Paris, South Dakota, summer 1976. Fifteen-year-old Lilly is crushed by
the news that her mother's boyfriend will become her father, making her
feel lonelier and more invisible than ever. That same morning, she runs
into Lee, a handsome and mysterious stranger. It isn't long before she
takes off with him, deeming it a grand adventure across the Great
Plains.
New Orleans, Louisiana, autumn 1992. Fifteen-year-old Lindsey has just
learned that her father is not, in fact, dead-but will be shortly if the
state of South Dakota has its way. As she and her mother embark on a
long bus ride north, Lilly slowly opens up, revealing to her daughter
the true story of her past: why she and Lee went on the run, how Lindsey
came to be, and the reason Lee is about to be executed for a crime of
passion. Independence is an evocative story of true love, youthful
mistakes, desperation, and breath-taking betrayal.