Just Like This

Two hotheaded teachers at an elite Massachusetts boys’ school team up to help a student in trouble in McCade’s scorching second Albin Academy romance (after Just Like That). When PE teacher Damon Louis angrily confronts art teacher Rian Falwell about keeping star athlete Chris Northcote from football practices, Rian’s temper flares; from his perspective, it’s football practice keeping Chris from art class. They soon realize that Chris, who is frequently tired and evasive, has been lying to both of them—but the inflexible assistant principal brushes off their concerns. Damon and Rian must work together to get to the bottom of Chris’s situation, but they frequently lock horns along the way. Their efforts also bring up painful memories of their own complicated family situations, with Rian avoiding his wealthy, manipulative family and Wampanoag Navy vet Damon grappling with having been raised by white parents. When Chris passes out in class and the school nurse discovers that his uniform hides bruises all over his body, Damon and Rian ramp up their investigation. Their stress gives way first to frequent arguments, then to achingly emotional sex scenes. The leads’ volatile emotions and the elusive mystery make for an un-put-downable gay romance. (Dec.)