Rapid City Summer by Connie Richardson

Fifteen-year-old Natalie Ryba never asked to leave everything behind.When her mother takes a new job in Rapid City, South Dakota, Natalie is forced to trade her friends, her track team, and the life she loved for something completely unfamiliar. Now she’s stuck navigating a new town, a complicated relationship with her estranged grandmother, and unexpected feelings for the boy next door.Nothing feels like home. But the Black Hills have a way of changing people.As Natalie learns to fly fish, she begins to find confidence, independence, and a new sense of purpose. What starts as a reluctant summer becomes something more—a chance to discover who she really is. Then everything changes.After a trip to Montana, Natalie is faced with news that will test everything she’s learned. Now she must decide: retreat to the comfort of who she was, or step forward into who she’s becoming.Rapid City Summer is a heartfelt coming-of-age story about resilience, identity, and finding your place when life takes an unexpected turn. Perfect for readers who enjoy emotional YA fiction, strong female protagonists, and stories set against the backdrop of the American West.