Description:
When Maya Ortiz, a pastor's kid and burned-out teen photographer, meets Trey and his sister living in their car, she points her lens toward what most ignore. As the city pushes a "clean streets" ban, Maya's class builds a Safe Parking proposal, and Trey seeks restoration-not revenge-after one near-mistake. With church basements, small mercies, and courageous policy, Harbor House becomes refuge made real. A gripping YA Christian novel about dignity, restorative justice, and the love that turns neighbors into family.
Brief description:
Elena Matthews is a former youth pastor and community journalist who blends faith and realism in her YA Christian novels. Her stories explore how teenagers confront social injustice, prejudice, and identity while holding on to their faith in Jesus. A graduate of Wheaton College with a degree in Communication and Theology, Elena writes to help young readers see that faith isn't an escape from hard questions-it's the courage to face them with grace. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two rescue dogs.