For the past three years Derrick McKenna--"Bear" to his friends--has been raising his 9-yo prodigy brother with the help of his friend Creed and off-and-on girlfriend in the 3 years since his mother abandoned them. But now Otter, Creed's older brother, has returned to town, and Bear must work through the awkwardness between them and face the feelings that lie underneath--but just as everything seems possible, events conspire to threaten it all. 
 Remarkably good m/m romance, with some themes that seem more YA (Bear is 18-21 during the events of the book). The characters are fully fleshed out, including the female characters. The Kid's quirks are interesting--he's vegetarian, a PETA activist wannabe, but also insightful about human emotions--and impatient with teacher mistakes in a way that seems very typical for gifted children. The dialogue is often cracking, and the prose is entertaining as hell, with many giggle-out-loud moments. On the other hand, Bear's excessive internal agonizing about his life and sexuality, along with a extensive use of flashbacks, broke the flow of the story somewhat. 
 I finished this book and then I sat down and read it again, which only happens when a book touches me deeply. This is apparently Klune's first novel, and I look forward to reading his other work.