A devastating emptiness consumes Florida teens Carly Vega, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, and Arden Moss, the handsome quarterback son of the county sheriff. Their dramatic meeting at gunpoint outside Carly's graveyard-shift job at the Breeze Mart is a prelude to Arden's most challenging conquest. Having lost his sister, Amber, to suicide, he coerces reluctant Carly into becoming his accomplice in local pranks designed to upset his domineering father. Arden's adolescent response to his sister's death and Carly's mature struggle to help her parents return to the U.S. initially puts them at cross purposes, but after they expose the sheriff's immigrant-deportation scam together, their relationship finally has a future. Banks respects her readers by penning an engaging narrative that deepens her central love story, but we only glimpse influential characters such as Arden's grieving mother, his kindly uncle Cletus, and Carly's driven older brother, Julio. As Carly and Arden open themselves to love and draw closer together, the book's message comes through loud and clear: personal growth can lead us toward unlikely destinies. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The best-selling author of the Syrena Legacy leaves merpeople behind for realistic fiction with a big publisher push. Banks will tour with other Fierce Reads authors starting in late May.

Gr 9 Up-Good girl Carly and popular Arden combine forces in order to live more authentic lives in this angsty contemporary novel. Carly's parents have been deported to Mexico and she works nights to support her family. Arden uses his bad-boy reputation to pull off grand, sometimes disastrous pranks to salve the pain of his sister's death. Carly is not Arden's type, at firstand Carly knows she is too busy to bother with him. Eager to escape the iron fist of his sheriff father, Arden grows closer to Carly after an unexpected encounter. Together they realize Arden's father's true intentions and work in concert to bring him to justice. With a dash of romance, Banks's book tackles the issues of human smuggling, immigration, and a rogue police officer. It could be too much for any young adult novel, but buoyed by irresistible characters, sincere dialogue, and robust prose, this is one ride readers will all want to take. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Deb Caletti will flock to the author's fan pool. VERDICT Relevant, risky, and romantic, this work is a clear standout in today's contemporary YA niche. Amanda C. Buschmann, Atascocita Middle School, Humble, TX