Pumpkin Run

Publisher Description:

Even though she’s a junior at Castlewood High, Cici Norwell’s life is anything but magical. She spends her days cooking and cleaning for her stepmother, a badly aging beauty pageant queen, and doing homework for her two mean girl stepsisters, Stacie and Drew, all while trying to earn straight A’s so she can one day escape to college… and freedom.
But Cici’s life takes an unexpected turn one fateful Saturday morning when she’s running late for work as a forbidden shortcut leads her to cross paths with Coach Z and his newest recruit, a fast-footed new student named Deke Encantador. Trying to avoid detention, Cici shows up for cross-country tryouts the next day. But before she can race toward a different future, Cici’s stepmother steps in to control her destiny with a wicked plot to keep Cici away from running, Deke, and any hope of a life of her own.

With the announcement of the City of Castlewood’s first annual Pumpkin Run 5K, Cici realizes it might be the last chance she has to earn a spot on the cross-country team and see Deke again. With a little help from an unexpected friend, can Cici outmaneuver her stepmother and win the happy ending she deserves?