Universal Forces

The universe has four forces, but the heart has one: love. "If things didn't work out with Jake--either because he wasn't good enough for me, or I wasn't good enough for him--I'd have to give up on the idea of finding someone. Ever. Okay, maybe not ever, but at least through the end of high school, which felt like ever." Cassie Vogler is convinced she'll spend her junior year dateless until fellow bookworm, Jake Gunderson, moves to her windswept West Texas town. He's super hot, super smart...and super religious, something Cassie doesn't understand. From an early age, she was taught to reject the fairytales of faith, and Jake's extreme views are way over the top. But she's drawn in by the irresistible pull of his gravity and agrees to secretly tutor him in astronomy. During these sessions, Cassie and Jake find a commonality--both have felt the sting of abuse--and this bonds the pair beyond initial breathless attraction. Yet the more their romance heats up, the more their parents drive a wedge between them. Their relationship takes a dangerous turn, however, when Cassie discovers the Gundersons' alarming plan for their son, Jake. Can she put a stop to it without dooming both families to a violent fate? A modern twist on Romeo and Juliet for mature readers, ages 15 and up.