Wrestling with Desire by DH Starr

Story: 9
Presentation: 9
Total: 18

Publisher: Featherweight Publishing

GBLT Young Adult

To Purchase

Blurb:  Derek Thompson is a senior, a wrestler, and has a secret. He's gay. Scott Thayer is a new student who has just moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts from Iowa. On the first day of school Derek and Scott meet and their lives change in an instant. As Derek and Scott discover the things they have in common, they enter into one of the closest and most loving relationships either of them has ever experienced. When unexpected circumstances threaten their relationship, they both have to make a decision. Do they protect their secret and separate? Or fight for what they want...each other?

Review: I admit, I’m not a reader of young adult books. I prefer to read about adults with lots of sex to titillate. I’m a changed reader. Wrestling With Desire has angst, grit, tenderness, and emotion. And it has sexual tension between two young men that melts smoothly into your mind as you read. Derek and Scott deal with typical high school situations. Fear of failure, fear of disappointing their parents, fear of the unknown. But together they have found more than a deep friendship. Together they have the strength to face any challenges from wrestling to their sexuality.

I think some of my favorite parts of the story were when Derek and Scott went running. The easiness of being together was clear long before any declarations were made of the attraction they had for each other. The story is told through Derek, but DH Starr does such an excellent job of revealing Scott and the secondary characters, that nothing was lacking by not knowing their inner thoughts. The vividly described actions and poignant dialog revealed everything I needed as a reader to get the full development of all the characters. The story was brilliantly told. I’m a fan and look forward to reading more from DH Starr.