Sebastian, a lonely seventeen-year-old, is suffocating under his dominant father’s control. In the ten years since his mother passed away, his father has kept him “safe” by barely allowing him out of their apartment. Sebastian’s secret late-night subway rides are rare acts of rebellion. Maria, a young mother of two, is trying to keep peace at home despite her boyfriend’s abuse. When she loses her job, she avoids telling him by riding the subways during her usual late-night shift. She knows she needs to “live in the truth.” But she still hasn’t been able to bring herself to do it. And soon he will expect her paycheck to arrive. When Sebastian and Maria wind up on the same train, these two strangers find a connection that neither can explain or ignore. Together they dream of a new future, agreeing to run away. But Maria doesn’t know Sebastian is only seventeen. And Sebastian doesn’t know Maria has children until the moment they leave. Ultimately, Maria brings one child, her daughter. But can she really leave her little boy behind? In this tremendously moving novel, Catherine Ryan Hyde shows us how two people trapped by life’s circumstances can break free and find a place in the world where love is genuine and selfless.
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"I first chose this book because I liked the cover and the first page had me hooked right away. I didn't like Pay it Forward very much, but this book was definitely a 5! I didn't think I would like it as much as I did: I thought I'd just be reading it to pass time between work and my tutoring gig. "
— Nikki (5 out of 5 stars)
" this happened to fall in my lap and I couldn't put it down! it was a lovely heartwarming yet heartbreaking story with a good pace and well written. couldn't help but feel a combination of frustration and empathy for the characters. great read. "
— Catherine, 1/26/2014" great quote I wanted to remember...."You keep getting yourself in all these impossible situations. Even though you know all the time they're impossible. It's like you're trying to pitch a tent on a river or something. Living in all these temporary lands where you just know you can't ever stay." "
— Alyson, 1/25/2014" Book on CD. This has been on my list for a while to read and I finally got around to it. I liked it, but some of the aspects of Maria's life and the lies she told put me off. Maybe I feel like ripping the bandaid off an issue right away is better than forgetting it is there until it is absolutely necessary to face. I don't know. Anyway, the narrative was good. "
— Brenda, 1/24/2014" It was amazing, two strangers falling inlove on a train. Once you start you can not put it down, its almost like romeo and Juliet :-) "
— Karima, 1/17/2014" A modern romeo and juliet with a slight twist... Guess I ruined the story for you =P a good entertaining and light read. "
— Failafo0sa, 1/12/2014" This was a simple, sweet story. It was a little predictable, which is why I gave it only 3 stars. "
— Kari, 1/11/2014" A great read. My sister recommended it to me and though I was warey as we have very different tastes I really enjoyed this, especially the way it ended. "
— Emma, 1/10/2014" A book that is a really quick read. I wouldn't say that it is unputdownable but it's pleasant and grand and held my interest enough. I feel the ending was just popped out though, not given as much thought as everything else before it. "
— Maria, 12/28/2013" I'm a new fan of CRHyde. I listened to Love In the Present Tense before this one. I'm glad she had good narrators for both books because they're both great stories. Both sad and touching. I recommend both. "
— Tracey, 11/21/2013" It was a nice little book to read. Some of the characters were not too believable. Something was missing, but I cannot put my finger on it. I enjoyed it though. "
— Christine, 10/25/2013" awesome book i would recommend anyone to read this book its a really great story for women down on their luck. "
— Cecily, 9/29/2013" I liked this book, especially since it was about two broken people trying to find a way to be whole. But... well, I can't quite place the but. There is something missing so the book ends up just kinda okay. "
— Melissa, 9/16/2013" Absolutely loved this book, couldn't put it down but a bit disappointed in the ending. "
— Kim, 8/22/2013" wow. i didnt like this. terrible ending too. "
— Chloe, 7/8/2013" A quick read and fairly good. Wish we could rate .5's instead of whole numbers. "
— Grace, 2/5/2013" 3/4 the way through...pretty good read. "
— Bdot, 12/21/2012" A quick read. A sort of modern day Romeo and Juliet with two morals - only you can let yourself be abused and bullies are cowards at heart. Two characters who are trapped in different abusive relationships and how they get together. I liked the way the ending wasn't predictable or 'soppy'. "
— Penny, 11/1/2012" it is soo stupid how maria had to spend something to learn to think for herself. she left Sebastian after a day. he brought her all the way across the country, away from Carl and she leaves him not 2 days later. idiot "
— Karen, 10/20/2012" A fast, enjoyable read from a writer I very much admire (a great person as well as a great writer). "
— Al, 10/5/2012" This was the Feb. book for the SW book club. Mary selected it and it is an unusual love story similar to West Side story about Tony and Marie. I totally got into the book and shared the tension with the characters. "
— Linda, 8/4/2012" it was really sad, and i found myself really disappointed in the end for some reason. "
— Bunny, 5/13/2012" I've read this book several times and I never tire of it :) the alternate points of view give two full perspectives as far as the presence of love, honesty, and passion in spite of the expectations that have been put on the characters and the sheltered lives they have grown accustomed to. "
— Jess, 3/18/2012" much of the way through this book I felt it was unrealistic (but compelling) but then the ending was more nuanced than I'd expected, so that was good. "
— Tessa, 2/13/2012" A love story with a not so happy ending. Good characters, fast read. "
— Dixie, 12/14/2011" Listened on CD in my car. "
— Wendy, 6/8/2011" Maria's character annoyed me. The ending wasn't a happy one but it still left me unsatisfied. "
— Pauline, 5/25/2011" Good story. But it makes me feel sad that these can be real issues for teens. "
— Ruth, 2/12/2011" I'm a new fan of CRHyde. I listened to Love In the Present Tense before this one. I'm glad she had good narrators for both books because they're both great stories. Both sad and touching. I recommend both. "
— Tracey, 2/11/2011" it is soo stupid how maria had to spend something to learn to think for herself. she left Sebastian after a day. he brought her all the way across the country, away from Carl and she leaves him not 2 days later. idiot "
— Karen, 1/16/2011" captivating read. realistic, yet bummer, ending. "
— Stephanie, 6/16/2010" This was a simple, sweet story. It was a little predictable, which is why I gave it only 3 stars. "
— Kari, 5/20/2010" A great read. My sister recommended it to me and though I was warey as we have very different tastes I really enjoyed this, especially the way it ended. "
— Emma, 4/30/2010" A fast, enjoyable read from a writer I very much admire (a great person as well as a great writer). "
— Al, 4/22/2010" Love stories don't always have the happy ending you might expect. The relationship between Maria and Sebastian/Tony was pretty much doomed from the outset and the parallels between Maria and Tony's mother were too blatant to be ignored. Fast read - Hyde is always a favorite. "
— Gail, 3/17/2010" This book is not perfect. It doesn't have that happily-ever-after-lovey-dovey ending. This book had me in tears for almost a week.... and that's why I love it. "
— Amanda, 1/20/2010" A modern romeo and juliet with a slight twist... Guess I ruined the story for you =P a good entertaining and light read. "
— Failafo0sa, 12/22/2009Catherine Ryan Hyde is the award-winning author of more than forty books. Her novel Pay It Forward was adapted into a major motion picture and chosen by the American Library Association for its Best Books for Young Adults list. Becoming Chloe and Jumpstart the World were included on the ALA Rainbow List, and Jumpstart the World was a finalist for two Lambda Literary Awards. Where We Belong won two Rainbow Awards in 2013, and The Language of Hoofbeats won a Rainbow Award in 2015. Her stories have been honored by the Raymond Carver Short Story Contest and the Tobias Wolff Award and have been nominated for Best American Short Stories, the O’Henry Award, and the Pushcart Prize.
Jesse Bernstein is an audiobook narrator and winner of seven AudioFile Earphones Awards. His many works include The Battle of the Labyrinth, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Girls, Chasing Windmills, and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson Series.