Friends since the age of three, Sam and JoJo are the best of friends. As neighbors, they go through everything together, including the start of adolescence. When JoJo finds out about Sam’s abusive step-father, Mr. Russ Hart, there is little she can do about it but try to keep Sam safe. After Sam’s mother, Mrs. Hart, has an accident and overdoses, Sam is left with nothing but a note telling the truth about Mr. Hart. Sam, JoJo, and his step-sister, Britney, decide to run away on a search for the evidence that will convict Russ Hart of the crimes he has committed.

JoJo has been best friends with Sam since she was five. Sam has always been different than other boys; he was never rude to girls and he never seemed interested in girls' bodies like the other boys, until he starts changing and going through puberty. When JoJo sees the bruises on Sam's back she realizes she needs to get Sam out of his house with his abusive step-father. Sam won't leave his mom and his step-sister, though. As this is going on, Sam and JoJo grow into something even more than friends and it scares JoJo more than she'd like.

Shades of Blue by Joyce Scarbrough is a book about a girl named JoJo and a boy named Sam who have been best friends ever since Sam moved in next door as a little kid. As Sam’s personality changes the summer going into freshman year of high school in a way that JoJo doesn’t seem to like, she gets jealous and upset by his actions.