Boy meets boy

It's rare to see a YA novel portray teen relationships and identity with such joy and acceptance. Did this make anyone else feel more hopeful about coming out?

The setting feels almost idyllic, which is a lovely change from more strained portrayals. I wonder what motivated that choice—was it to offer escapism or a vision of hope?

While the focus is on romantic relationships, I was curious whether the author considered including friendships or family dynamics more deeply. What do others think?