Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum

genre: young adult contemporary fiction

Jessie has lost control over her life.  Way too soon after her mother passes away, her father gets remarried and moves their broken little family across the country to sunny California - to a new wife and a ritzy new school where Jessie knows no one.  It isn't long, though, before Jessie gets a random email from a complete stranger - but a friendly stranger who claims to be from her school.  He's just not ready to talk in real life yet.  So they start an online relationship, him knowing her and Jessie not knowing his identity but soon, they are close.  Really close.  And as other things in her life start to get more complicated, this online stranger starts to feel like the most stable thing.

Yes, after-school-special type material here and yes, predictable but cute and fun and a really fast read.  I'd say the author has a pretty good handle on teen angst, though, as well as the pain and disorientation from loosing a parent.  Also, the romance is good fun and I'm glad I gave this one a try.

Note: strong language and a lot of talk about sex, not for younger teens