Title: There Has to Be a Reason
Author: Kate McMurray
Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult
Length: Novel (206 pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (9 Jan 2017)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 3.5
Blurb: Dave is enjoying his junior year at a big New England university, even if none of his relationships have been especially satisfying. He plans to hang around with his best friend Joe and focus on his studies until he graduates, and then he’ll figure out the rest.
Meeting Noel changes his plans.
Noel is strikingly beautiful and unlike anyone Dave knows. Something about Noel draws Dave to him—an attraction Dave doesn’t feel ready to label. And even if he was, why would Noel be interested in Dave? And what about Joe? He hates Noel and everything he represents, and he might hate Dave if he finds out about Dave’s secret desires. So Dave will have to keep those feelings hidden—along with his relationship with Noel.
But Noel has fought too hard for his identity to be Dave’s dirty secret. Will Dave tell the truth and risk the life he’s always known… or live a lie and risk losing the love of his life?
ISBN: 978-1-63533-212-4
Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/there-has-to-be-a-reason-by-kate-mcmurray-8010-b
Reviewer: Prime
Review: I usually love reading Kate McMurray’s stories. Her characters are well developed, same with the plot, with a number of likable characters and generally well written. This can all be said about There Has to Be a Reason.
This book is a coming of age story where two students at Western Massachusetts University – Dave and Noel. Noel is out and proud and the type of student that doesn’t choose to particularly stand out from the crowd. Dave, the character narrating the story, thought that he was a straight guy, although he never felt any real attraction to girls. In fact, most of his behavior where girls are concerned appear to be because it is what he thinks his friends and society expect him to do. Then in an English Lit class he reads a book that changes his life. It makes him wonder about the strange feelings he had tried to brush to the side when he met fellow student, Noel.
This is a wonderfully sweet coming of age story, with a set of good characters and a lot of well meaning friends who are totally realistic for their ages. The only issue have is the angst. I am not a fan of angst, even in young adult stories. So if you’re like me, I don’t recommend straight out staying away from the story, but instead I recommend going in with an open mind because the characters and the plot are what make this story beautiful.