KizunaYueMichaelis

A cute story about an Arab boy coming of age. At the beginning I found Isa kind of annoying. Immature, selfish, very teenager. He lives with his family (mother, father, 2 little sisters), has 2 friends and likes a red-head girl. One day his parents bring Mackie to live with them. Mackie is the son of a friend who has lived between foster families due the instability of his mother.

Isa behaves very jerkily towards poor Mackie. I know he was a teenager, but still. I hate it when the MC knows he is a douchebag and still is. Isa does not want to share his room, nor his friends, nor his family. Inevitably, they start to be friendly since they share a room.

Only once they move out is when Isa realizes Mackie is his BFF. But then, Mackie gets a GF that makes Isa very jealous. It is in this new home when Isa grows up. I like his relationship with his family because it all felt very real. Quiet dad, a mum with a strong personality, a brat teenager sister, and a cute little sister. Besides, his older sister, married to a Moroccan chef.

I also like the little mystery with the ghost. It was unexpected, and it gave a little twist to the story. Not completely "contemporary". I like how this mystery made Isa and Mackie closer. But not only the mystery; books also were part of it. Mackie is a bookworm, and there is a little ghost book that he loves to read over and over again: I'll Always Miss You. Isa is very curious about this book, and once he reads it, he is very much surprised what it is all about.

While the first part of the book was not entirely engaging, it is when they move out that the story has a better rhythm. I guess it is all part of the growing up, but did his friends have to be jerks (in Isa's opinion) when they come to visit?

In many ways, it reminded me of one of my favorite books, [b:Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe|12000020|Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe|Benjamin Alire Sáenz|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1448779570s/12000020.jpg|16964419]. **spoiler-ish** Isa was a immature teenager with douche behavior (yeah, ok, Aristotle is an angry boy, but never a douchebag), while Mackie was a poor, nice boy. Mackie is the first one to come out, and he is the one who kisses Isa first. Isa rejects him at first, because he is sure he is straight, although he likes Mackie very much and has confusing thoughts and dreams about him. There is also an accident involved. This is also a interracial love story (Isa is American-Arab, while Mackie is American). And pretty much most of the members of his family know Isa likes Mackie before he has the chance to come out.

It was a very cute story, the kind I love to read. I love the end since it was a HEA instead of a HFN. And I love that Mackie is happy at last, with his new family, whom he adores, and Isa, whom he loves dearly.