When Briana's father dies of a heart attack, she feels a new heart grow inside her. Through this heart, her father's voice guides her through her grief and helps her navigate her new, not-so-normal life at home.

When her mother's own grief becomes overpowering, Briana feels like she's responsible for her autistic little brother, Aaron. Spending much of her time and energy caring for Aaron, she wonders: Did his special needs hurt her father's very fragile heart? The voice of Briana's "new heart" helps her to cope with the messy uncertainties, as she balances her first feelings of romance, making new friends, and following her dream of writing for the school newspaper. And as Briana finds strength and knowledge in herself, she's finally able to let go of her new heart and rely solely on her own.