I loved Shane and Van's story a lot. Maxwell going from being Shane's bully in school to them ending up as lovers was done really well. Their journey was heartwarming, and I was glad they found their way to each other.

Shane was amazing, and I loved how much he changed from the scared, lonely boy he had been in school to accepting himself, his sexuality, and becoming someone who everyone in town loved and respected. Given how his father abandoned him, his mother's condition, and his struggles growing up, Shane worked really hard to get to where he was in spite of all the challenges he had to face.

Although he'd made peace with his other bullies with time, he never quite got around to letting go of his feelings when it came to Max since he'd left town so suddenly. So when he sees Max, who now goes by Van, in town after all those years, he can't help the anger he had bottled up for years from resurfacing. He has no plans of forgiving him or crossing paths with him, but when a situation arises and Van helps him out with his mom, he begrudgingly extends an olive branch to thank him. But when they actually have a proper conversation, Shane realizes that Van isn't the same person he thought he knew from all those years ago, and he's intrigued to know more about him.

Max/Van was so misunderstood, and yes, he was terrible to Shane, but there was so much more going on in the background that explained why he did what he did. Reading about all that Van went through made me feel bad for him. He was terrified of exploring his feelings, being treated poorly, not having anyone he could open up to, having to pretend for years, and having to be what others expected him to be. He got out of Last Chance as soon as he could and established his new identity as 'Van' who wasn't ashamed or apologetic for being gay. However, he couldn't let go of guilt and shame over how he had tormented Shane for years, so the first thing he does when he returns is ask for his forgiveness.

As the two start spending time together, talking and sharing things about their lives, their past, their reasons, and what their life has been like since the last time they saw each other, Shane and Van find a sense of understanding and comfort with each other that they hadn't expected nor had they found with anyone else. What starts off as a friends with benefits situation for both to pass their time while Van gets his affairs in order before leaving town turns into something much deeper.

Both Shane and Van created art in their own style and for their own reasons. While Van did it as a profession, Shane did it just for himself and it was beautiful watching them share their art with each other.

Reading the conflicting feelings they had regarding how they so badly wanted to be with each other but didn't know how it would work out really hits you in the feels. While Van was willing to do whatever it took to keep trying, not wanting to let Shane go, Shane's past experiences and fear held him back from taking that leap with their relationship, but they did figure stuff out in due time.

I have to mention the spice because that was something else and I loved it. Especially Van giving Shane the chance to try something new with the photos he took. The way it made Shane feel confident and desirable when he saw how Van reacted to it.

I also felt really terrible for Shane's mom and what she was going through. How she felt bad about her health condition for relying so much on Shane and holding him back. She loved him so much and was so supportive of him being gay. I loved that she bonded with Van, and he gave her the comfort to open up and feel at ease given her anxiety. He was so patient, careful, understanding, and honest with her throughout.

I can't wait to read Caleb and Ryan's book next.