July 12th, 2011 from Random House Listening Library
Eighteen-year-old Drew recalls the summer she was thirteen when her best friend was a rat, her mother started telling her lies, and her life long crush finds his true love - who is not Drew. Hanging out at a gourmet cheese shop may not sound like a good time to most, but for Drew she enjoys spending every waking moment surrounded by stinky Gouda and pungent Swiss. Plus, her crush Nick works there and she is content to stare at him all day long. When a strange boy named Emmett shows up in the alley of the cheese shop, she begins to think that maybe hanging out with her pet rat in a cheese shop is a bit overrated.
Drew and Emmett (a rat enthusiast and master paper crane maker because his last name is Crane) are both quirky and odd, and they make good companions for each other. Don't expect them to fall madly in love and sneak kisses next to the cheddar. It doesn't happen, but they do have something very special and unique. Drew is only thirteen after all! There is an air of mystery around Emmett. He is quiet and isn't quick to open up about his past. Drew's innocence comes through when she misses the signs that maybe Emmett doesn't have a picture perfect life. Before long, she realizes that Emmett is the first true-blue friend she has ever had. Only problem is, she may have figured this all out too late.
