When We Were Strangers
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
"An exquisitely told story of grief, growing up, and the glorious complexities of love and life." - Kathleen Glasgow, New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Pieces and You'd Be Home Now
"A sparkling, stirring ode to love, art, and unexpected human connection." - Jeff Zentner, Morris Award-winning author of The Serpent King
From the author of Accidental comes a gripping story about a teen grieving her father's sudden death--and grappling with the shocking secrets he left behind.
Seventeen-year-old Evie Parker is devastated in the wake of her father's sudden death. But she knows something her mother doesn't: the day of his heart attack, her dad was planning to move out. After finding his packed bags, an impulsive Evie puts everything away to spare her mom more heartache.
To make matters worse, Evie soon learns the reason her father was going to leave: he had been dating his twenty-two-year-old receptionist, Bree, who is now six months pregnant. Desperate to distract herself, Evie signs up for a summer photography class, where she meets a motley crew of students, including quirky and adorable Declan. Still, Evie can't stop thinking about her father's mistress. Armed with a telephoto lens, she caves in to her curiosity, and what starts as a little bit of spying on Bree quickly becomes full-blown stalking. And when an emergency forces Evie to help Bree, she learns there's more to the story than she ever knew . . .
Alex Richards crafts a riveting new story about betrayal, complicated family secrets, and getting to the heart of what matters--ultimately asking readers how far they'd be willing to go to unravel the truth.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Richards (Accidental) poses challenging moral questions in this absorbing contemporary novel set in Santa Fe, N.Mex. On the day her father dies unexpectedly from a heart attack, high school senior Evie Parker, presumed white, learns that he was preparing to leave her and her mother. Faced with his packed bags and not wanting her mother to know, Evie puts his belongings away. Days later, she discovers he was having an affair with his young receptionist, Bree, who is now six months pregnant. Overwhelmed with anger and grief, Evie distracts herself by taking a photography class, where she meets new crush Declan, who's half Japanese and half white. Still, she's haunted by what her father did and begins stalking and photographing Bree, a path that turns unexpectedly as Evie becomes aware of the woman's vulnerability and loneliness through the memorable images captured. Dynamic characters, including Evie's lesbian best friend Juana and the inclusive photography class's quirky members, add brightness to this introspective story of changing emotions and a softening heart. Ages 14–up. Agency: LGK Agency.
