When Elizabeth Bauer’s mother is found guilty of a heinous crime and sentenced to a long prison term, teen aged Elizabeth and her younger brother Mikey find themselves in the custody of a very wealthy but emotionally exhausting aunt and uncle who would send them away to boarding school. Elizabeth is determined to escape what is her intended fate and takes herself and her brother on an extended journey to gain her own personal freedom and exonerate the mother she loves and believes to be innocent.

What ensues is a coming of age story where whip smart and savvy Elizabeth hones her survival skills and meets with unexpected kindness and help in her quest. She is a very likable character. Her journey brings her a helpmate who is most unlikely and a friendship that is heartwarming.

The story was way too long which affected my rating. . A little bit of constructive editing on this book would have done wonders for readability. So three stars for I book I liked but didn’t love, with a cast of characters that I was glad to meet between the covers. It’s available to read and you’ll probably enjoy it. My thanks to Bzff books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.