The Clocke family is having a Thanksgiving celebration of food, fire, and fighting when First Love unexpectedly appears at the door. Hollin Clocke, teenaged beauty queen, is sixteen at last and poised to take her rightful place with the adults. Denied! She's ready but her family isn't. They want her to stay at the kids' table forever. It's so unfair! And no one is taking her side.
Until her cousin's college roommate walks through the door. Justis MacNair is tall, likable, and instantly blown away by the gorgeous girl he didn't expect to find. He doesn't waste any time in getting to know her a lot better. But is he really the friend Hollin needs? He'll kiss her, he'll touch her, but he won't tell her anything about himself. If he won't trust her how can she trust him?
A beautiful romance might end before it begins as the Clocke family struggles with the question of who's growing up vs who's just growing older.