Boomerang

Michael Sterling disappeared from his Maine town five years ago. Everyone assumed he was kidnapped. The truth is worse—he ran away and found the life he always dreamed of.

Now, at seventeen, he’s Sean Woodhouse. And he’s come “home,” to the last place he wants to ever be, to claim the small inheritance his grandparents promised him when he graduated high school, all so he can save Trip, the boy he developed an intense and complicated relationship with while he was away.

Sean has changed, but so has his old town and everyone in it. And knowing who he is and where he belongs is more confusing than ever. As his careful plans begin to crumble, so does everything he’s believed about his idyllic other life.

Helene Dunbar is the author of These Gentle Wounds and What Remains. Over the years, she's worked as a drama critic, journalist, and marketing manager, and has written on topics as diverse as Irish music, court cases, theater, and Native American Indian tribes. She lives in Nashville with her husband and daughter, and exists on a steady diet of readers' tears.

"Boomerang is a masterfully crafted story about identity, family, and the meaning of home. The wholly original premise sucked me in, and the characters, all aching in different ways, kept me there. This is a YA novel that begs to be reread, talked about, and held close to your heart." —Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone

“This is my favorite kind of book . . . with characters worth every page turn.” —Emery Lord, author of Open Road Summer and The Start of Me and You

“A masterful weaving of intrigue and mystery that will keep you reading all night long.” —Brigid Kemmerer, author of Letters to the Lost and More Than We Can Tell

"This is a gorgeous examination of the painful and delicate connections formed in the midst of trauma and desperation. A caustic read in many ways, but one that will resonate with readers across a range of experiences and backgrounds." —Booklist

“This is a quietly intense novel about friendship, love, and what it means to be a family. . . . Hand to fans of Adam Silvera’s books and Carrie Mesrobian’s Cut Both Ways.” —School Library Journal

"One young man coming to terms with who he was, who he is, and particularly, with whom he wants to be romantically. Though secondary characters take a backseat to Sean’s self-discovery, brief glimpses of their backgrounds are enough to satisfy the reader. The book’s idyllic resolution will appeal to fans of romance. Hand this dramatic coming-of-age tale to introspective teens seeking a contemporary puzzle." —VOYA

Praise for These Gentle Wounds:
Buzzfeed “Top YA Novels of 2014”
Epic Reads “30 Books that Will Change Your View of the World”

“A heartbreaking novel, this first-person narrative lets readers inside the mind of someone who has suffered abuse and is dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and survivor’s guilt.” —VOYA

Praise for What Remains:
"Cal and Spencer’s friendship is strong given the trauma they suffered, and it is the highlight of the novel. This novel can be recommended to fans of tragic love stories à la John Green and Rainbow Rowell."—VOYA

"Teens will enjoy this as the warm and caring story of friendship that it is."—School Library Connection

[H]eart-wrenching . . .this tale of friendship, trust, and resilience will be hard for fans of realistic fiction to put down.” — Maia Raynor, VOYA Teen Reviewer