Like a Love Story
Reviewed by: Tyler W.
Young Adult
Title: Like a Love Story
By: Abdi Nazemian
Published: 2019
Call #: YA Fiction Nazem.A
“Like a Love Story” is about friends, family, acceptance, finding love, and so much more. It is 1989 in New York City, and Reza just moved to the city after his mom remarried and started his last year of high school. He knows deep down he is attracted to men, but he is afraid of admitting the truth out of fear that his mom won’t understand and that he could contract AIDS – a pandemic disproportionately affecting the gay community.
Reza’s fears are challenged like they have never been before when he meets Art and Judy, who attend his high school. Art is also gay, but he is out and proud. He also is member of ACT UP – an activist organization protesting government inaction over the AIDS crisis. Judy is Art’s best friend and an aspiring fashion designer. All three feel out of place in their high school and the larger world. All three are searching for love and acceptance from their families and each other. Reza begins to date Judy to hide his true feelings for Art. Judy eventually learns the truth about Reza and Art, and it tests all three of their relationships.
“Like a Love Story” is not just about finding acceptance from the families are born into but also finding and creating families that we choose for ourselves.
Tags: historical fiction, LGBTQAI+, Realistic