Cold Hard Truth

Gr 10 Up—Emmie is living with her dad again after a traumatic year with her mom. She took a plea deal requiring a lot of community service and testifying against her mom's drug dealer, Nick. On her community service, Emmie meets bad-boy hockey player Max. He is instantly taken with Emmie, who isn't interested. After a series of encounters, Max and Emmie's feelings for each other grow, following a predictable relationship plotline. Imprisoned Nick looms large as his friends continue to threaten Emmie. Max and Emmie are slow to trust each other and reveal their troubled pasts, yet are ultimately able to overcome their fears together. There are descriptions of drug use and nongraphic discussion about rape and assault. Brown creates balance between the thriller aspects of Nick's revenge and the romance between the teens, which keeps the narrative engaging.