Breaking Free

From S. E. Smith, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, comes this emotionally charged coming-of-age story filled with action, adventure, and suspense for listeners of all ages. An act of defiance will either kill her or change her life forever. Sixteen-year-old Makayla Summerlin enjoyed one thing in her crazy, messed-up existence: hanging with her friends at school. But her life is uprooted when she suddenly finds herself forced to live with a grandfather she barely remembers. One act of defiance will change her life forever. Having trouble adjusting to her new home, she sets sail in her grandfather's old sailboat. On a journey that will challenge everything she has ever believed about herself, Makayla must overcome her fears if she, and a surprising stowaway, are to survive.

Makayla Summerlin is excited to join her grandfather, Henry, in Hong Kong during a college break. She plans to help him sail the next leg of his journey around the world on the Defiance, but events take a frightening turn when her grandfather is kidnapped and the Defiance disappears! Unsure of what to do, Makayla reaches out to an old friend for help. Brian Jacobs' work at the Consulate General in Hong Kong is just a stepping-stone for his political career. His life for the foreseeable future is carefully optimized for success, but everything is turned upside down when he receives a frantic call for help from a friend. Their meeting quickly turns into a race for survival when Makayla is almost kidnapped in front of him. Seeing Makayla again awakens old feelings inside Brian, and he knows he will do everything he can to help her, no matter the cost. When the situation turns deadly, both Brian and Makayla find unexpected help from another old friend and a Hong Kong detective. Together, the four race to find Henry and protect Makayla. Their efforts to unravel the mystery of why a wealthy crime lord would target Henry and Makayla, and to find the Defiance, will take them further than they ever expected to go, but will they be able to discover the truth before time runs out for Henry?