Cooper Jones longs for the time when life was simple. When all he needed to worry about was whether to change his undies or make do. Now, suddenly, his life has become all too complicated. Cooper is plagued with thoughts about the father he has never known - the man he suspects as being a cowardly loser; the man he suspects he is starting to take after. Then there's Mum. She has been acting weirder than normal, as if Cooper growing a few centimetres is a criminal offence. What is going on there? When the gorgeous Abeba arrives in Wangaroo Bay, Cooper's anguish cranks up a notch, as he realises that he's not the only one whose life is complicated. Set against the backdrop of a fiery summer, Cooper needs to realise that when life is spinning out of control, sometimes you just need to get a grip.