Beards and Love Letters by Heather Lauren

A simple pen pal assignment changed my life forever. Growing up with a name like Joey, it wasn’t unusual to be mistaken for a boy on paper. And that’s what happened when Gavin Golds teacher passed on his letter to me, assuming he was being matched with a boy.
Those letters became my safe place. A place where tomboy Joey could tell a stranger all the girly things that I couldn’t tell anyone else and Gavin shared his nerdy side with me.
Even after the assignment was over, our letters continued. Gavin became my secret, my friend, and my sanity when working the family business gets to be too much.
When his letters suddenly stop, I pack up my life in Starlight Bay and head for Gold in the Mountains. My head telling me it’s just because I’m worried about him, but my heart knows it’s because I’ve dreamt of so much more.