• Age: 13 to 18
• Grade: 8 to 12
• Reading age: 12 to 18

A gentle romance about a teen, gaslit by his former boyfriend, who takes solace in volunteering at pet rescue—where he finds his life brightened both by a special dog and a promising new relationship. With the help of his loyal canine friend, he learns to trust again and open his heart to love.

This gentle romance is a journey of healing, friendship, and the transformative power of connection—both with animals and with someone who sees him for who he truly is.

'Nathan Burgoine grew up a reader and studied literature in university while making a living as a bookseller. His first published short story was “Heart” in the collection Fool for Love: New Gay Fiction. This began his long love affair with short fiction, which has seen dozens more short stories published. Even though short fiction is his favorite, 'Nathan stepped into novel writing, and his first novel, Light, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award. Triad Blood and Triad Soul are available now from Bold Strokes Books, and more novels as well as works of short fiction are always under way.

A cat lover, 'Nathan managed to fall in love and marry Daniel, who is a confirmed dog person. Their ongoing cat-or-dog détente ended with the rescue of a husky named Coach. They live in Ottawa, Canada, where socialized health care and gay marriage have yet to cause the sky to cave in. You can find him online at apostrophen.wordpress.com.

'Nathan Burgoine's profile page

“…hilarious and an all-around enjoyable read... Highly recommended for hi-lo readers who loved Heartstopper."

★ Starred review, School Library Journal