She Smiles

She Smiles, is a coming of age novel that uncovers the secret life of a broken family, as told by Angelina and her drug addicted older brother, Aaron. A master at disguise, over-achieving 17-year-old Angelina Hulgey hides her family's violence and her boss's bizarre behavior from even her closest friends. Secretly, she dreams of a normal life—to be liked (ok, loved), feel safe, and become a veterinarian. She also wants a bigger bra size and a bedroom door that closes, but isn’t holding her breath. As Angelina craves affection, she writes to Charlie, the latest in a series of blind dates. She’d like to fall for this self-proclaimed nerd, but her heart doesn’t want to let go of that other broken guy, Caleb (yeah, the one that doesn’t love her). After suffering a head injury, Angelina decides she deserves better. Her new-found courage pushes her dad, jeopardizes her dream of vet school and challenges Charlie and Caleb with a tainted version of the girl they thought they knew. Aaron struggles with juvenile diabetes and addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine. He wants to make people proud of him, but crack is wicked and cheap and it has seduced Aaron like no other Romeo (or Juliet) could. Continuing his spiral, Aaron meets Angelia's foe and devises a plan to get even. She Smiles promises to appeal to others who go to school, put on a smile and pretend that everything is alright.