Together by Chance

Teenager Tillie Benford lives with her ditzy single mum. Tillie is severely disabled, but doesn't let that stop her from living her life as fully as she can. She helps one of the new starters from school, bad boy Zack Johnson, through rehab when he finds himself partly paralysed after being hit by a car. She shows him that being disabled isn't the end of the world. Through the time they spend together, they develop feelings for each other. Then, just as Tillie begins to believe in his feelings for her, he betrays her trust. He promises to make it up to her, and he does, but at a heavy price. This teenage romance takes place in an English town, and takes us through a school year, with GCSE exams and finally the magic of a school prom marking the end of the summer term. Set against a background of living with disability and the challenges and emotions that brings, it also touches on the themes of teenage pregnancy, bullying, and being a single parent. The author draws on her own experience of severe disability to create the character of protagonist Tillie Benford.