Jaden Bruxelle knows that life is precious. She sees it in
her work as a hospice nurse, a job filled with compassion
and humor even on the saddest days. And she sees it in Tate,
the boy she has raised as her son ever since her sister gave
him up at birth. Tate is seventeen, academically brilliant,
funny, and loving. He's also a talented basketball player
despite having been born with an abnormally large head--
something Jaden's mother blames on a family curse. Jaden
dismisses that as nonsense, just as she ignores the legends
about witches and magic in the family.
Over the years, Jaden has focused all her energy on her job
and on sheltering Tate from the world. Tate, for his part,
just wants to be a regular kid. Through his blog, he's
slowly reaching out, finding his voice. He wants to try out
for the Varsity basketball team. He wants his mom to focus
on her own life for a change, maybe even date again.
Jaden knows she needs to let go--of Tate, of her fears and
anger, and of the responsibilities she uses as a shield. And
through a series of unexpected events and revelations, she's
about to learn how. Because as dear as life may be, its only
real value comes when we are willing to live it fully, even
if that means risking it all.
Beautifully written, tender and true, A Different Kind of
Normal is a story about embracing love and adventure, and
learning to look ahead for the first time. . .