Autumn J. Bright

 “Tender and bighearted, Lovely is a real and relatable heroine who charts her own course in a courageous coming-of-age novel that will appeal to fans of Chris Cleave, Sapphire, and Sarah Dessen.” — Booklist

They say bad things happen to good people, but that old cliché doesn’t bring much comfort to Lovely Duval. In a time of fading innocence, at a young age, Lovely takes on a life of responsibility after a tragic accident strikes home. And although performing household duties and helping out with a terminally ill parent on a daily basis is sometimes hard work for the preteen, she embraces it all with a positive attitude simply out of sheer love and devotion.

But when a nomadic family member returns to small-town Willisburg, South Carolina, her challenges escalate—cutting her childhood short and propelling her down a path of binge eating and self-destruction. Now a young woman, Lovely has to make a decision. Will she succumb to the demons of her past? Or will she fight for change and allow love to heal her heart?