Julie Pastel is a drama queen, spouts Shakespeare quotes when annoyed or anxious, never dated in high school, and views the romantic world through books and movies. She comes from a modest background and has no money, not athletic, hates dodgeball, is on her way to college on Scholarship and laments she never has had a true friend, boy or girl. Julie never takes risks. That is about to change when she meets the outrageous, outgoing, outspoken, Burkie Vivid. Burkie has great wealth, needs the attention of boys, is a tremendously gifted athlete, makes poor decisions, and loves to take risks.


The two polar opposites meet at State College in Illinois. Burkie has plans for the uptight Julie to introduce her to the wild world of dating, and the reluctant apprehensive Julie agrees. The dating blueprint is short lived when the two become unwitting pawns in an administration power struggle resulting in their suspension from College.
 
Julie ends up at Burkie's mansion. Her father is in Europe and the staffs on vacation with only the gardener stopping in to feed the dog, a hyperactive Weimaraner named Emmy. Burkie learns that her elderly Aunt Cynthia has passed away and the funeral is a few days off and being held in California.  

Burkie discovers an old letter in her attic about a young guy Aunt Cynthia and a friend named Amanda had fought over while on a road trip sixty years ago. The suspended students wonder if Aunt Cynthia or Amanda ended up with this guy. They decide and to solve the mystery and retrace the Aunt's steps following Route 66 out of Illinois.
 
Emmy goes along for security in Burkie's high school graduation gift, an exotic high powered foreign sports car that can spin the wheels at one hundred and seventy mph.  Burkie makes the decision to let Julie drive the car. So eighteen year old Julie who is has never driven a high powered sports car or any sport car for that matter, and eighteen year old Burkie who loves risk, are racing off at night to California with a hyperactive dog taken along for security...what possibly can go wrong?  Plenty can go wrong in this very heart-warming, edgy, humorous and delightful coming of age story with comedic mishaps along the way.  
 
The suspended college students will learn a lot about themselves as emotions heat up between them when they meet and fight over a guy named C.J., an incredibly handsome, eighteen year old. Julie may learn there are advantages to taking risks. Burkie may learn that fame comes to those that least expects it, as does a true friend.