The example of her domestically abused mother echoing in her mind, 16-year-old Jody Walker isn't too unhappy when her new, and suddenly abusive, husband, Bobby James, abandons her on their honeymoon. Unwilling to return to their hometown in Texas, Jody decides to make a better life for herself in the small town of Jackson Beach, Florida--the very last stop made by the bus she boarded after Bobby James left her. But what can a 16-year-old bride with an eighth-grade education and only $20 in her pocket do to survive? Surprising even herself, Jody finds a job, a new place to live, and good friends whom she comes to love, support, and depend on as if they were her own family. Copyright (C) Muze Inc. 2005. For personal use only. All rights reserved.