FIRST COMES LOVE

An improbable romance develops between polar opposites during a long, hot Arizona summer.

After his twin sister dies, Gray draws into himself, building up walls of cynicism and anger that no one can seem to breach. Enter Dylan. Eccentric and full of life, she sees Gray as a challenge. At first Gray resents her intrusion into his life, but when she fails to show up for several days, he finds himself missing her. What starts out as friendship deepens into something neither would have anticipated. Unfortunately the summer ends too quickly, leaving both questioning whether their love can last. Even though the narrative unfolds from alternating viewpoints, this is, at its heart, Gray’s story. Dylan, while interesting, lacks depth. While she seems to genuinely care for Gray, her plan to draw him out seems methodical rather than affectionate. Even though she is the one to profess love first, it is Gray who wants to hold them together, voicing his fear of losing her. Her answer? “Gray, I’m not yours to lose.” The uneven romance is the manifestation of the larger problem. While Gray is a fully formed character, Dylan remains one-dimensional.

While the story is not fatally flawed, readers will be left wondering if it is truly love or a complicated game.