Fan Art by Sarah Tregay

When the picture tells the story…
Senior year is almost over, and Jamie Peterson has a big problem. Not college—that’s all set. Not prom—he’ll find a date somehow. No, it’s the worst problem of all: he’s fallen for his best friend.
As much as Jamie tries to keep it under wraps, everyone seems to know where his affections lie, and the giggling girls in art class are determined to help Jamie get together with Mason. But Jamie isn’t sure if that’s what he wants—because as much as Jamie would like to come clean to Mason, what if the truth ruins everything? What if there are no more road trips, taco dinners, or movie nights? Does he dare risk a childhood friendship for romance?
This book is about what happens when a picture reveals what we can’t say, when art is truer than life, and how falling in love is easy, except when it’s not. Fan Art explores the joys and pains of friendship, of pressing boundaries, and how facing our worst fears can sometimes lead us to what we want most.

This book is so great. So, so great. I read it in a day, and it was my first book of the year (I’m writing this review in January. Hello from the past.) Going into Fan At, I honestly had no idea what to expect. The cover was cute but I hadn’t read the summary. What I found was a serious, yet quirky novel that absolutely captured my heart.

Jamie (though I honestly couldn’t tell if they were a girl or boy for the first few chapters. A boy, by the way) was an incredible narrator. I love that Fan Art is an LGBT book about someone who is on the verge of coming out. Jamie isn’t “out and proud” and he isn’t “in the closet” he isn’t really sure of where he is, and it was absolutely fantastic going on that journey with him. He is one of those main characters that you root for, no matter what happens. Jamie’s story is one that will hopefully help readers.

This is the second book by Sarah Tregay that I’ve read, and I have to say, I absolutely adore her writing. Though Fan Art wasn’t always the most joyful book, Tregay’s writing still always keeps you on the surface of happy. It shows that happiness and struggling can coexist without either of them being overbearing.

I cannot recommend Fan Art enough. It is beautiful, touching, and impeccably written.

FTC- Received via Edelweiss.