Allow in Light

Hurt others before they hurt you: Nicole’s rule for surviving a world that expects her to be perfect.

With striking beauty and a sharp sense of style, Nicole could grace the covers of teen magazines. Instead, she leaves a trail of broken hearts in her wake—every boy who falls for her quickly learns not to.

Her father’s failures in business and marriage have stripped the family of luxury, forcing them to settle in Lake Los Angeles—a desert town of cheap housing and tumbleweeds. Beaten down by a father who sees her femininity as a flaw and a mother who sacrificed her own dreams, Nicole hides behind emotional detachment.

But when a spark for science ignites within her, her father shames it into silence, pushing her instead toward a future in finance—the practical path he believes will keep her safe. Torn between the life expected of her and the dreams she secretly longs for, Nicole pushes people away, even the girls determined to break through her defenses and become her friends.

As she struggles to balance ambition, friendship, and growing feelings for someone who refuses to let her stay closed off, Nicole must decide: will she let fear rule her, or will she allow in light—and love—to guide her toward the life she was meant to live?