It isn't the trauma that almost ruins Lavender, it is the shame she swallows when she keeps it a secret that threatens to choke the life out of her.

Lavender Finch never thought of herself as a liar. To her former fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Gordon, she's the reliable babysitter; to her devoted tribe of extended family, she's the beloved daughter, niece, and cousin; and to her best friend Jana, the muse for fashion advice and gossip. But when trauma shows up by the name of Travis, she begins keeping secrets and telling lies so that no one finds out what happened to her. What she let happen to her.

The truth is, Lavender is terrified of being truly seen, and known, so she hides behind a wall of secrets and lies that she's convinced will protect her but instead locks her in a lonely place surrounded by shame. As she pushes away all those closest to her, she unexpectedly falls in love with a boy in Cuba she's never met and a grandmother who doesn't remember who Lavender is, most of the time.

When her lies begin unraveling in a very public way, will trusting people with her truth confirm her fears or make room for the love she always longed for?

"The best stories feel familiar because we see ourselves and those we love in the events that unfold...Kelly's willingness to show Lavender in a not-always-so-lovable light makes this coming-of-age story a page-turning, realistic, and honest read."

Linda Lowen

Author, Secret Syracuse, Book Reviewer, BlueInk Review and Publishers Weekly