I liked this story about two high school seniors who form a very tight friendship when Scott (the 'nerd') is asked to tutor Jared (the 'jock') in maths.

The developing feelings on Scott's side are described with sensitivity. The slow pace of the novella adds to the realism of how a very shy young adult (with weight issues on top of his 'nerd' status) might go through a development like that. The issue of Jared's bruises and occasional hints at a troubled home life with his father add tension. ( )

I believe this is one of the first stories by this author and in many ways you can see it: the novel is innocent, naïve, like it was not tainted by the ugly life, and the comparison is right on the spot since this is a story about teenagers and their first love experience. I will not say that is unrealistic, since many time people proved to me there is still hope and happiness somewhere in the world, even if it’s not the common experience, but in Love by the Numbers the power of love is able to overcome any trouble and drama.

Scott is a lucky guy; true he is a little overweight, and also quite shy, he is the classical wallflower at school, but other than that he has a loving family that fully support him and respect his being gay, so much they are the first to push him to go out and find a boyfriend. Scott is so lucky that he has not even to do that, the math teacher practically send Scott’s dream date at home with him, he needs to tutor Jared, the local baseball celebrity, in math otherwise the other guy will fail that course.

Even if Jared is the butterfly of the school, he proves to be a good guy right from the first moment, and he seems to really like spending time alone with Scott. Every time Scott highlights how different they are, how Jared is the perfect boy, a wise Jared makes clear he would give everything away for living in a supporting family like Scott. And even if Scott has not a perfect body, Jared is able to see beyond the body right to the heart of Scott.

I found both Scott than Jared a little too emotional, but maybe both of them had their issue to overcome, Jared a little more serious than Scott, since Jared was right on the spot about Scott, he has really nothing to worry about, fat and shyness are both issue he can easily overcome. And maybe Scott’s sensibility is something he has inherited by his own parents, both of them wonderful parents, but sometime a little too much wonderful, treating their 18 years old son like someone way younger; that could be explained with the fact that Scott is an only son, and very much loved, and so, well, maybe he is a little spoiled.

This is the story of the first love for both guys, and so it’s sweet and innocent, and the author decided to not look further into their life: if they have a chance to be together, if their life will be simple or complicated, this is something that is out from this contest, this is the story of a first love, and as such, real life stay out.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004ZH8E2A/?tag=elimyrevandra-20