Starred Review ALA Booklist (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Starred Review Part one of this captivating four-part novel is the first-person account by gay 16-year-old Jules of his life as a sophomore at L.A.'s Earl Warren High School and meeting Jack, the new kid in town, for whom he feels an instant attraction. Part two tells the same story but, in a Rashomon sort of way, from Jack's first-person point of view. More traditionally, parts three and four switch back and forth between the two boys' perspectives. In due course, readers learn that Jack is a gay transgender male, although no one is aware of this until someone cruelly outs him. Jules is devastated that Jack hasn't told him the truth, and the boys' budding relationship is ruptured. Can it possibly be restored? Sie's splendid novel is no stranger to surprises and suspense, which keep the pages turning, but it's the fully realized, multidimensional characters that are the story's real attraction. Both Jules and Jack are wonderfully appealing characters who will capture readers' hearts, and watching their personal development and that of their relationship are what really hold readers' attention. Jack's transgender identity is sensitively handled in the spirit of Meredith Russo's novels, making this a superb addition to the growing body of transgender literature.

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Wed Jul 06 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

A cisgender boy and a transgender boy navigate bullying and a budding romance.Jules, a White, Jewish cis boy, is about to begin his sophomore year of high school in Los Angeles. He is instantly intrigued by Jack, a mysterious and aloof new arrival from Pittsburgh. Their shy flirtation seems to be leading to more until someone sends out a video revealing that Jack is trans. Jules' mother and friend say a gay guy shouldn't date a trans guy, but Jules' heart tells him otherwise. Although the author does not shy away from depicting transphobia and bullying-including the use of a slur-the overall tone is hopeful, and this is, in the end, a realistic, sensitive depiction of a trans boy. In one powerful scene, the author captures the intense discomfort of being asked invasive personal questions while your supposed allies let you down. On the other end of the emotional spectrum, the boys' romance is tender, sweet, and endearingly awkward. As Jack himself points out, there are few media depictions of cis and trans men dating. This book is a welcome and successful entry into the category. Jack's mother is Asian Indian; his multiracial father is White-passing. Sie incorporates Jack's intersectional identities into the story, as he is faced with racism and seeks a closer connection to the Indian heritage he knows little about due to a family rift.A touching, romantic, and rewarding read. (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

A cisgender boy and a transgender boy navigate bullying and a budding romance.Jules, a White, Jewish cis boy, is about to begin his sophomore year of high school in Los Angeles. He is instantly intrigued by Jack, a mysterious and aloof new arrival from Pittsburgh. Their shy flirtation seems to be leading to more until someone sends out a video revealing that Jack is trans. Jules' mother and friend say a gay guy shouldn't date a trans guy, but Jules' heart tells him otherwise. Although the author does not shy away from depicting transphobia and bullying-including the use of a slur-the overall tone is hopeful, and this is, in the end, a realistic, sensitive depiction of a trans boy. In one powerful scene, the author captures the intense discomfort of being asked invasive personal questions while your supposed allies let you down. On the other end of the emotional spectrum, the boys' romance is tender, sweet, and endearingly awkward. As Jack himself points out, there are few media depictions of cis and trans men dating. This book is a welcome and successful entry into the category. Jack's mother is Asian Indian; his multiracial father is White-passing. Sie incorporates Jack's intersectional identities into the story, as he is faced with racism and seeks a closer connection to the Indian heritage he knows little about due to a family rift.A touching, romantic, and rewarding read. (Fiction. 14-18)