Detour

Abuse, death, and a villainous ex-boyfriend don’t sound like ingredients for an uplifting contemporary romance, but Herberth and Moore (Peripheral People) manage to inject hope into more than one seemingly hopeless situation. Ethan Domani is recovering from the traumatic death of his boyfriend, Scott, in a school shooting, when he embarks on the road trip he and Scott had planned. On a dark road, Ethan nearly runs over Nick Hamilton, who walked away from the anti-gay “conversion therapy” program his parents enrolled him in on his 18th birthday. Nick is hitchhiking, not sure where to turn, when Ethan offers him a ride. Nick’s parents are trying to find him, as is his evil ex, Kyle, a character completely without redeeming qualities. Ethan ends up taking Nick along on his road trip. Touring the Southwest somehow heals what’s broken in them both, but when Kyle begins stalking them all bets are off. The authors handle multiple sensitive issues with grace and understanding and create deeply moving frailties in their heroes. This is an often bittersweet treat. (May)