Two years ago everything was right in Jamie and Dillon's world. They were inseparable, best friends who did everything together. But then Jamie did the unthinkable...he came out of the closet and Dillon panicked. He dropped Jamie from his life in every way imaginable. There was no way that his parents could discover that Jamie was not just his best friend but also his lover. So Dillon broke off all contact with Jamie, a decision that has cost him every day in the two years since. Dillon realizes what a mistake it was and he wants Jamie back no matter the cost. The only catch in his plan is that Jamie is now with Ben Lewis, the local bad boy. But Dillon is determined to win Jamie back and will let nothing stand in his way.

There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book. I thought that the characters of Jamie and Dillon were very well written, I thought the plot was interesting, I love coming of age and coming out stories, and I thought that the central mystery of the story was well thought out and it kept me guessing until the end. What I didn't enjoy so much was the feeling that several parts could have used a judicious trimming. At times the story did seem to drag on but then it would pick right back up and I would get over my frustration. Jamie, Dillon and Ben were all flawed characters and that's what made them so delicious. You can feel every agonizing moment that they go through on this journey of self discovery. All three discovered things about themselves that they never knew that they had within them. The secondary characters, while not as finely drawn, were engaging and I hope to see a few of them in further stories. I bought a few of Ms. Bell's other works since reading this story and have enjoyed them as well. I hope that she continues to write stories that engage the mind as much as The Way You Say My Name.

Reviewed by: Hayley