Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother and Elvis-impersonator stepfather taught Carley to be tough and independent. But her whole life comes crashing down the night her stepfather beats her up. After being placed in foster care, Carley is sent to stay with the Murphys—a lively family with three boys. Carley doesn't know what to think of the warm and caring family—especially Mrs. Murphy.

Mrs. Murphy is nothing at all like Carley's mother—she cooks meals from scratch and she actually takes Carley shopping instead of stealing clothes from the Salvation Army drop box. Angry and distrustful, Carley keeps her distance at first. But soon she finds herself protecting the younger boys from a neighborhood bully, teaching the older brother how to play basketball, and feeling like part of a normal family for the first time in her life.

But then news from her mother shakes her world—and Carley's forced to make the most difficult decision of her life in this moving and powerful read.