Finding Home

Gr 10 Up—A teen romance featuring a troubled foster child and the family that takes him in. Leo and Lila have been in half a dozen foster homes already, so their expectations are pretty low when they arrive at the Poulton household. The Poultons take in the duo, who are still recovering from the physical and emotional damage they suffered when their father murdered their mother. Leo is the protector; he lashes out at anyone who comes near Lila, even if they are trying to help. The only person who can get through to Leo is his new foster brother Charlie, who sees Leo's beauty masked in his pain. The limited third person narration makes it difficult for readers to connect with any of the characters, and the length of the story precludes the necessary background information that would help teens sympathize with Leo and Lila. Leo and Charlie's relationship can best be described as "insta-love;" their attraction is immediate and, due to the nature of their relationship in their foster family, not sustainable or advisable. Without enough plot to be action driven nor enough exposition to be character driven, the book will disappoint readers who are looking for a good story.