Always the Almost

I was so excited to get an ARC of this book! I'm new to reading both YA (not really my thing) and Romance (hit or miss) so a story about a young Trans man coming into his identity immediately caught my attention.

This book was so dang cute! It took me about the first 100 pages to really get hooked but once it had me I just wanted to keep going. 

The main character Miles came out as Trans (and therefor Gay) a few weeks ago at the start of the novel. Was broken up with because his boyfriend isn't into guys. Oh and the annual piano competition is coming up! With winter break over Miles returns to school with a new name and pronoun and two very determined New Year's resolutions! 

This book does such a wonderful joy of centering the joy of being Trans and coming into yourself for the first time. Miles is surrounded with great support systems, accepting (but not perfect) parents, kick ass lesbian best friends, even the awkward encounters with the ex are affirming.  Not to mention the new boy in school that just seems to really get him. 

The romance in this is good. It flits along through the joy (and hardships) of typical teenage love with the butterflies and racing heartbeats that come with it. 

But the story really excels at the day to day life of being a teenager. From drama with friends to an intense new piano teacher to awkward parties, being trans comes into all of these situations but it's not the center of everything. Miles is figuring out who he is like any other teenager, part of that is being trans because duh, but there's so much more to him than that. And that's why this is a good trans romance. 

3.5 Stars, definitely a recommend.