The countdown to college has begun. When Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment at the beginning of summer, she shoots off an email to coordinate the basics: TV, microwave, mini-fridge. She can't wait to escape her New Jersey beach town, and her mom, and start life over in California. The first note to Lauren in San Francisco comes as a surprise; she had requested a single. But if Lauren's learned anything from being the oldest of six, it's that you can't always get what you want, especially when what you want is privacy. Soon the girls are emailing back and forth, sharing secrets even though they've never met. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives...and each other. With humor and heart, Sara Zarr, National Book Award finalist for Story of a Girl, and Tara Altebrando, acclaimed author of The Pursuit of Happiness, join forces for a novel about that time after high school, when everything feels like it's ending just as it's beginning. Sara Zarr was raised in San Francisco, California, and now lives with her husband in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is the author of The Lucy Variations, How to Save a Life, What We Lost, Sweethearts, and the National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl. Her website is www.sarazarr.com. Tara Altebrando is an author of books for adults and teens, including The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life, Dreamland Social Club, What Happens Here and The Pursuit of Happiness. She lives with her family in Queens, New York. Her website is www.taraaltebrando.com. *"The authors give the story big doses of humor, sensitivity, and sweetness, along with a complex and realistic cast; EB and Lauren's stories amount to two great novels in one."-Publishers Weekly, starred review * "With authentic and distinct voices relayed through a combination of emails and first-person narratives, the authors create a modern and meaningful epistolary novel...A resonant story perfect for any teenager going to college -- or simply struggling to make peace with herself and her world."-The Bulletin, starred review "An honest and pitch-perfect story that's filled to the brim with our most overwhelming emotions: fear, hope, and love."-Stephanie Perkins, author of Anna and the French Kiss "This winning novel charms from the start. Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando perfectly capture the summer after high school graduation in all its glorious excitement and uncertainty. Required reading for the college bound!"-Megan McCafferty, NYT bestselling author of Jessica Darling's It List "Authentic and drama filled."-Booklist