First love – coming of age – family – acceptance
When Charlie was eight years old, his mum bought him a microscope for his birthday. Since then, he’s known how he wants to spend his life. There have been trials, and challenges, but now – finally – the day is here for him to start college with his lifelong friend Anthony Pace.
Anthony is a red-haired force of nature. He writes poetry about their enemies and eagerly participates in all Charlie’s science experiments without understanding a word. Every morning, he waits at the end of their street so they can get the bus together.
But things are changing.
Families are important, and complex. Charlie’s mum hasn’t been well, and his relationship with Anthony begins to shine like a different star in the sky.
Can everything come together in this explosion of physics and chemicals that Charlie calls life? Will Anthony Pace ever share his poems with the world, and can the Chihuahua, Princess Arabella, ever learn to stop licking?
Genre: YA/NA contemporary, romance
Representation:
Gender:
Cis boys: Charlie, Anthony
Sexuality:
Gay: Charlie, Anthony
Romantic Orientation:
Homoromantic: Charlie, Anthony
Race/Ethnicity:
White: Charlie, Anthony
Disability: Charlie – autism spectrum
Location: England
Additional Notes: * Charlie’s mum is developing dementia
* includes moderately explicit scenes of intimacy between consenting young adult males.
Ownvoices: Al Stewart is gay
Ending: Happy