After reading and being so impressed by Oseman’s Radio Silence a few years ago, I have been meaning to read more of her work. As it always goes, it took me awhile to get there. And now I am deeply perturbed by the fact that my library only has the first installation of this graphic series, because how I am supposed to survive without immediately picking up the next one after this start/romantic cliffhanger ending?! 

Charlie Spring is quiet, fairly high strung, and openly gay. Nick is a rugby-player a year ahead of Charlie in school. When they end up seated together in class one day, a sort of unexpected friendship starts between the two, considering how (outwardly) it seems like they have very little in common. As they start to spend more time together, Charlie starts to feel more than friendship towards Nick, even though he knows Nick is totally straight. But Nick is realizing that he feels like he can really be himself more around Charlie than anyone else, and perhaps that feeling of comfort is more that just friendship. As they grow closer, and deal with the general complications of high school, who knows what could develop… 

What a bingeable read! It was so sweet and heartwarming and, as a graphic novel, paced super quickly. I basically powered through it in one, deeply comforting, sitting. I almost couldn’t turn pages fast enough. Charlie and Nick are so adorable together. I love the parallels in their feelings about each other, both loving the time they spend together so much, and knowing it’s special, but being hesitant about what that means (Charlie because he thinks Nick is straight, Nick because he thought he was straight and is having to do some reevaluating). To be honest, I really identified with Nick here – the Googling to figure out your feelings, the “I liked girls but now I maybe like a boy” search resonated hard with me (though in reverse, of course). I was so into the way Nick instinctively protected Charlie and the way Charlie was willing to be pushed out his comfort zone (athletically, socially) by Nick. Overall, their entire development was *squeeeee* and I found myself cheesing throughout most of this graphic novel. 

There was also some really accurate high school drama mixed in – bullying/homophobia, toxic relationships, parties – to add some further authenticity to the story build. And some great side characters (honestly, I’m looking at you, rugby coach, with your timely sexuality education/call-out, here) really rounded things out. Plus, the art was super fun. There was such great movement in the panels. Their upbeat style was perfect for the story and they really set the baseline for the fast pace of the novel. The way Oseman conveys depth and variety of emotions in faces and gestures and small movements/touches, without needing any words at all to move the plot along or communicate a feeling/reaction, is so impressive. 

This is a *butterflies in your tummy* sort of read. Quick and gentle and fully charming, I was immediately drawn to these characters and want to hug them all. What a recognizable high school reality, with a focus on the “better” parts, to leave the reader with that heartwarming vibe. I can totally see what this was chosen to be adapted to screen by Netflix and I will definitely be requesting my library get the rest of the series because I need to know what happens next for Charlie and Nick!