YA LGBT Books discussion

One of our two winners for the January poll is Private Display of Affection byWinter Sandberg.

Post your comments, reviews or questions and discussion here. If you have not yet read the book, be aware that this discussion may include plot spoilers.

Be aware of 16+ sexual content in this story.

Thank you to all who voted, and thanks to Kaje and Sammy for all the hours you spend working on this group.

Here's the blurb for Private Display of Affection.

Hugo Thorson knows he’s gay, but coming out during high school is not part of his plan. His parents are open-minded, but Hugo doesn’t want to add more stress for anybody, especially his dad, who is fighting terminal cancer.

At a summer job he meets and befriends Kevin Magnus, and before long, their friendship becomes something more. Kevin knows this will anger his overbearing father, so he decides to protect his secret by dating a girl at school.

Hugo plays along, but it’s still hard to watch the two of them together just to make Kevin’s homophobic father happy. And when Hugo’s father dies, he realizes he can’t go on living the lie. He comes clean to Kevin, who decides Hugo’s true feelings are more important than his father’s expectations.

One fact remains: Kevin and Hugo’s relationship must always be hidden behind friendship, lies, girlfriends, or secret kisses. Will they find a sanctuary big enough to hold their feelings?

Thanks for the blurb - looking forward to this :)

I just got word from Harmony Ink that Private Display of Affection with be 20% off for the month of Jan at Dreamspinner Press.

It's also on sale at All Romance Ebooks right now as well. :)

I just finished reading this book and I find myself in love with these boys. Such a sweet and real story. Hugo is such a brave young man who has been forced to grow up quickly due to his ill father. Kevin has been forced to grow up fast due to an oppressive father. Hugo's family is supportive and nurturing and they welcome Kevin into their home knowing his limitations.

Loved Hugo's mom! She was so open and honest!

I shed a few tears with this one and my stomach hurt at times, but it was great. It's going on my favorite shelf!

5 stars for me!

I'm so glad you liked it :) I'll be getting to it soon, and that's encouragement to move it up.

I did like it a lot. Although it had more on page sex than I thought it would.

Thanks - worth knowing. A lot of the books, especially with gay MCs, straddle that line of being too explicit.

I was enjoying the book until about the 75% mark where Hugo's mum has the sex talk with Hugo and Kevin. I thought I had suddenly starting reading a sex education booklet. Perhaps as it's a YA novel that was the author's intent but it was so jarring and clumsily handled.

There's nothing wrong with giving a child sex advice but this went far beyond that and was an invasion of the privacy of both Hugo and Kevin. If my partner's mother had done the same with me, I would have really been offended and angry.

Asking your child if he/she is sexually active is one thing but to inquire into, and discuss intimate details, is a step too far. It's almost voyeurism on Ruby's part.

EDIT: If you have, or intend to buy, 'Spark' by Posy Roberts don't waste your money buying this book as most of it is in 'Spark' and you'll find yourself skipping half of 'Spark' if you read them one after the other.