Title: Decisions We Make
Series: N/A
Author: RJ Scott
Genre: YA Romance
Length: Novel
Publisher: Love Lane Books (January 22, 2012)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts
Blurb: Daniel Keyes is an orphan, fostered by the Walker’s. The product of a lonely childhood, he is thrown into the chaos of the Walker family and into the life of his new foster brother Jamie.
This story is the journey of Daniel and Jamie finding their place in the world. Through Jamie being a victim of hate crime to coming out to family and friends, there are many decisions the boys have to make before they become men.
Product Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thedecisionswemake-673763-145.html
Reviewer: Portia
Review: Daniel came to live with the Walker family after his mother’s suicide. The quiet, shy musical prodigy is immediately taken under the wing of the family’s middle child, Jamie. From the moment they meet, their bond is strong and unbreakable. But, as the boys approach their high school graduation and Daniel comes out to the family, everything is about to change.
Not every adult fiction writer can transition well into the world of young adult romance. RJ Scott is one that can. Decisions We Make is a really well-written story. Most of it is from Daniel’s POV. It is heartbreaking to see how the decisions that he makes are painted with a brush dipped in the pain of loss and insecurity. *Note: That was a really cool sentence, huh?* Jamie is his perfect compliment. There are lots of flashbacks into the boys growing up years, but these are well-crafted and not at all distracting.
The Walkers are a tight-knit family that I wished every LGBT kid could have grown up in. The parents are very upfront with both their concerns and their support. Mark is the perfect big brother, ready to fight if anyone hassles the boys about their “new” relationship. And their little sister never failed to make me smile with the stuff that came out of her mouth.
This book is not all flowers and kisses. Some really bad things happen that bears evidence to the fact that some folks are filled with bigotry and hate; folks who become the victims of a scorned young woman, bent on revenge. But, the “incident” did cause the boys secret out into the open. I really felt for Daniel. He would love to just love Jamie, but, he also worries that loving Jamie may bring rejection from the rest of the family.
The ending is great and I hope we get to see Jamie and Daniel as they head off to UCLA. As a mom, I closed this book knowing most teenage romances don’t last, but hoping that this one does. Highly recommend.