THE LOWDOWN:
Alek Khederian should have guessed something was wrong when his parents took him to a restaurant. Everyone knows that Armenians never eat out. Between bouts of interrogating the waitress and criticizing the menu, Alek’s parents announce that he’ll be attending summer school in order to bring up his grades. Alek is sure this experience will be the perfect hellish end to his hellish freshman year of high school. He never could’ve predicted that he’d meet someone like Ethan.

Ethan is everything Alek wishes he were: confident, free-spirited, and irreverent. He can’t believe a guy this cool wants to be his friend. And before long, it seems like Ethan wants to be more than friends. Alek has never thought about having a boyfriend—he’s barely ever had a girlfriend—but maybe it’s time to think again.

 

FIRST IMPRESSION:

Alek stared at the menu suspiciously. He smelled marinara sauce and a trap.
—ARC paperback edition

SNAPSHOT:
Fourteen-year-old Alek Khedarian makes for a unique and refreshing lead to a gentle, understated and positive LGBT tale, as he awakens to his first gay romance. Alek is a curious young man, eager to fit in with “these Americans” his loving but strict parents always subtly jab.

Each of the secondary cast members are, in their own way, lovable and distinct. From the rollerblading BFF Becky harboring a crush, the does-he-hate-me-does-he-tolerate-me brother Nik, Alek’s gender role reversed parents, and of course trendy skater boi Ethan who is up on all the lingo and knows NYC like it’s own backyard. Even the City itself has charm and character, as can only be seen through the eyes of two young men in love.

Readers who are not entirely familiar with the musician the two boys love will still be able to appreciate the message and hope he inspires.

Perhaps the newest idea among the pages is the strong inclusion of Alek’s Armenian culture. While he does at times roll his eyes at the old ways of his parents, his strong beliefs and love for his heritage is apparent. When his parents speak of important times in Armenian history, or his father tenderly prepares classic dishes, readers will fall in love with Alek’s whole family.

Appropriate for ages 13+. Some mild language, mild sexual situations, delinquent behavior.

Deals with first love, culture, family and faith, sexuality, and friendship.

Readers should be encouraged to think about how the novel handles Alek and Ethan’s romance as two young people, rather than their being gay as an issue.

GET IT ON YOUR SHELF:
If you…

• Enjoy sweet, sensitive main characters

• Are a fan of Rufus Wainwright

• Need LGBT positive romance in your life

LGBT Contemporary YA

Hardcover & Ebook, 272 pages

Published May 27th 2014 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (ISBN0374356459)

http://us.macmillan.com/onemanguy/MichaelBarakiva

(Review copy provided by Farrar Straus Giroux.)

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