No One Here Is Lonely

Eden’s longtime crush, Will, is killed in a car accident just before high school graduation, on the very night they finally kiss. When she returns Will’s jacket to his mother, she is given the phone number to In Good Company, software that replicates the voice and personality traits of the departed. Eden uses the service to chat with Will, or at least a facsimile of him, via telephone. She goes to him for advice and comfort when her plans to be a camp counselor go up in smoke; when she and her best friend, Lacey, have a falling out; and when she discovers her mother cheating on her father. But Eden’s continued crush and growing dependency on Will prevent her from developing relationships with real people, especially a boy she is just beginning to trust. Everett (Everyone We’ve Been) makes the improbable seem plausible in this novel, which is part unrequited love story, part cautionary tale about grief turning to obsession and fantasy. Ages 12–up. Agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary. [em](Jan.) [/em]