Leaving Paradise by: Simone Elkeles

Publication Date: 

April 2008

Overview:

Nothing has been the same since Caleb Becker left a party drunk, got behind the wheel, and hit Maggie Armstrong. Even after months of painful physical therapy, Maggie walks with a limp. Her social life is nil and a scholarship to study abroad—her chance to escape everyone and their pitying stares—has been canceled.

After a year in juvenile jail, Caleb’s free . . . if freedom means endless nagging from a transition coach and the prying eyes of the entire town. Coming home should feel good, but his family and ex-girlfriend seem like strangers.

Caleb and Maggie are outsiders, pigeon-holed as "criminal" and "freak." Then the truth emerges about what really happened the night of the accident and, once again, everything changes. It’s a bleak and tortuous journey for Caleb and Maggie, yet they end up finding comfort and strength from a surprising source: each other.

My thoughts: 

Falling is love is hard enough, but when it's your best friends brother...your entering a "no-go-zone." Then when you go and get hit by a car, that messes up the rest of your life. Now your dealing with people staring you down and giving you dirty looks. You lose your best friend and your best friend losses her brother. 

Thinking the brother hit you with his car makes you hate him, but was it really him or his fault. 

his life isn't any better, his mom is having a private breakdown and your sister is now a gothic recluse. And his ex- girlfriend keeps coming by for a booty call all the while dating his bf.

Yucky!

My rating:

4 stars

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