Fifteen-year-old Lara has found her soulmate. There's just one problem - he's her teacher. A compelling and controversial debut from a fresh and original new voice in YA fiction.Lara's life has changed radically since her father lost his job. As the eldest, she tries to keep upbeat for the sake of her younger siblings, so her diary becomes her sole outlet for how awful everything is at home. And to make matters worse, Lara is being bullied at school.Things are going from bad to worse when a new, young teacher, Mr. Jagger, arrives at school. Quickly, Lara feels Mr. J is the one person who takes her seriously, notices her potential, and is kind to her. The one person with whom she falls madly and hopelessly in love with. The one person who cannot reciprocate her feelings . . . can he?Exploring relevant and provactive themes including abuse, bullying, forbidden love, and self-esteem issues, "Me and Mr J" will strike a chord with adolescents and adults alike.