Book Information

Series: Lorimer Real Love
Imprint: James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
Publication Date: 24 August 2021
Copyright Year: 2021
ISBN: 9781459416277
Page Count: 168
Dimensions: 5.3" x 7.5"
Interest ages: 13-18
Reading level: Grade 3

Purchasing Information

Paperback

9781459416277

$14.95 CAD

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Digital (ePub)

9781459416284

$12.99 CAD

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In a Heartbeat

Name: In a Heartbeat
SKU: 9781459416277
Availability: InStock

The Real Love collection

A romance about a trans teen boy who wants to get away to reinvent himself, only to find someone who loves him for who he is.

"This brief read with a simplified style intended for reluctant and struggling teen readers, provides much-needed queer representation for this format." — Kirkus Reviews

Set in a small BC town, this is not a typical LGBTQ+ romance. Seventeen-year-old Lucien has a supportive family and community in Toronto but wants to make a new start somewhere nobody knows him. Going to stay with his aunt in Vernon, BC, presents challenges to fitting in — he is not comfortable with his hockey-watching, hard-partying cousins or the other kids at school. Eventually, Lucien finds a community of creative teens and meets the mysterious Alder. As Lucien finds out who Alder really is, he is able to find what is worthy of love in himself. Focusing on romance and speaking one’s truth rather than issues of gender identity, this story is a tender, light-hearted tale of finding love in unexpected places.

About the Author

MARKUS HARWOOD-JONES is a writer, visual artist and documentary filmmaker. He has self-published the short story collections Confessions of a Teenage Transsexual Whore and Everything & All at Once. His feature film Mosaic tells the story of his journey across Canada and the United States to learn more about the trans community. He is author of the Lorimer Real Love teen romances Just Julian, Romeo for Real, We Three and Confessions of a Teenage Drag King. Markus lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Reviews

"This story isn’t just about teen romance, but also gives subtle insights into the angst of many trans kids...Harwood-Jones has done a great job of characterizing the real emotions and anxieties of trans teens...This is a wonderfully hopeful story, and I can’t wait to put a copy in my junior high classroom library."

Jen Bragg, Wayves Magazine

This brief read with a simplified style intended for reluctant and struggling teen readers, provides much-needed queer representation for this format.

Kirkus Reviews

Every teenager could identify with the need or want to start afresh where no one knows you, especially after a life-changing experience. Nonetheless, young LGBTQ+ youth will easily be able to see themselves reflected within the story.

Sarah Wethered, CM Review of Materials