sixteen-year-old iris dallas cooke has struggled all her life. between her father abandoning her when she was seven, her mom's alcohol and opioid addiction, and being dirt poor, she hasn't had a smooth ride. until she discovers the stay program-where you live with various families throughout the united states as the government cuts you out of your family's expenses. iris thinks she's found the golden ticket to easing her family's struggles-which is all she's ever wanted to do. what iris doesn't know is that she's about to endure a roller coaster ride with more ups and downs than she could ever imagine.leaving her hometown of chicago and the three most important people in her life-her mom, brother, colton, and sister, leannah-behind she embarks on a journey to end her and her family's struggles. she travels alone from seattle to new haven to boston, meeting a variety of people and enduring all kinds of experiences-good, bad, and ugly. not only a story about trauma, heartache, and desperation, but one about hope, perseverance, and friendship. as we follow iris through her journey that twists and turns, we see what one young girl is willing to do in order to save her family.