Mia is 14 years old and eager for some independence. She's shocked to learn, however, that her father has taken up with one of her mother's closest friends, and he's leaving the family. As this new book reveals, Mia is forced to take on responsibilities beyond her years as her mother sinks into a deep depression and leaves the care of her siblings to Mia. Her mother insists that her father has left all of them, but Mia is torn between love for her father and loyalty to her mother.
Though Mia's mother is depressed, she's not so out of it that she's relinquished her tight grip on Mia and her siblings. Mia's curfew is strictly enforced, and if Mia's mother gets an inkling that Mia's interested in a boy, a beating is guaranteed. Despite the restrictions, Mia can't help becoming interested in Karson, an older boy that she refers to as "Mr. Fine" before she learns his name. She's desperately eager to pursue a relationship with him, but her parents are united in one thing: Mia can't date until she's 18. Will Mia be able to shake the restraints of her broken family? And will Karson wait for Mia? "Before the Chase" is a fast-paced, riveting story of a girl forced to grow up too soon. Mia is a realistic character that readers will find very relatable, and her issues are unfortunately all too common.Videos