a city as old as New Orleans, the right family connections can bury even the ugliest truths.” - taken from Goodreads.

Who killed Chloe Danvers? I love a good, suspenseful mystery and this book succeeds on all levels. Amir, the oldest son of Martin Trudeau, is resentful of his younger half brother Marcel. Their father left Amir’s mother for Marcel’s mother and became a famous restaurateur. Marcel throws an extravagant sixteenth birthday party that Amir has no desire to attend, that is until he receives a text from Chloe Danvers, a hot girl from their school. At the party, Amir leaves with Chloe when she asks him and stays the night at her house since she is afraid to be alone. Amir agrees. Falling asleep on her couch, he wakes up to go home before his mother comes home from work. Unfortunately Amir finds that someone has killed Chloe. Fleeing her house, Amir’s life is turned upside down when he is charged with murder. Feeling hopeless, Amir finds that the brother he doesn’t want to be around is the one person determined to prove his innocence. Can Amir and Marcel repair their relationship in order to find the real killer? 

Visit Jumata Emill’s website.

The Do-Over by Lynn Painter

 

“After living through a dumpster fire of a Valentine’s Day, Emilie Hornby escapes to her grandmother’s house for some comfort and a consolation pint of Ben & Jerry’s. She passes out on the couch, but when she wakes up, she’s back home in her own bed—and it’s Valentine’s Day all over again. And the next day? Another nightmare V-Day.

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheat on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways.

How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?” - taken from Goodreads.

This was a fabulous book that was a mixture of Groundhog Day and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Emilie is a planner, down to the perfect boyfriend. When her plans for the perfect Valentine's Day start to go awry, beginning with crashing her van into her chem lab partner Nick, who acts like he doesn’t know her. The rest of the day is an excruciating disaster. She catches her boyfriend kissing his ex, her father is moving to another state, etc. Heartbroken, she is shocked to wake up the next day to a repeat of her not so perfect Valentine’s Day. Find out why Emilie's disastrous day is on repeat and what or who it will take to get her to the 15th.

Visit Lynn Painter’s website.

When We Collided by Emery Lord

“Can you fall in love when you’re falling apart?”

“We are seventeen and shattered and still dancing. We have messy, throbbing hearts, and we are stronger than anyone could ever know…

Jonah never thought a girl like Vivi would come along.

Vivi didn’t know Jonah would light up her world.

Neither of them expected a summer like this…a summer that would rewrite their futures.

In an unflinching story about new love, old wounds, and forces beyond our control, two teens find that when you collide with the right person at just the right time, it will change you forever.” - Goodreads 

At the heart of this book, this was Jonah's story. I really wanted to shake Vivi for some of her choices but she was the breath of fresh air in the small town of Verona Cove. And the town and Jonah were better for Vivi being there. The beginning of this story wasn't really capturing my attention but I was in tears at the end. Grief, mental illness, and recovery are what makes this book. 

Visit Emery Lord’s website.

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer (Letters to the Lost book 2)

More Than We Can Tell by Brigid Kemmerer (Letters to the Lost book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a companion story to Letters to the Lost. You can read this one without having read the first book but there are several spoilers or scenes that will make more sense if you do. 

“Rev Fletcher is battling the demons of his past. But with loving adoptive parents by his side, he’s managed to keep them at bay...until he gets a letter from his abusive father and the trauma of his childhood comes hurtling back.

Emma Blue spends her time perfecting the computer game she built from scratch, rather than facing her parents’ crumbling marriage. She can solve any problem with the right code, but when an online troll’s harassment escalates, she’s truly afraid.

When Rev and Emma meet, they both long to lift the burden of their secrets and bond instantly over their shared turmoil. But when their situations turn dangerous, their trust in each other will be tested in ways they never expected.” -taken from Goodreads.com

I loved learning more about Rev Fletcher's troubled childhood and how he has moved beyond it. Rev and Declan's friendship continues to shine through this book. Emma Blue was a character that I liked but I wanted to smack some sense into her at times. She made some stupid decisions but this is really Rev's book and his story propels everything forward.

Visit Brigid Kemmerer’s website.

Everyday Magic by Emily Albright (The Heir and the Spare book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a companion story to The Heir and the Spare. You can read this one without having read the first book but there are several spoilers or scenes that will make more sense if you do. 

“He runs with A-list stars, but will he run her life?”

“For once, Maggie McKendrick just wants to control her own life. Her overbearing Hollywood director father has it all planned out for her: UCLA, law school, then working as an entertainment lawyer, preferably for him. But Maggie has other, more creative-spirit friendly, plans. Namely, Thrippletons School of Fashion and Design in England, and then onto becoming a designer, preferably a wildly successful one. The big snag in her plan? Getting it past her dad.

A movie shoot takes the family to the Scottish Highlands for the summer, and closer to Maggie’s dream school. While there, she runs into the charming Preston Browne. Maggie is intrigued and decides to bend her no guys rule—instituted after her ex used her to get close to her dad. Forced to keep secrets from Preston in order to protect the future plans she’s made, Maggie finds herself falling for the tall Brit. And for once in her life she knows that he’s interested in her, not her Hollywood connections. When Maggie's father blackmails her into dating his lead actor, she isn’t left with a choice. The biggest problem isn’t having to date hunky, mega-hottie, Ben Chambers. No, it’s praying she doesn’t lose Preston in the process.

Excelling at her dream school, Maggie’s personal life is a tangled mess. She needs to decide if living a lie is worth losing Preston or chance going against her father and facing his wrath. When the tabloids expose the truth of her fake relationship with Ben, Maggie's world is thrown into a tailspin. Ultimately, Maggie must find the courage to take risks and forge ahead on her own path.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved diving back into this world and was pleased to read Preston’s story. Preston was the one character that I had felt sorry for. Meeting Maggie McKendrick is life-changing for both of them. Maggie is trying to get out from underneath her father’s domineering control and become a fashion designer. We also get to delve into Preston’s life more. Of course, the road to true love never runs smooth. The only complaint that I have about this book was that the ending seemed a little far fetched. I did enjoy the appearances by Evie Gray from the first book.

Visit Emily Albright’s website.

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett

“The woods
The stars
And the boy who broke her heart”

“Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern day, Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets.

But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was a unique take on a romantic tale of friends/neighbors becoming significant others and the many uphill challenges they faced to finally be together again. Thrown together during a glamping trip gone wrong, Zorie and Lennon soon find themselves stranded in King’s Forest National Park. Their friends abandon the two of them after Zorie and her friend Reagan have words. With nowhere really else to go, the two hike through the backcountry of the Sierra Nevada Mountains to reach Condor Park, where Zorie is to meet a friend for a star watching party. The further they hike, Zorie and Lennon reveal the pain from the past year being apart and realize their feelings for one another still remain. 

What truly makes the story different is that the author drew several maps outlining Zorie and Lennon’s journeys. Definitely loved reading this book! 

Visit Jenn Bennett’s website.

Love, Life, and the List by Kasie West

“Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being. But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.

This is the first in a set of three standalone books with crossover characters.” - taken from Goodreads.com 

Abby Turner's plans are turned upside down when two of her friend foursome will be gone for the summer. She is left with her best friend Cooper, who happens to be her unrequited crush. When Cooper gets a new girlfriend, her mom's anxiety disorder worsens, and her artwork is turned down for a show, Abby decided to take matters into her own hands. She makes a list of things to do to emotionally grow so that it will show in her paintings and hopefully get her into the show.

Coercing Cooper into helping her with her list, Abby decides that maybe she can find the courage to admit her feelings for him. The romance was incredibly slow as a Bee grows emotionally not my normal a quick Kasie West read but the ending of this book really paid off.

With this book the first in a trio of crossover stories, I cannot wait to see who pops up in the next title.

Visit Kasie West’s website.

Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

“Ramona was only five years old when Hurricane Katrina changed her life forever.

Since then, it’s been Ramona and her family against the world. Standing over six feet tall with unmistakable blue hair, Ramona is sure of three things: she likes girls, she’s fiercely devoted to her family, and she knows she’s destined for something bigger than the trailer she calls home in Eulogy, Mississippi. But juggling multiple jobs, her flaky mom, and her well-meaning but ineffectual dad forces her to be the adult of the family. Now, with her sister, Hattie, pregnant, responsibility weighs more heavily than ever.

The return of her childhood friend Freddie brings a welcome distraction. Ramona’s friendship with the former competitive swimmer picks up exactly where it left off, and soon he’s talked her into joining him for laps at the pool. But as Ramona falls in love with swimming, her feelings for Freddie begin to shift too, which is the last thing she expected. With her growing affection for Freddie making her question her sexual identity, Ramona begins to wonder if perhaps she likes girls and guys or if this new attraction is just a fluke. Either way, Ramona will discover that, for her, life and love are more fluid than they seem.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I really enjoyed delving into Ramona’s complicated life. Just a senior in high school, she took on a tremendous amount of responsibility in the years since her mother’s abandonment after Hurricane Katrina and her pregnant sister, When a childhood friend moves back to Eulogy, Ramona’s world is turned upside down. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and seeing where Ramona’s journey would take her.

Visit Julie Murphy’s website.

Bruiser by Neal Shusterman

TENNYSON:

Don’t get me started on The Bruiser.  He was voted “Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty” by the entire school. He’s the kid no one knows, no one talks to, and everyone hears disturbing rumors about.  So why is my sister, Brontë dating him?  One of these days she’s going to take in the wrong stray dog, and it’s not going to end well.

BRONTË:

My brother has no right to talk about Brewster that way – no right to threaten him.  There’s a reason why Brewster can’t have friends – why he can’t care about too many people.  Because when he cares about you, things start to happen.  Impossible things that can’t be explained.  I know, because they’re happening to me.

BREWSTER:

Stealer of screams and thief of anguish,  I am a criminal, but you can’t see it, blinded by your own relief as my body becomes a battlefield in a war that can’t be won.  Will I be the bullet that ends your pain, or will you end mine? Taken from http://www.storyman.com/books/bruiser/

This book had been on my TBR (to be read) pile since it came out. I finally got around to listening to it when it was the daily deal over on Audible. First of all, this book is not what I expected and I should have known better since it wasn’t my first Shusterman read. Brewster Rawlings is wrongly perceived by everyone at school. He is a loner and when you find out why, your heart will break. The Sternberger family is going through a major crisis of their own. When Brewster, Tennyson and Bronte begin to cross paths, things begin to get infinitely worse before anyone can start to see improvement. Brewster isn’t what either Sternberger twin expected.

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty (Lock & Mori book 1)

London, Present Day

March 4th was the day that James “Mori” Moriarty first met Sherlock “Lock” Holmes during a fire drill. Her drama teacher sent her to fetch him from his private laboratory in the basement beneath the theater. The two come to a standoff when he immediately pegs her but she has unnerved Sherlock. The two part and go about their day. Mori knows that it will be a bad night when she comes home. Her mother died six months earlier and her father is unable to deal with the situation. Mori not only acts as mother for her younger brothers when the drinking and reminiscing occur but as a distraction for her father’s ire. Her father does tell her to stay out of Regent Park because a murder has occurred there and is under investigation. Mori’s well meaning comment about the police needing her father on the scene to complete the job blows up. Physically abusive, he finally stomps off to his room and continues to drown his sorrows over his wife’s death. Mori ends up doing the one thing her told her not to do, she heads off to the park.

Mori and Lock run into each other that night in Regent Park. She heads to the deserted bandstand but once again notices a man, smoking a clove cigarette, leaning against a monument in the shadows. Paying him no attention, she dries her tears and attempts to pull herself together. Mori is disbelieving at first when the man speaks to her but soon realizes that it is Sherlock when he remarks that she never told him her name. He has seen her multiple times in the park at night but he never wondered about her until today. Mori tells him her name, since it is unlikely that her would ever guess that her real name is James. Sherlock asks her to follow him and she is baffled when her takes her to the active crime scene in the park.

Reluctant at first, Mori trails after him, even when he ducks under the police tape to hide in the woods. The two get an upclose view of the scene and notice the position of the body. They also hear what the police officers are saying about the scene and speculate that it was a robbery gone wrong. Sherlock proposes that the two of them could do a much better job and challenges Mori to the task. He knows that her father is a police officer. Even though Sherlock doesn’t know Mori all that well, he figures the two of them can solve the case first. He suggests they it a game and the first one to solve the case, wins. Mori wants to know the rules but Sherlock states that there will only be one; no transparency. She tells him that she isn’t sure and explains that her father can never find out. Mori states that they will have to meet in the middle of the lake where no one can overhear their conversations. Sherlock has a smile on his lips as he walks away after hearing Mori comment that the blood is fake.

Mori has decided against playing Sherlock’s game the next morning. During play practice, once again Mori is playing her understudy part, Sherlock shows up. Unsure why he is there, she tries to back out of his game until he states that they need to talk to the girl whose part she has overtaken. Turns out, her father was the man killed the park the night before. Mori sends Sherlock away and tries to find out some information about Lily Patel, the girl for who she is the understudy. She eventually finds out that there will be a memorial on Saturday from Lily’s boyfriend when she says that she wants to offer her condolences. Sherlock and Mori attend the service. Alone out in the lobby, she sees the display of photographs they family put together. She is shocked to see her mother in a photo with Mr. Patel and several other people. She pockets the picture before a member of the family comes up to her. The white haired woman begins talking of the life Mr. Patel lived even after his troubled youth. She begins searching for the photo that Mori has taken, saying that a woman was at the center of it all. She looked innocent on the outside but was a real wolf once you knew her. Before she can cover her face, the woman remarks that Mori resembles her. Mori heads off to find Sherlock who believes the two of them have wasted their time. She keeps her new found information quiet from Sherlock, breaking their pact.

What secrets does Mori uncover about her mother and the photograph she lifted from the memorial service? Why was Mr. Patel murdered? Can her father’s rage at her stop or does it continue to escalate? Does Mori lay bare her dysfunctional home life to Sherlock? Who solves the case first? What happens when Sherlock discovers Mori’s deception after the two of them grow close?

Book two in the trilogy is expected to be published in 2016.

Visit Heather W. Petty’s website.

Take Me On by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits book 4)

SPOILER ALERT! The story between Haley and West takes place after the climatic event involving West's sister in Crash Into You. To fully understand the story, you definitely need to read that book first! Take Me On takes place between chapters 76 & 77 in Crash Into Me. Reader be warned.
 
Haley Williams left her grandfather's gym a year ago to train at her now ex-boyfriend's instead. That arrangement only lasted six months. A former national championship kick boxer, she has gone to her grandfather to ask him to write her a recommendation letter for a much needed scholarship for college. At first, her grandfather isn't angry with her. She tells him that she just cannot take home another stack of bills to her parents. With her family down on their luck since her father lost his job, she is desperate to leave her situation behind. It's not been a good day for her since she also received a rejection letter from Notre Dame. Her grandfather will take care of the payment notices. Haley hands him the scholarship application. When her grandfather sees that the scholarship is for someone majoring in kinesiology, he flat out refuses.

West Young is reeling from the tragic events in his family and he places most of the blame on himself. It's only February and he just received a rejection letter for the University of Louisville on top of the fact that he was just expelled from Worthington Preparatory for fighting. It didn't matter that he was defending his sister's honor, it was the last straw. He is standing on the sidelines watching his family fall apart and he feels responsible. Avoiding the hospital and his father's wrath, he watches from the shadows as his mother leaves a seedy bar. He promised her that he will go visit Rachel.

On her way home from the pharmacy with her father's medication that they have saved for over the past two months, Haley notices trouble. Two guys are standing in the shadows watching her. She doesn't need the trouble because if she is late for curfew, her nasty uncle won't let her in the house. She shouts at them that she has no money and they let her know that they are interested in the medicine. Desperate to keep it to help her father, Haley knows that six months out of the gym has caused her to be out of shape. She steps off of the curb in an attempt to make a run for it when a car slams on its brakes. Haley just stepped out in front of West and he just stopped barely in time. West is taking in aloof Haley's details as she is trying to formulate a plan. He offers her a ride home but with his fancy car in a bad part of town, she thinks she will take her chances. She tells West to act as if he is still talking to her and she slips off. Not wanting her to leave, he blows her cover. The two guys take off running after her and West follows.

Haley has a slim chance of escaping. The two guys are gaining on her but she is shocked to see West come to help her. He gets beat up pretty badly and Haley knows that she will never make curfew if she stops to help him. When West gains some of his senses back, he discovers that Haley has called someone. Actually she called Rachel on his phone. Since her accident, Isaiah has rarely left her bedside and he answered. He in turn calls Abby to go get West. Abby and Haley go to school together and West is confused. Abby, his sister's best friend goes to Worthington with her, not Eastwick High School. Haley heads home and Abby takes West with her. The next morning, West questions why Isaiah and Abby would help him and Abby answers that they would do anything for Rachel. He wonders why his sister would be friends with the two of them. Abby tells him to never trust anything that she tells him except that she knows why his mother has a standing date every month at the bar.

Haley's brother and cousin have covered for her with her uncle about curfew and help her sneak into the house. Her brother Kaden sees that their father's medicine is gone. She realizes that the two guys stole it and that is why they left. Devastated, cousin Jax sends Kaden out of the room. Jax looks at Haley and realizes the truth about what happened. She beats herself up over her promise to herself about never fighting again. The next morning, she finds her father the kitchen looking at the newspaper. The job hunt isn't going well and Haley tells her father that Kaden has entered a fight in a few months. Her father says that he will probably meet up with Matt in the ring. It's a shame that she taught Matt how to defeat her own brother. She had hoped the knowledge would inspire him to get back into the gym to train Kaden. He asks her about college and scholarships but she lies and says that things are going good. He tells her that he hopes that they can stay in Kentucky until she and her brother graduate but they are thinking about going to California to live with an elderly aunt. Haley is devastated at how things are turning out. Matt's little brother, Conner, was one of the two guys who jumped her the night before and they will be out looking for blood.

West shows up at the hospital to find his mother crying. The specialist has informed them that the damage to Rachel's legs is severe. West continues to beat himself up over his sister's situation. When he runs into his father, he informs West that he has enrolled him at Eastwick to finish his senior year. The delicate dam of emotions between the two of them erupts when West goads him over his hand in the accident by inadvertently guessing the truth. Furious, his father kicks him out of the house. At first, West thinks he isn't serious but his father gives him two hours to get his stuff before he calls the police. He follows his father down the hall and ends up at the last place he wants to be, Rachel's room. He hates seeing her laid up in bed and Isaiah hovering by her side. Ethan tells him that their parents aren't going to pick the fight over Isaiah now since he is the only person Rachel listens to. West leaves.

At school on Monday, Jax is relentless in trying to get the truth about Friday night from Haley, but she is tight lipped. He wants to know why she is still protecting Matt but in reality she is protecting her family from Matt and his brother Conner. Standing in the hall after Jax walks away, West comes up next to her. Horrified that he will be seen by Matt, she tells him that he needs to leave. Nope, he goes to Eastwick now since he was kicked out of Worthington for fighting. Knowing that he is trouble, she attempts to stay away from him for his own protection. Karma isn't on Haley's side when it turns out that they share first period together. Haley got under West's skin the first time he laid eyes on her. Taking a good look at West, he has affected Haley in the same way. He is unable to keep his eyes off of Haley as he walks by her seat. Her heart is beating erratically as he passes and she looks up at the doorway. Matt is standing there and she is sure that he saw at least the last part where West touched her as he walked by. She realizes that she will be lucky if she makes it to lunch without a fight.

In the cafeteria, all heck breaks loose. Jax, Kaden and their group sit in one corner while Matt and his boys are in another. Haley is sitting at a table with some girls and the topic of conversation turns towards West, who has just walked in. Haley is speechless when West comes over. She gets up to leave and sees Conner, who she wants to avoid at all costs. Before she can turn around, Matt comes up to her and demands that they talk. She knows if she doesn't, her family will get involved. Matt wants to know who beat up his brother and why. He doesn't believe that she did and Conner won't admit a girl got the best of him. Jax and Kaden join the fray and the discussion on how to settle the situation heats up. Haley is mortified when West walks up. Conner throws a few barbs and West gets his first close look at Haley and realizes that the rumor of her being a former fighter is true; she has a black eye underneath her makeup and her knuckles are busted. West doesn't believe anyone should hit a girl and at that moment confesses to beating Conner. Knowing that they cannot fight in school, Conner says that he will meet West in the ring in a couple of months when his wrist is healed. Everything Haley has worked to avoid for the past year comes crashing down.

What occurred between Haley and Matt that she feels that she needs to protect her family from him? Why did she step away from kickboxing? Can her family get back on its feet again? Will West be able to fight his demons and make peace not only with his family but himself? Why does his mother make a visit to the bar every month? Does the Young family finally begin to heal their deepest wounds? What happens between Haley and West when she decides to train him as a kick boxer? 

Visit Katie McGarry's website.

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller

"War is only half the battle."

Travis Stephensen has arrived home for thirty days from a seven month deployment to Afghanistan where his best friend was killed before his eyes. It is also his first trip home since joining the Marine Corp. Having nowhere else to really go, his mother is the only member of his family to meet him at the airport. His father had a meeting to go to but Travis isn't surprised. A former Green Bay Packer, Dean Stephensen was upset when his eldest son quit football after his sophomore year. His decision to join the Marines didn't go over well either. His younger brother Ryan is working at his father's car dealership. His girlfriend Paige sent him a Dear John letter telling him that she is now dating his brother. Before the two of them can leave the airport, Travis has a vision of Charlie Sweeney, his dead friend. It seems that he is suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and hasn't told anyone so that he doesn't look weak. His mother cannot stop fussing over him.

Life at home seems even worse than before he joined the Marines. Less than a year apart, Travis notices that Ryan has fallen into his old life; dating his former girlfriend and driving his car. He isn't happy to learn that Ryan hasn't taken care of his car. His mother and father seem estranged and Travis feels the need to apologize for not calling or writing more often. His mother, who consistently sent care packages and joined support groups, tells him that she would get a call from Charlie's mother every time he wrote home. Ryan asks him if he wants to go with him to a party at their old haunt. Not really wanting to be around his brother with his old girlfriend, he reluctantly decides to go.

Once they arrive at the Manor, he is surprised to see one thing that hasn't changed since he left. Once inside the crowded house, everyone is welcoming him home and all he wants to do is escape. He sees Paige across the room and feels the pull of her even though he has to tell himself that they aren't together anymore. Before he can reach her, his best friend from high school Eddie comes up. He begins to wrestle him but Travis quickly bests him. Paige comes over to Ryan first and then Travis. The group begins to chit chat a bit and catches up and Travis quickly realizes how different he is from Eddie. Ryan sees his discomfort but he shrugs it off. After a few beers, Travis's thoughts turn back to a time just before his deployment and the promise Charlie asks him. if anything happens to him, he wants Travis to go see his mother. Travis is having a flashback and realizes that he needs to leave.

Walking down the street to a rough biker bar, he goes in and sees several more people from high school. He goes to sit on a stool at the bar next to two girls, one that he knows and he doesn't recognize the other from the back. Sitting next to her, he tries to strike up a conversation and is floored when she turns to face him. It is Harper Gray, the first girl he ever crushed on. At a party in middle school, the two of them were sent to a closet to play seven minutes in heaven. Doing nothing more than kiss, Travis embellished a bit to his friends that she let him feel her up. By Monday morning at school, the rumors were that Harper had sex with all of the guys at the party and she got the reputation of being a slut. He never told the truth. Now years later, Harper welcomes him home and tells him to leave her alone. He asks what her problem is and is entranced by her eyes up until the moment she punches him. She berates him over the party and leaves. Paige and Ryan come looking for him. He follows Paige out the door and she offers to come over during the night even though she is dating his brother. He declines.

Paige comes over anyway and afterwards Travis realizes the she hasn't changed and their relationship was a waste of time. Unable to sleep, Travis goes for a run and finds himself outside of Harper's house. A man comes out and asks Travis why he is outside of his house at 4:30am and he says he was unsure where else to go. He asks Travis if he needs a ride back home and he accepts. Just then Harper steps out of the house and asks him why he is there. He says he needed some air and she tells him that he looks like hell. she realizes that Travis has run seven miles from his house to hers and he finds it interesting that she knows where he lives. Her dad needs to go to work and she goes to change out of her pajamas. Travis and Harper's father begin a conversation and he asks if he is Linda Stephensen's son. Travis is floored that he mentioned his mother and not his famous father and comments that he use to be a douchebag. Travis agrees and thinks that he still is. Wanting to know why he has to be at work so early, Travis is surprised to learn that Harper's dad is one of the DJs on a local morning radio show that he made his roommates listen to on the Internet. He offers Travis the chance to come on and talk about Afghanistan if he ever wants to.

After dropping of her father, Harper asks if he is hungry. They stop at the Waffle House and order. She asks why he is there and Travis says that he wants to apologize for his stupid fourteen year old self. She asks if he thinks an apology is enough since guys continuously grab her and that she has never had a boyfriend, a date or sex. Paige has slept her way through the entire school and Harper is the one they call the slut. Travis feels terrible and suddenly has a flashback of Charlie. He is suddenly sick and runs to the bathroom. Harper comes to check on him and he tells her that he needs to go home. She takes him home and Travis asks why she didn't just bring him straight to his house. she doesn't answer except to say she will be late for work. Inside, he finds his mother crying. Her life became so wrapped up in making sure he was safe in Afghanistan, that she spent long periods of time on the Internet chatting with other marine parents. She began ignoring his father and now he is having an affair. They both head off to get some much needed sleep.

Soon, Travis keeps running into Harper in the most unexpected places. One night, she invites him to help a nest of sea turtles hatch. Just one look from her and he is ready to give up his darkest secrets. After having another flashback, Harper understands about what he is going through. They sit down to wait and talk but soon he tells her that he doesn't anymore. As the first baby turtle emerges, Harper reaches up and kisses him. They spend the night counting turtles. He kisses her again when she drops him off mid-morning. He knows that he will kiss her again.

Can Travis work through all that happened to him in Afghanistan, especially Charlie's death? Will his family fall apart or try and repair the damage? What will Travis's future hold? Is Harper the one person who can help him find his new normal?

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