The Garden by Renee Angers

With their school friends residing miles away in neighboring Ponoka, two kids are seemingly trapped in the expansive isolation of rural Alberta, Canada, to spend the summer vacation together.

Thirteen-year-old Cameron Keller finds welcome relief from his boozing father's physical beatings in classmate Ani Sauvé's presence. The summer heat spreading across the acres of prairies and grasslands only feed the curiosities, heartbeats, fireflies and unexplained feelings that blossom between the two.

As they grow into adults, a dark cloud of ill luck follows Cam around mercilessly, as does his unconditional love for Ani. Unable to shake the first and not willing to shake the latter, he fights to survive.

Alcoholism, abandonment, abuse, betrayal, and murder cannot keep Ani and Cam apart. The Garden is their refuge, and its memory pushes them past whatever penance they must endure to find each other again.