Twelve-year-old Jeremy knows he’s gay, but since he’s spending his first summer alone with his dad after his parents’ divorce, he can’t quite bring himself to come out. His dad is grumpy and drinking more than usual, and Jeremy’s Uncle Becker, whose beach house they’re staying at, is a rough-and-tumble sort for whom dating women is the pinnacle of existence. Coming out to his father would make things awkward between them, but coming out to his overprotective mother would mean her turning his sexual identity into a project. He’s not sure what to do, especially since he must ultimately choose whether to live with his mom or dad.
This is a transitional time for Jeremy, a moment between childhood and the teen years, between the old structure of his family and the new. Author Will Taylor echoes this by setting the book on the Oregon coast, in a seaside town that attracts vacationers, there for the summer and gone.
Jeremy finds escape through walks on the beach, where he meets Evan, another boy his age who goes running there. The boys’ friendship deepens into romance over the following weeks as they go running, explore the beach, and create their own secret code in which different seabirds represent different concepts and emotions.
Jeremy’s dad, however, continues to struggle with his drinking and doesn’t understand why Jeremy is spending more time with his new friend than with him. He’s afraid this means Jeremy wants to live with his mom. Jeremy’s not sure yet, but also can’t yet tell his dad about his romance with Evan. Things come to a head when his dad makes a fool of himself in public and they must both reevaluate their relationship and actions; I’ll avoid spoilers, but say that Taylor handles this with thoughtfulness and sensitivity.
A lovely and lyrical story of first romance and the shifting sands of adolescence.
