Amanda and Carter are the couple at school. They have been dating for a long time, and will one day get married. That part of their lives has be determined. Carter's parents know it will happen, and Amanda's parents are depending on it. Amanda's family is strapped for money. They have debts, some accrued while trying to maintain their status after Amanda's dad had to change jobs. Carter's family has wealth and have influence, the kind Amanda's mom desires.
Rosalie and Carter date in secret. Carter has cheated on Amanda before, so this is not new to him. Rosalie needs Carter as a cover to convince her parents that she is no longer attracted to girls. She knows it is not serious between her and Carter, but she just needs to convince her strict religious parents for a few more months until she and her girlfriend can go away to college and live openly as themselves. Her fear is that once she comes out, she will be shunned by her parents and never see her little sister again. The church is strict and has excommunicated gay people before.
This book is full of people doing horrible things including the main characters. Amanda feels entitled and looks down upon some people. She assumes Rosalie is a horrible person. Rosalie is lying to Carter about her sexuality to use him as a cover. They only reason these actions seem justifiable is because both sets of parents are so toxic. Does it matter how Amanda truly feels about Carter? Her parents (particularly her mother) are more concerned about how they will be saved by the money. Rosalie's parents subject her to conversion 'therapy', and even move to a new town to 'save' from being gay. She is scrutinized constantly.
Who is this secret blackmailer, and what do they really want? Amanda becomes suspicious of everyone including her closest friends when she is told to break up with Carter. Rosalie lives in fear of her parents finding out about her girlfriend. Are they targets or is Carter? Sometimes the answers are too complicated to piece together particularly for the young women being emotionally tortured by the blackmailer or the parents (I'm not sure which is worse).
For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and author's site.
