Heartbreak Boys

October 15, 2022
Can a road trip of petty vengeance help two gay British teens recover from a dream prom-turned-nightmare? Jack--out, flamboyant, and a drama queen--knows that prom with his hot, popular boyfriend, Dylan, is going to be sublime. He and Dylan will surely be prom king and queen. Nate--closeted, shy, and totally in love with his out boyfriend, Tariq--is going to bite the bullet and come out tonight during his senior prefect speech. But everything goes wrong for these two White boys almost immediately when Jack notices Tariq and Dylan exchange a significant glance and he just...knows. The ensuing brouhaha leaves Nate heartbroken and furious, while Jack is humiliated and friendless. Yet somehow they end up together on Nate's family's road trip, with Jack prepared to Insta their way to revenge. He freely admits to Nate that social media is fabricated even while preparing to document a fabulous influencer journey of two gay 16-year-olds illustrated via selfie. A shy boy and an attention hog, already angry at each other, are a recipe for tension. But as Nate sulks and Jack avoids getting shot by the army, accidentally lights a hotel on fire, and meets a famous influencer, the truth about their long-broken best friendship slowly comes out. New friendships, supportive family, and old revelations balance out this compelling journey. An unexpectedly funny, heartwarming voyage of discovery. (Fiction. 13-17)

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October 24, 2022
Two British 16-year-old boys’ plan to incite jealousy in their exes goes awry in this hilarious rom-com from Green (Gay Club!). Drama king Jack and shy Nate had a falling-out in primary school. But after they learn that their ex-boyfriends Dylan and Tariq were cheating on them with each other, the two reconnect. When the duo see Instagram posts of their exes having what looks like a perfect summer romance, Jack, seeking vengeance, persuades Nate into a hair-brained scheme to make Dylan and Tariq jealous by embarking on their own Instagrammable summer vacation. While tagging along on a road trip across Britain with Nate’s parents and younger sister, the boys endure suspect campgrounds and get lost hiking. As their vacation progresses, Jack’s effervescent personality coaxes Nate out of his shell, and the teens slowly confront long-buried feelings regarding their past friendship. Green portrays the boys’ emotional turmoil surrounding their mutual heartbreak and individual insecurities with believable tenderness, making for a by turns raucous and earnest tale. Most characters read as white. Ages 13–up.

December 1, 2022
Grades 8-12 This first U.S. publication of this book brings the UK adventure to an international audience. When Jack's and Nate's respective boyfriends cheat on them with each other and garner social-media love, Jack and Nate devise a plan to show the world through Instagram that they're having an even better time than their exes. But the diametric pair are about to meet mishaps and drama as they undertake a spontaneous family road trip, encounter a vegetarian festival scandal, and experience a twist on the "one bed" conundrum. Readers looking for a fresh take on beloved tropes like fake dating and the grump-sunshine pairing will find plenty to fall for in a romance that, at its heart, is about taking chances after getting hurt. Lighthearted humor saturates this vibrant and colorful trust fall that celebrates a wide spectrum of what it means--often culturally---to be gay. A solid choice for fans of Chris Colfer's Stranger than Fanfiction (2017) and Sheba Karim's Mariam Sharma Hits the Road (2018).

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January 1, 2023

Gr 9 Up-English 16-year-olds Jack and Nate, cued as white, are polar opposites. Unapologetically, fabulously gay Jack is positive that he and his popular boyfriend, Dylan, will be crowned king and queen of their prom-that'll show the haters! Meanwhile, closeted, neurotic Nate loves his boyfriend, Tariq, enough to come out at the prom during a speech. Except, that's when everyone finds out Dylan and Tariq are together and planning an Instagrammable summer break. An enraged Jack decides that he and Nate-former best friends-must retaliate by Instagramming their own fantastic summer. Unfortunately, theirs is a mishap-prone road trip with Nate's parents, and extrovert Jack continually drives introvert Nate up a tree. How were they ever even friends? Could they ever get their friendship back? Could it lead to more than that? Told in chapters alternating the boys' points of view, this hilarious rom-com overflows with lively, distinctive characters, and a lot of heart. The road trip is full of hapless episodes that Jake manages to twist into Instagram photos to rival Dylan and Tariq's, in the process exposing how unreliable a story social media can tell. The romance develops slowly and believably, with requisite misunderstandings, as the former best friends get reacquainted and remember all the fun they had as kids. Cursing and sexual references are teen-relevant. VERDICT A delightful, opposites-attract rom-com.-Rebecca Moore

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