The Things You Kiss Goodbye by Leslie Connor (review)

After Bettina Vasilis’ junior high walk on the wild side, shy Brady Cullen seems like a safe choice for her high school romance. His tentative sweetness marks him as different from the boys she’s used to, and what’s more, his politeness appeals to her super-strict Greek father, who, to Bettina’s surprise, allows her to date him. As Brady’s basketball star rises, however, so does his confidence, and Bettina finds herself consenting to sex she’s not ready for, trying out for cheerleading, and making up excuses when Brady loses his temper and hurts her. The first time Brady turns rough and hurts her, she runs away from school and meets an older guy whom she names “Cowboy” and who knows immediately what’s going on, even if Bettina won’t admit it. Her subsequent visits to Cowboy’s garage are more intentional, and she soon finds herself falling in love with him, even as she becomes more deeply ensnared in the trap of the abuse victim—denying what’s happening and blaming herself. Bettina’s relationships with Brady, Cowboy, her father, her mother, and a feisty elderly woman from her old neighborhood shape her gradual emergence into a compassionate young woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, but her true awakening comes about when a completely unexpected tragedy occurs, forcing her to reset the terms of her whole life moving forward. Readers will relate to Bettina throughout her emotional ups and downs, but it’s her path through grief and healing, particularly as she becomes an adult in the eyes of her parents, that will really draw them in.