A teen is forced to make a fresh start after witnessing a violent crime—but love and danger find her anyway in this novel from Becca Fitzpatrick, the New York Times bestselling author of the Hush, Hush saga. Stella Gordon’s life is a lie. She does not belong in Thunder Basin, Nebraska. As the star witness in a murder trial against a drug dealer, Stella is now in the Witness Protection Program. The small town locals can never know who she really is. Not even Chet Falconer, the one boy who makes her want to reveal her true self. She knows that telling the truth will only bring violence to this safe haven. Despite how hard Stella tries to stay under the radar, danger is fast-approaching. Criminals have a way of getting rid of witnesses, and Stella may have made the one mistake that could lead the cold-blooded men hunting for her right to her doorstep. Gr 9 Up—Stella Gordon isn't her real name, she's not from Tennessee, and her parents aren't dead, but to everyone in Thunder Basin, NE, that's her story. As part of the Witness Protection Program, Stella has to spend her summer incognito in the middle of nowhere with a retired cop. She's impatiently awaiting her upcoming 18th birthday, hoping to rejoin her boyfriend. Both witnessed a murder and have sworn to testify against the member of a powerful drug cartel. With their lives in constant danger, they are being kept separated and warned against any attempts at communication. Stella is finding it hard to adjust to small-town life under the watchful eye of her strict guardian. To escape the boredom, she takes a job at a local restaurant and spends her free time flirting with the handsome Chet Falconer. But when flirting leads to serious attraction, Stella finds herself questioning her choices and her future. From an unlikely source, she discovers the lie she's living now may be nothing compared to the lie she was unwittingly living before, and in her desperation, she makes one crucial mistake that could prove fatal. Each of the main characters is harboring a secret that will keep readers guessing to the end, but what should be the tension-building specter of ever-present danger gets lost amid quaint descriptions of rural living and Stella's repeated (failed) attempts at loyalty to her boyfriend. VERDICT A good read for romance fans, but crime drama enthusiasts should look elsewhere.—Cary Frostick, formerly at Mary Riley Styles Public Library, Falls Church, VA "A swoonworthy romance. . ." ― Kirkus Reviews "[W]ill keep readers guessing to the end..." ― School Library Journal "[T]he reader can’t help but root for Stella. . . .This is a wonderful novel, full of adventure, love, and forgiveness." ― School Library Connection Becca Fitzpatrick is the author of Black Ice , Dangerous Lies , and the Hush, Hush saga, including Hush, Hush ; Crescendo ; Silence ; and Finale —all four of which debuted as New York Times bestsellers. She lives in Colorado and spends all her free time on the tennis court. She would love to hear from you on Instagram @BecFitzpatrick. Dangerous Lies AN ANGRY RAP SHOOK THE motel room door. I lay perfectly still on the mattress, my skin hot and clammy. Beside me, Reed drew my body to his. So much for ten minutes, I thought. I tried not to cry as I nestled my face into the warm curve of Reed’s neck. My mind absorbed every detail, carefully retaining this moment so I could play it back for a long, long time after they took me away. I had a wild impulse to flee with him. An alley flanked the motel, visible from the room they kept me in. Details like where we would hide and how we’d keep from ending up at the bottom of the Delaware River with cement blocks strapped to our feet kept me from acting on that impulse. The knock grew louder. Bending his head close to mine, Reed breathed deeply. He was trying to remember me, too. “The room is probably bugged.” He spoke so softly, I almost mistook the sound for a sigh. “Have they told you where they’re taking you?” I shook my head from side to side, and his face, which was crisscrossed with cuts and swollen at the cheekbones, fell. “Yeah, me neither.” Because his body was also bruised, he rolled gingerly onto his knees, searching along the headboard. He opened the nightstand drawer and fanned the pages of the Gideon Bible. He looked under the mattress. Nothing. But of course they’d bugged the room. They didn’t trust us not to talk about that night, even though my testimony was the last thing on my mind. After everything I’d agreed to do for them, they couldn’t give me ten minutes, ten private minutes, with my boyfriend before they dragged us apart. “Are you mad at me?” I couldn’t help whispering. He was in this mess because of me—because of my mom. It was trouble with her that had effectively ruined his life and future. How could he not resent me even a little? His hesitation made me feel a deep, limitless anger toward my mom. Then he said, “Don’t.” Softly, but firml