Blaine Sullivan's world has turned upside down. Torn away from his hidden sanctuary--the alluring woods behind his house--the sixteen-year-old's frazzled, abused mother takes him away from his unstable father who struggles with his anger and alcoholism.

Now in an unpleasant change of scenery that is his mom's older brother's house, hours away from home, Blaine realizes his summer will be anything but fun. Blaine endures his uncle's sour attitude and harsh insults--until Brandon begins to come around. Blaine is shocked, but he welcomes Uncle Brandon's kinder approach toward him. His father's abusive outbursts during and after binge-drinking are as unbearable as Blaine's awareness that his father lives in a constant state of denial. But things soon start looking up for Blaine. He befriends the boy living next door to Uncle Brandon, and in spite of a few rocky spells here and there, Blaine and Brandon begin to form a strong bond.

Then, out of nowhere, his world comes crashing down harder than ever right after a concerning diagnosis and his mother's disappearance.