Like many seniors, Bea's life has slowly been whittled away. First she loses her bakery business, then her husband, her house, and finally, through a telephone scam, her small savings. With no way to pay the bills or even buy food, embittered Bea fires up her small van to collect what she thinks the world owes her. When both her parents are arrested on the same night, 15-year-old Allie's privileged and sheltered existence implodes, and she ends up in a group home for troubled teens. While trying to escape a human trafficker, Allie runs into the road right into the path of Bea's van. As they travel up America's Western coastline, Bea and Allie's tenuous friendship allows each of them to grow and change aspects of their individual worldviews. VERDICT Prolific, award-winning author Hyde (Pay It Forward; Say Goodbye for Now) has produced an appealing tale of friendship, family, trust, and faith in humanity. Fans of the author's previous works will enjoy growing and traveling alongside the title characters.—Joy Gunn, Paseo Verde Lib., Henderson, NV