When the boy you love asks you to keep his greatest secret, do you? A thought-provoking, achingly complex novel about prejudice and the many meanings of love from Nina de Gramont, author of Meet Me at the River, which Kirkus Reviews calls a âmust-read.â
Fifteen-year-old Wren has been content to stay in her best friend Allieâs shadow. It doesnât bother her that Ally gets the cutest guys, the cutest clothes, and even a modeling gigâWren is happy hanging with the horses on her familyâs farm and avoiding the jealousy of other girls. But when Tim, the most intriguing guy in school, starts hanging out with Allie and Wren, jealousy is unavoidable, but not the kind Wren expects. Because even though Allie is wayyy into him and Wren hasnât flirted, not one little bit, it becomes increasingly clear that Tim prefers Wrenâs company above anyone elseâs.
Timâs unexpected devotion comes at the exact time Wrenâs home life is about to be turned upside down. Her parents have just found out that the family horse farm is on land that was once a slave plantation and are struggling with whether to sell it. Wren aches at the thought of losing her horses and leaving town, but at least there is Tim...always a gentleman on their dates. Such a gentleman. Too much of a gentleman, even, and Wren begins to wish heâd be a wee bit less gentlemanly. And as Timâs church becomes actively homophobic, his pressuring parents donât understand why he wonât help âspread the word,â and heâs now a wreck. Then he tells Wren something heâs never told a soul, and Wren must decide what sheâll really do for love.