A slice of life story of a British teenaged girl, Eden, and her best friend, Bonnie. Right before their final exams, Bonnie runs away with their music teacher. This is an unexpected shock to Eden, and even though she knows where Bonnie is, her loyalty to her best friends keeps her strong through questioning by the police, the school, and Bonnie’s family.

This is a serious story. We learn how pressured a 15 year old can be when subjected to pressure from her overbearing parents to be perfect with her behavior, scores, exams, and grades. As the plot unfolds, Eden begins to understand how Bonnie was groomed by Mr. Cohn, the music teacher. And, that this is a serious situation and that Bonnie needs to get away from Mr. Cohn.

Here is a significant quote: “I don’t think you can ever really start over. Because if you’re trying to do that, you’re basically trying to run away from yourself. And you can’t. You’re stuck with you, forever. Wherever you go.”

 I recommend this book to those who enjoy “slice of life” realism with mature topics.