Unbecoming

Grace, who always felt unwanted and unloved by her very own parents seeks

comfort with the Graham family. Growing up in this small town with "the" Riley Graham as her best friend and later boyfriend seems only natural as the two fit together like peanut butter and jelly. But with dreams of the art world and growing pains Grace decides to study art at NYU and leave the little rat pack created by Riley and his best friends. Becoming who she thinks she is supposed to be proves harder than Grace imagined. Grace and Riley become caught up in a fantasy scheme which includes a robbery, running away forever in each others arms, stuff from the movies. When Riley and his buddies take it to the next level Grace cannot face them or herself and she leaves her summer study abroad program and disappears into the depths of Europe, landing in Paris and creating the new identity of "Julie from California." But she cannot hide forever. When the boys are paroled 3 years later, Grace/Julie doesn't know which way to run, because she loves them, because she will always be one of them and there is no escaping her own conscience. This suspenseful, intriguing novel had me on the edge of my seat. The young romance, art world and travel were captivating. The whole time deciding whether I liked Grace at all, I was in her shoes, running, nervous, waiting to see what would happen next. Highly recommend this FIRST (unbelievable) novel by this fabulous new author. Cannot begin to imagine what she will come up with next.