Young Adult
Pages: 128
Publisher: Acacia Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: June 20, 2011

While other high school seniors are dreaming about their futures, Sophie and Carter are just trying to make it through each day. Carter is overwhelmed by troubles at home as he struggles to support his mother. Meanwhile, next door neighbor Sophie is left to care for her three younger siblings in place of their absent and troubled mother. All that holds these two best friends together is each other, and knowing that each night they'll sit together on Sophie's front porch swing and escape from their troubles, if just for awhile. But as their relationship reaches a turning point and high school graduation nears, what lies ahead for Sophie and Carter?

This book definitely surprised me. The synopsis was so great that I read it, and it truly is a great story. Although, I must warn you, it's almost a novella and not full book. Nonetheless, the writing was accessible and fresh, the characters were distinct and relatable, and I had a lot of fun reading it.

Because of its very short length though, and the overall complexity that the story carries, it lacks depth. It's such an excellent story that making it longer and including much more detail and emotional load, it would've become a very rich book. As it is, you can relate and like the characters, empathyze and enjoy the story in a very superficial way, which is a shame because it has SO much potential. 

Just to clarify, by "superficial way" I DO NOT mean that the story is superficial at all. In fact one of the things that surprised me was that the story was not all light like the cover and synopsis seem to point to, but rather darkish and includes (because it doesn't actually "deal" with them) several important issues. 


If you're looking to read something short and very realistic, this book is for you!