Taylor is the leader of the pack at her small town Massachusetts high school. Everyone either wants to be her or be with her. However, she's got a crush on her best friend, Susan. A bad crush. But it's 1999 and being a lesbian in high school would ruin her reputation. So, instead, she dates the male leader of the pack, going so far as to have sex with him, while dreaming of something else.

Throughout the years, she's been writing to movie star Johnny Moon who she thinks is her father. He was in town making a movie nine months or so before she was born. Her mother never told her who her father was, but she's got his nose. Maybe one day he'll answer and take her away from this small town with small goals and small thoughts.

As her senior year progresses, her longings get worse. Also, ostracizing her former friend, Clovis, who came out as lesbian, is making her uncomfortable.

As you can imagine, on all fronts things come to a head and most definitely not in the way Taylor thought they would. Some of it is certainly predictable to the reader. But other parts sort of came out of the blue. Either way, it's a hopeful ending.

We Were Promised Spotlights is a good read....and a quick one as well. ( )