The Things We Take: A Second Chances Novel - Paperback

by Shelly Nosbisch (Author)

Stealing is easy. Facing the truth is harder.

Rory never planned to get caught.

Taking things-small things, meaningless things-has always been how she stays in control. When everything else feels too loud, too messy, too much... she takes. And for a moment, it works.

Until it doesn't.

After one mistake goes too far, Rory is forced into community service at a local thrift store-the last place she wants to be. But it's there she meets Mae: confident, sharp, and impossible to fool. Mae sees through Rory's excuses almost immediately... and doesn't let her hide behind them.

The more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to keep her distance.

Because Mae isn't just a distraction-she's a risk.

As Rory's carefully managed world begins to unravel, so do the truths she's been avoiding: the pull she can't seem to resist, the feelings she doesn't fully understand, and the fear of what happens if anyone finds out.

Because where she comes from, being honest about who you are doesn't just change things.

It can cost you everything.

But habits don't disappear overnight.

And when one impulsive choice threatens to undo everything-her family's trust, her fragile new relationships, and the possibility of something real with Mae-Rory is forced to face the one thing she's always avoided:

herself.

Because this time, getting caught might be the least of her problems.

Perfect for readers who love:

• messy choices and real consequences
• a slow-burn, high-stakes connection
• secrets that won't stay buried
• identity, risk, and the cost of being seen

A gripping young adult novel about the choices we make-and the truths we can't outrun.