Wrestling With Love by D.H. Starr
People warned me about this novel telling me it was way more “explicit” then the previous one, Wrestling with Desire, where Derek and Scott were high school students and the novel had more the flavour of a Young Adult.
And indeed when I started the book, Derek and Scott were planning their moving together to Boston University, sharing a dorm room together and starting their life as a couple. Of course they were also planning to move on a higher step in their relationship, i.e. having sex. Strange things is that, as soon as they were “free”, suddenly Derek and Scott decided to slow down; actually it was more Scott that not only wanted to be careful and not just come out, but also when they were alone, he wanted to do things step by step, being really sure that what they were starting was something both of them wanted.
I had contrasting feeling on Scott’s attitude; I was unhappy for Derek, that had to restrain himself, but in the end it prevailed the feeling that Scott was right, that he was behaving as the more conscious between the two of them. Scott was not denying Derek or their relationship; he was simply taking his time and planning everything at the right moment. Pushing him to do something before he was really convinced was wrong, and in the long shot would have probably caused him to regret his choices.
I really liked the college theme of the novel, and also the distinct contrast between high school and college. It gives hope to young students that there is hope and many chances for them. High school is like a small town, with the goods and bads of a small town, but college is like a metropolis: it can be dangerous, but there is also more freedom, and like in a metropolis there are places you should avoid, but also places where you can be yourself, and being safe in doing so.
Even if there is sex, Wrestling with Love is not so far from its prequel, Wrestling with Desire, and all in all, it can be considered a Coming of Age novel as well.
http://ai-press.net/2011/02/14/now-available-wrestling-with-lov/
Buy Here
Amazon: Wrestling With Love
Amazon Kindle: Wrestling With Love
Paperback: 382 pages
Publisher: Ai Press (February 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983374732
ISBN-13: 978-0983374732
Series:
1) Wrestling with Desire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1211288.html
2) Wrestling with Love
Reading List: http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle