In an unforgettable novel, a Lambda Award-winning author tells the story of Paul, a religious high-school senior whose life is turned upside-down when he meets Manuel, who says hes both Christian and gay--two things Paul didnt think could coexist. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Sanchez's (Getting It) latest exploration of the lives of gay teenagers centers on high school senior Paul, a devout Christian teen who lives in Texas with his widowed father, takes his longtime girlfriend out for chaste dates every Saturday and saves written prayers to Jesus in a "God Box" his father carved for him. ("What would it feel like to have a boyfriend? I wondered.... Almost immediately, a wave of guilt washed over me. Once again I wrote down my same prayer: Dear Lord, please take away these feelings. You know which ones.") But Manuel, a new, openly gay student who argues that Christianity and homosexuality are not at odds, forces Paul to rethink his stance and reassess who he really is. Some readers may tire of Paul's exhaustive analysis of Bible versus, as he argues with himself, Manuel, his girlfriend and his Bible study group at school, but the extent of his spiritual agony rings true for someone whose lifelong beliefs are being challenged. While the characterizations of Paul and Manuel (who, as he uses the Bible to counter Paul's Biblical arguments against homosexuality, can seem too good to be true) are strong, the secondary characters can seem comparatively flat. But readers seeking well-reasoned and well-researched Christian arguments for accepting gays-not to mention a heartrending coming-of-age story-should readily embrace Paul's journey. Ages 12-up. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 9 Up Conservative, closeted, and a Christian, Paul has a girlfriend and sticks to the straight and narrow in his small Texas town. He's changed his name from Pablo to appear more American, and he keeps his mouth shut when it comes to hot topics, like who is gay and who isn't until Manuel, who happens to be openly gay and Christian, wanders in on his turf. The new guy slips easily into the high school senior's mostly accepting circle of friends and his Bible-study group. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself spending more and more time around Manuel, who simultaneously bends his heartstrings and his belief system. The results are a boxing-ring-like philosophical and spiritual debate on the intersection of homosexuality and religion. Sanchez's cleverly diverse characterizations, conversational stylings, and sense of humor lighten this potentially daunting theme. Plus, the brewing romance between the pair not to mention the dissolution of Paul's romance with his loyally lovable girlfriend keeps the pages turning during even the most excruciatingly detailed Bible-passage battles between the two warring parties. These rightfully thought-provoking debates most of which happen either in after-school Bible study or between Paul and Manuel make Sanchez's latest an intense, necessary addition to the burgeoning LGBTQ teen lit canon. Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Paul, a high-school senior and a committed Christian, loves his girlfriend, but worries about the feelings he has for guys. Then Manuel, openly gay, comes to town. Manuel says he's a Christian, too, but Paul doesn't understand how those two things are compatible. As the two become friends, Paul is both attracted to Manuel and repulsed by his feelings, and he continuously prays to be straight. God seems to have another path for him, though. Everyone plays an assigned role here: Paul, the conflicted gay; Manuel, secure in his sexuality; Angie, the confused girlfriend; the prejudiced jocks; the hate-the-sin, love-the-sinner pastor. There's even a throwback to early gay literature when someone almost dies because of his sexuality. Manuel seems the least real. Relentlessly upbeat, he knows the Bible better than most preachers, and is always ready to show the real intent behind chapter and verse. More authentic is Paul's confusion and how he uses the Bible to find answers. His investigation of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, often quoted by homophobes, is particularly eye-opening. Cooper, Ilene. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.