The Girl From the Red Rose Motel    by Susan Beckham Zurenda Order:  USA  Can Mercer University Press, 2023 (2023) Hardcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Barbara Lingens Two high school teenagers from different worlds find each other and must suffer the consequences. This is a beautiful story, written with great understanding for the characters, who are very real. Hazel's life is one misery after another, and she can only envy the ease with which Sterling navigates his privileged one. Yet there is something about Hazel that makes her different. And both Sterling and her teacher, Angela Wilmore, see this. The high school atmosphere is vividly portrayed, with all the teens' conversations so realistic. And the adults who surround them are also well drawn. We can't help admiring how hard they try to do the right thing for their young people, and how betrayed they feel by the glaring errors of other adults who care little for the teens. Best of all, love plays a big and unexpected role on many fronts here, despite social differences that will not be denied. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews