Ellis’ home isn’t really a home, well not what most people would call a home. A home is walls and a roof and somewhere you return to every night. A home is where someone loves you, takes care of you, and protects you. But Ellis’ home isn’t like that. Her mum is increasingly not home. Not just after school, but for whole nights, then as Ellis gets older, whole days and even weeks. Her dad was her whole world once, as he cared like a dad should, but now he is unreachable too.

Ellis hasn’t been forgotten though. Other people in her town are watching. One family in particular has Ellis’ care in mind and one night when Ellis and their son are brought home by the police together, Ellis’ life changes forever.

First it is an offer of a slice of pie, then more meals, then a room of her own. The Albrey family of Sandry and Ben become like foster parents, and their rambunctious three sons, Dixon, Tucker and Easton, her brothers. They are protective of Ellis and accept her easily into their fold, their family traditions and their lives.

Ellis and Easton become particularly close, understanding each others thoughts and dreams and hopes for the future. Easton is Ellis’ rock as her mother comes and goes from her life and her father ends up in prison – again and again.

Ellis believes her plans with Easton are set in stone, but a choice made in a moment of chaos tears them apart. Ellis feels lost, betrayed and no matter what she tells herself – unsteady even  with a college acceptance for the following year.

An important Albrey family event draws them all back to where they grey up together and back into the mash-up of family, lost love, loyalties, dreams and anger that has simmered for the year they have all been apart.

This love story is a powerful one, building in intensity as it is told with flashbacks. Ellis is 18 in the beginning and her story flashes back to 11 years of age when she meets Easton for the first time, then through the years as she becomes part of the wealthy Albrey family in all but name, right up to the present where Ellis and Easton must face what happened a year before.

Beautifully written, all the teen angst, family hurt and betrayal and intrigue as to why they were torn apart, pulls the reader through the story to a very satisfying but by no means predictable ending. Both characters love so deeply, but fear in equal measure, not allowing themselves to be honest to each other or themselves.

An intense first-love with a unique backdrop and origin.

Author – Kristin Dwyer

Age – 16+ (Sexual content)

(2022, Harper Collins US, Romance, Love, Betrayal, Hurt, Loss, Prison, Drugs, Neglect, Family, Kindness, Humour, Brothers, Siblings, Wealth, Care, Intense, First Love, Torn apart, Wrong choices, Travel, Dreams, Crime, Friendship, Close relationship, Jealously, Misunderstanding, Growing up, Poverty)