“Moving and insightful... a page-turner.”

“In 1995, first-time author Tarbox was leading an upper-middle-class life of quiet desperation. At age 13, she rarely saw her workaholic mother, who seemed only to care about her daughter’s swim-team performance, and got on poorly with her stepfather. Overscheduled, ignored and less than perfectly attractive, she felt invisible in her wealthy Connecticut town. Now, at age 17, she evocatively describes how her first romance permanently altered her life.... Strong, articulate and conservative, Tarbox evokes pity and admiration with her heartfelt account of a precocious girl who was deceived and then betrayed.”

“This compelling and honestly written read paints a vivid picture of the angst-ridden world of young teens.”

“An impressive work that reveals the tormented psyche of a young teen who seemed to have it all.”