The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich

"I remember Dyl spluttering after he sipped the scotch, and smile. Don't forget what you are. The only reason I'm on this trip is to reach Juliet. Even though it feels like it, it's not a big deal. Right now I'm nothing, a blank page waiting to be filled. I shouldn't feel anything until I meet Juliet. But man, that was funny. He's funny.

All I have to do to survive is make sure that boy dies.

My smile fades." - Cale Dietrich, The Love Interest.

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I'm not sure that I've ever read a book that manages to simultaneously make fun of its main theme and communicate a genuine message in such an entertaining and successful way. Dietrich takes the "teenage love triangle" troupe and turns it on it's head, deconstructing the implications of a teenage girl stuck between two seemingly perfect specimens of teenage boyhood. He also gives voice to the other side of the story, the boys that are stuck in this tug-of-war for this very oh-so-special and unique girl. The Love Interest lets us examine the truths behind the crazy standards for teenage love that we have built up, and seen so much of in YA literature. We go in expecting certain results from what we've been set up to believe, but little nuggets are set up along the way that will totally turn our expectations upside down.

There's a secret organization, and their sole purpose is to keep tabs on the most important people in the world gathering valuable information that can be sold for profit. How do they accomplish this? Through "true" love of course! Assuming that every teenage girl (and boy) knows exactly what they want or need in a lifetime romantic partner, this organization makes sure they are set up with two perfect selections during high school....that are secretly spies, naturally. The targets are presented with two "options", a Nice, and a Bad, specifically cultivated and molded just for them. We follow Caden, a Nice, who has been specifically picked for Juliet to win her over and make her fall in love. Things get complicated when his competition, Dylan, a Bad, is introduced at the perfect moment to save Juliet and Caden in a moment of crisis...an almost too perfect moment. Actually it was totally planned and coordinated, as is every interaction between the boys and Juliet (they both are given coaches that can literally whisper in their ear at any point and give them love advice...damn that might actually be helpful...). The catch for Dylan and Caden, the winner gets the girl, the loser...gets the ax. Literally. Ok maybe not literally an ax, but they do get "decommissioned" if you catch my drift.

Every line is an opportunity to make fun of the idea of "Nice boy" v. "Bad boy", but also often contains a hidden truth. I found myself laughing at the ridiculousness of the standards with which these Nice and Bads are kept to, but with further thought realizing these are exactly the standards our culture tells teenagers that they need to meet to be happy and find "true love". Caden has to be cute, but not hot, Nice's aren't hot. He has to be lean, but not too muscular. He has to have soft features, and be sensitive, but sensitive in a strong kind of way. Dylan, he's allowed to be hot, and ripped, and bad, but in an I'm-bad-because-I've-been-hurt-before-and-I'm-too-scared-to-share-my-emotions-so-you-the-girl-will-change-my-bad-boy-ways. In any real life scenario, this would be ridiculous. What actual girl has the perfect Nice guy, and also perfect Bad boy pining after her. And that is the whole point. It's ridiculous, but we also totally feed into in and secretly wish it would happen to us. What you can't predict is what the boys' actual feelings will be, and Juliet's for that matter! In these "love triangle troupes" the girl has to pick one of the dudes. Ummm hello! No she doesn't, she could pick neither...or both....it's 2017 people! But for Dylan and Caden, it's literally a life or death situation. Dietrich gives us the annoyingly stereotypical characters often caught in "the love triangle", and manages to get you to like them anyways, because...spoil alert...maybe they aren't the stereotypes we think they are.

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I don't know that I can find something I didn't like about this book. Typically, in the standard "love triangle" situation, I find the girl to be kind of insufferable. Like, why do both these dudes like her (granted, in this story they have to)? But with Juliet, she stands on her own in her own right. You empathize with her as she is put in a situation in which her emotions and experiences are very much manipulated by these two boys. The feelings that she experiences are the result of lies and deceit, an all too famililar experience for my fellow females out there. On top of that, she also, unknowingly, has the boys' fates in her hands. When given the opportunity to make her own choices based on the truth, she turns out to be quite level headed and noble. None of this, can't-live-without-two-perfect-beautiful-boys-pining-for-me, business.

Caden's perspective might be one of my favorite ones to read. He plays their game, but not without humor and wit, and real, honest-to-God emotion. He does not shy away from facing truths about himself, and coming to terms with the implications of the deceit he is showing towards Juliet. When given the choice, he choses genuinely to who he is, and what he wants. Dylan's character truly puts us to the task of evaluating our own judgments about the stereotypes that have been set up for these characters. He acts the ultimate Bad boy that the girl can use her girly magic powers on to change. Dylan plays the game too, but refuses to let the game change him. There isn't a perfect Nice, and a perfect Bad, every thing is a bit more gray than that. Yes, these are highly trained spies, but teenage spies, and adults should know by now teenagers don't think with their brains as much as they think with their emotions.

The Love Interest deals with many themes, and my biggest take away was, what would happen if you stripped away all the bullshit, the pretentiousness, the mask, and allowed yourself to be real? It it worth the risk to go against the expectations of those around you and find your own path despite the consequences? These characters are put in a situation in which it seems there is only one path, one choice, play by the rules or die. I feel the only way to win, is to strip away all the bullshit, be real with yourself and those around you. I know, easier said than done, especially for teenagers who are trying to discover who they are and their place in the world. This story gives you permission to be yourself, however. So go, be your best damn self!

The Love Interest is a true gem and delight, not only in it's themes, but as a well written, witty, fun read. Any one who likes satire, and a story that can equal parts make fun of itself and make you feel something genuine, will love The Love Interest.

I give The Love Interest 5/5 stars.