
As sixteen-year-old Binley Rosen walks to the school bus stop early one spring morning, he stumbles upon Byram Hills High School hottie Joni Sanborn and her considerably older boyfriend inside a parked car. Burdened with secrets of his own, Binley remains mum about Joni's backseat gymnastics and the two teens become fast friends.
When summer vacation arrives, Binley follows star high school athlete Topher Wyss to a running camp. Binley's attempts to befriend his idol are undermined, however, when Topher catches him in a compromising situation with another camper.
Meanwhile, back home in Pleasantville, Joni's illicit romance has led to big problems of her own. With humiliation looming ahead for both teens once school begins, Joni steals a car, Binley steals some cash and the two teens take off for adventure.
The road from New York to Vegas proves as bumpy as the road from adolescence to adulthood. Along the way, Binley and Joni avoid suspicious hotel clerks, cross paths with a crazy homeless girl and learn the strange tale of a live, headless chicken. Most importantly, they learn to trust and take care of each other.
David Rubin's first novel is a comic yet touching tale of friendship and sexual awakening. Readers who enjoyed "Someday this Pain will Be Useful to You" by Peter Cameron, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky" or "Looking for Alaska" by John Green will be engrossed by Rubin's first novel.
"I know I should be proud of you, but why couldn't you write about unicorns the way you used to, instead of airing the dirty family laundry?
-Anita Rosen
"I would disown you all over again if I could. Why do I always get painted as the villain? And just for the record, whiskey is my drink,not gin."
-Elliot Rosen
Love, love,LOVE your book! Except for the chapter where you try to get a piece of me-I felt like smacking you once again, you naughty boy!"
-Maddy Vitello
"Nice going, dude. You want the whole world to think the Byram Hills track team was full of homos like you?"
-Topher Wyss
You really re-captured our teenaged voices-or did you never lose yours? I must confess though, that I am puzzled as to why you killed me off, and right in the preface.
-Joni Sanborn