Ann M. Miller

Ali feels like a prisoner. Her last play on the baseball field nearly killed her, thanks to what was diagnosed as bradycardia. She was clinically dead for four minutes, something that scared her divorced parents silly. Despite having a titanium chest shield and a pacemaker, plus being cleared to play baseball again, another disappointment awaits her. Her mom, who she lives with near Toronto, accepts the chance of a lifetime, joining a team on an archaeological dig in Egypt. That means Ali must move to the small town in British Columbia where her father is the high school principal.
Unfortunately, he's acting like a cross between a helicopter parent and a dictator, refusing to consider her playing sports and insisting she eat 'healthy' and join some safer high school activities like clubs. He goes one step further, hiring next door neighbor Max who's also a high school senior, to keep her on the straight and narrow. Ali remembers the peevish, nerdy version of Max, but the older edition is hot, as in buffed and impossible to ignore. When their attraction begins to overshadow his promise to her father, things get very interesting. There's a dandy climax near the ending that feels just right. It's a terrific YA read.… (mehr)