Searching for Normal (Riverbend Friends)

An authentic, Christian book for teen girls about the surprises and struggles that come with finding where you belong.

Searching for Normal is the second book in a YA series that travels alongside four friends as they deal with teen life in Riverbend, Indiana. The novel inspires girls and young women to deepen their relationships with God and solve their problems in God-honoring ways.

Six months ago Shay Mitchell’s life changed forever. Now she’s just trying to survive high school bullies, drama class, and living with her Aunt Laura above the bookstore. No one, not even her new friends, knows her real story or the reason she’s living with her aunt in the first place.

When Shay learns the truth about her biological father being a famous horse trainer, she jumps at the opportunity to meet him. This could be her chance! Maybe she’ll finally find the normal life she’s longed for―a life where she feels loved and wanted―you know, part of a real family.

• Book 2 in the Riverbend Friends series
• Tackles hard-hitting topics like bullying, grief, and complex family dynamics from a faith-based perspective
• Features relatable, imperfect characters to encourage teen and tween girls ages 12-16

C. J. Darlington won the 2008 Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest with her first novel, Thicker Than Blood. She is the author of the Jupiter Winds series and the children's fantasy Alison Henry and the Creatures of Torone. C. J. loves animals and visiting bookstores; she currently lives in Pennsylvania.