Toren Grey is a closeted senior in high school. He can't wait to get out of school and off to college where he can be free to be himself.

Wesley Carroll is from the wrong side of the tracks and has bad boy written all over him.

When the two are put together on a school project, Toren is filled with dread, not because he's afraid Wes won't do his part, but because he will be spending close personal time with the object of his secret crush.

But things aren't always what they appear to be on the surface, and Wes has a few surprises in store for Toren.

Wes and Toren is a sweet and tender romance that follows the path of young love. There are several very familiar themes here: opposites attracting, families disapproving, and the social pecking order of high school. Wes is that quintessential bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks, and Toren is the geeky smart boy. The fact that the two would normally have nothing to do with each other in the social hierarchy of school is well established. The ruse of needing help with school work is a great opener to Wes getting his way. The angst of unrequited love is well felt with Toren's character, and the thought that Wes could never return his feelings. I liked the play upon stereotypes and thought that it fit in with the message of the story. Wes has the bad boy persona on the surface but is in fact a sweet, loving boy who feels things deeply. Toren is a bit of a geek but in a good way. The disparate career choices that the two make and the difference in their personalities offer many opportunities for conflict and showcases how they need to communicate and work towards having a good relationship and any type of future together. I hesitated to call the book erotica, but there are some sex scenes, and because of the homosexual nature of the story, it has been categorized this way. The sensual scenes are well written and showcase the tentative nature of their first explorations and later the depth of their love. They are teenage boys in the beginning of the story, and J.M. Colail has written it appropriately. The growth of Wes and Toren into men as well as a couple was interesting to watch, and their ups and downs were realistic. I too wonder where they will be ten years down the road and if their optimism can remain in the face of the challenges that they will face. I highly recommend this story if you are looking for a breath of fresh air and a look at young love. I eagerly look forward to reading more by J.M. Colail.

Reviewed by: Hayley