Catherine Ryan Hyde's latest book, Chasing Windmills is a novel that appeals to teens and adults.  The story centers on two young New Yorkers who are both living in fear. Sebastian is 17 years old and lives with his controlling father who tries to keep him safe from the world by barely allowing him to leave their apartment except to go jogging. He has never seen a movie or even eaten a hot dog from a street vendor.  He has little memory of his mother who died when he was very young. Sebastian manages to leave the apartment at night while his father is deeply sleeping after popping a pill.  He meets 22 year old Maria on the subway and finds a soul mate. Maria has two young children by her abusive boyfriend, Carl.  She is riding the subway aimlessly so Carl will think she is at work though she had been recently laid off.  Sebastian and Maria gain courage through their friendship and, with the help of her sister and his only and unlikely friend, Delilah, break away from the abusive relationships.  They travel to the Mojave Desert with her toddler daughter to Sebastian's grandmother's home. Maria left her son behind with Carl, who is attached to the boy.  She soon realizes the depth of her mistake and returns with the help of two strong women to take custody of her son. The hundreds of "windmills" on Tehachapi Pass are the comforting early childhood memories of Sebastian's visit to his grandmother with his lone gone mother. They become a symbol of the joy life can hold. The two break free of their trapped lives and manage to find genuine love and friendship between themselves and the others who help them on their journey of discovery.  The novel references the parallel stories of “Romeo and Juliet” and “West Side Story” as the two star-crossed lovers move toward “somewhere” better.  The author's simple prose and believable, interesting characters form a novel that rings true.