Collision Course is by best selling romance, science fiction and fantasy author S.C. Stephens. Stephens is known for her debut novel Thoughtless, and channels a dramatic angst story about high school student Lucas West.
Lucas had a picture perfect life, being on the football team, popular, loving friends and a beautiful devoted girlfriend. Life couldn’t have gotten any better until one night changed everything. Lucas, his girlfriend Lillian, his best friend who was like a brother to him, Darren, and Darren’s girlfriend Sammy were leaving a party.
Lucas, who was not a big drinker, was the only sober one of the group. He drove the car back home and a freak sudden downpour of rain made Lucas hydroplane the car and lose control. The car slammed into the railing and plummeted over the side. The accident took the lives of his best friends, leaving him the lone survivor.
The accident sparked rumors and gossip about what happened that night. Everyone started believing that Lucas was a ‘reckless drunk driver’ and blame him for the accident. Lucas has to return to school and is constantly harassed and reminded of the horrid night that took a piece of his life away. Lucas struggles with coping with the accident and dealing with his last year of high school.
On the first day of school he meets a new girl, Sawyer, who is hiding in the boy’s bathroom. She is different from everyone else in the small town. Sawyer is not judgmental, understanding and eventually helps Lucas cope with his depression. Both Sawyer and Lucas have troubled pasts but find a happy ending with each other.
Lucas is unable to break away from his girlfriend and his friends so he visits with them in his dreams. He dreams of Lillian a lot, and in his dreams he finds the courage to tell her that he loves her. He still believes he is in a relationship with her and refuses to let her go. Lucas goes to the extreme of taking sleeping pills.
His friends and girlfriend tell him that Lucas needs to start living his life and stop living in his dream world. His peers constantly torment him by them tripping him, hitting him, and drugging him that caused him to get suspended. Lucas reaches his limit and starts questioning his life and the incident. He wonders why he survived, if he was meant to die and if his life is worth living. Lucas contemplates suicide but Sawyer helps him realize that death is not his solution.
Stephens is a very talented writer because she allows you to get into Lucas’ head. You feel every emotion he is going through and understand his breakdowns. It was hard not to cry in every chapter as Lucas finds peace and a moment of happiness in his dreams because he can’t find while he is awake. The constant bullying and guilt that consumes Lucas is heartbreaking.
Overall Collision Course is a captivating story that covers heavy and controversial topics that will spark your interest to read more from S.C. Stephens.