A beautifully written story about a childhood friendship that eventually blossoms into more. But getting there isn't easy.

The writing, for me, was almost lyrical...soulful. Lovely!

My favourite passage is this- West, describing a safe place from the bullies chasing him:

"His favorite place wasn't far out of his way. It was a little red brick church, St. Francis of something. West liked it because the statue in front was of a man with a fawn in his arms, a wolf at his feet and a gentle look on his face. The statue was in a garden with a lot of trees, especially a big oak that had low, thick branches that were perfect for climbing if you were light and spry. He experimented with climbing up it, and figured a guy who was friendly with deer and wolves would understand the need for one boy to hide nearby sometimes."

It made me catch my breath while reading it!

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