Just Listen,' by Sarah Dessen, is the engaging story of Annabel Greene, the girl who has it all, including a myriad of dark secrets. Annabel's home life hasn't been easy. After her grandmother died, her mother sank into paralyzing depression, staying in bed all day and hardly speaking to anyone. The crisis finally passed after a few years, just in time for the perfect-on-the-surface family to meet with more disaster. Annabel's beautiful sister, Whitney, develops an eating disorder, getting thinner and thinner until her body shuts down and she's admitted to the hospital and subsequently rehab. This situation causes a rift between her and Annabel's oldest sister, Kirsten, which pulls the family apart. In the middle of all this chaos, Annabel gets lost in the shuffle, despite the fact that she's harboring a devastating secret that leaves her broken and ostracized at school. Just when Annabel thinks she's entirely forgotten, the dark and mysterious Owen Armstrong offers her a helping hand. As they develop an unexpected friendship, Owen may become the first person Annabel's ever told about what happened the night it all began.

Sarah Dessen's writing is poignant and charming, treating the many issues that affect teenagers with insight and finesse. Readers will immediately feel empathy for Annabel's plight, even before they know the whole story. The leading man, Owen, is lovable and mysterious, and his penchant for honesty (the product of court-ordered anger management classes) adds a quirky facet to his character. As always, her characters jump off the page and readers will feel like they've known them for years. Dessen carefully explores the complex psychological motivations that determine the different ways people deal with tragedy and pain, as well as the cleansing power of having someone who will 'just listen.'