The hero Sean is only seventeen-years-old, but the serious issues he faces when he falls in love with his new class mate, Katherine, resonate also with older readers. Theirs is a complicated relationship from the start. Readers will appreciate the realistic depiction of the tortured hero's psychological struggle after the heroine ends the relationship, especially when it becomes clear that both young people remain drawn to each other anyway and struggle to regain their balance during the rest of the school year. Why read it? A refreshing high school romance set in Europe, Flanders, in the early seventies of the previous century with a total lack of stereotyping. The story has it all: it's witty, bittersweet, touching and rich in culture, history, and depicts all the uncertainties and overpowering emotions that come with true young love in a most original and genuine way.