The Friend Scheme

April 27, 2020
When the closeted son of a mob boss meets the boy of his dreams in Florida, he’s forced to juggle familial loyalty with the growing suspicion that his crush is part of a rival crime organization. For 17-year-old Matt Luciano, scared to reveal that he’s gay and increasingly uncomfortable with his violent family, spending time with 18-year-old Jason seems like the perfect opportunity to lead a normal life. The two become fast friends, bonding over movies and gaming, but there’s one rule: no discussion of family—it’s “just us, being our own men.” As their friendship blossoms into mutual attraction and a secret relationship, however, Matt discovers that Jason may actually be one of the Donovans, the family with whom the Lucianos have been at war for decades. And as that war heats up and Matt’s family expects that he join the enterprise, he wonders if Jason has been using him to infiltrate his family. Dietrich (The Love Interest) crafts a sympathetic love story that captures his protagonists’ insecurities and interests, but plot and underworld elements receive sparse treatment compared to the primary relationship, resulting in a romance-heavy thriller with an unearned resolution. Ages 13–up.

September 1, 2020
Grades 8-12 Matt Luciano is not a fan of the family business. His mob-boss father and womanizing brother exemplify toxic masculinity, the opposite of Matt. After a chance encounter with a young man named Jason, Matt begins the balancing act of falling for a guy while trying to hide it from his family. But things become even more complicated when it's discovered that a rival family is trying to infiltrate their ranks. Could Jason be manipulating Matt to get closer to the head of the Luciano family? Matt and Jason?both white, attractive, and privileged?try hard to build a foundation for their relationship, but Matt's mistrust and self-doubt keeps destabilizing everything. Although there are moments of predictability, the narrative reflects insecurities and angst that many young people experience when navigating family expectations, expectations of masculinity, and new relationships. A delightfully queer nod to Romeo and Juliet, this tale of star-crossed lovers trying to make it through a seemingly impossible situation together will please fans of YA romance, including Dietrich's debut novel, The Love Interest (2017).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)