A mother's death forces a teen girl to reevaluate their tumultuous relationship in this powerful coming-of-age novel for teens. For fans of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

After years of physical and verbal abuse from her mother, fourteen-year-old Coi moved in with her father, and together they created a peaceful life. But now, four years later, that peace is shattered when her mother dies.

While Coi struggles to find kindness in her heart for the woman who did nothing but hurt her, her mother's passing does help reopen the door to her mother's side of the family. It's only through reconnecting with her estranged family members, especially her younger half-sister Kayla, that Coi's long-held views about her mother are challenged.

And when Coi begins to see visions of her mother in her dreams, she is forced to ask herself what it means to forgive and be forgiven, and, most importantly, what it means to be family.

KERN CARTER is a full-time freelance writer and author who has written and self-published two novels — Thoughts of a Fractured Soul (novella) and Beauty Scars. His YA novel Boys and Girls Screaming released in April 2022, published by DCB, an imprint of Cormorant Books. Kern is also a ghostwriter with credits in Forbes, the New York Times, Global Citizen, Elle Magazine and Fatherly.com, and has ghostwritten several books. When he’s not penning novels or ghostwriting, Kern is curating stories through CRY, his online publication that creates space for artists to navigate through the emotions of their creative journey. He lives in downtown Toronto with his daughter.

Kern Carter's profile page

An Indigo Best Book of 2024 So Far

"An emotional story of family and growth." —Kirkus Reviews
"[W]ell paced and populated with strong and sympathetic characters." —Booklist

"A well-written, thoughtful, and sympathetic deep dive into understanding and surviving an abusive parent." —School Library Journal

"This is [a] tale of family dynamics and difficult choices." —Winnipeg Free Press

"And Then There Was Us is an important read for anyone looking for a book that explores reevaluating childhood trauma and complicated family relationships." —Young Adulting