Running on Empty by Don Aker

Synopsis: All Ethan Palmer wants is wheels of his own, and he’s finally saved enough money to buy his dream car … when he accidentally rams his dad’s Volvo into their garage. It’s not like his lawyer/politician father can’t afford to pay for the damage, but of course his old man is going to turn this into another Big Life Lesson. With all his hard-earned cash going into repairs, Ethan won’t be sliding behind the wheel of that Mustang Cobra any time soon. Or will he? He thinks he’s found a way to make some easy money, and suddenly nothing is more important. Not school, not the girl he loves, not even the secrets that divide his family. For Ethan, it’s all about payback. But he has no idea what his choices will cost him.

Don Aker is the award-winning author of 18 books, among them several bestselling novels for teens including The First Stone, The Fifth Rule, and The Space Between. The father of two daughters, Don has worked as a high school teacher, a literacy mentor, and a university instructor, and he is quick to point out that his work with teenagers shapes his realistic fiction: “Every novel I’ve ever written has grown out of my interactions with young people.”