Josie Unlimited

About the Book

An awkward but handsome fifteen-year-old, Donnie Darning has a brilliant mind but a dysfunctional family. His father is overbearing, and his mother drowns her problems in alcohol. Fortunately, his dismal world doesn't compare to the vast universe he finds inside books, but he is tired of living life vicariously through reading stories.

Josie Rosado changes all that. Beautiful and exotic, the seventeen-year-old daughter of a Romani immigrant has just moved in with her family next door to Donnie. Josie is charismatic and worldly, a wonderful mystery to be solved, and Donnie is immediately captivated by her spiritedness.

Josie shows Donnie how exciting the world can be, whether they're flying kites in the park or having moonlit tête-à-têtes on the roof. They soon become inseparable, living in their own bubble of existence. But one day, they come home to find a Lincoln Continental parked in Josie's driveway. Donnie discovers that Josie has a secret, but can she trust him enough to reveal it? Donnie must protect Josie, even if it destroys his family's good name-and his life.

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About the Author

Stephen Shifflett grew up in Graford, Texas, and later attended the University of Texas at Austin. He coaches high school track and cross country and teaches English and journalism in Keene, Texas. Josie Unlimited is his first novel.