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Formerly a film actress, Meg Tilly is best known for her roles in The Big Chill and Agnes of God — for which she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as an Academy Award nomination. Tilly is the author of two adult novels, Singing Songs and Gemma, and is currently at work on her second YA novel, Lucky. She lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family.

Haley and Lynn are best friends. When Lynn meets Chad, a player several years older, Haley feels left out. She tries to be happy for her friend, but when her mother's new boyfriend starts making unwanted advances, Haley finds she has no one to tell. Not wanting to upset her mother's happiness and finding that Lynn is drifting away, Haley has to face her tormentor alone and face up to some very hard truths.

Children's Literature

Haley and Lynn are inseparable—until Lynn hooks up with Chad, a hottie who graduated from their school the year before. Then, all bets are off. Even if Lynn and Haley have plans to do something together, Lynn will cancel any time Chad calls. Haley feels like she has lost her best friend and confidante. Things at home are not much better. Haley's mom has a new boyfriend, Larry, and, though he is a nice guy, Haley cannot help feeling a bit uncomfortable around him, especially when he leaves the bathroom door open and she catches a glimpse of him as she passes by. Was it intentional, or did he think he was home alone and just not bother to shut the door? Several days later he attempts to rape her, and Haley gets her answer. Larry threatens her with her life if she ever tells anyone. He also claims that she seduced him and deserves everything she got. Knowing that her mother adores Larry, and confused as to whether she may have sent the wrong signals, Haley keeps quiet. While the attempted rape could have been an important plot line, it is never fully developed and instead the story centers around the relationship between the two girls. Tilly has succeeded in capturing the teen angst experienced when a boy comes between best friends, but as far as story there is not much here to separate this one from run of the mill teen literature. Reviewer: Pat Trattles