Genre
Contemporary Romance / Young Adult
Setting and Context
Set in a small town in Alabama.
Narrator and Point of View
It is narrated in first person from the perspective of the main characters.
Tone and Mood
Starry-eyed, Sensual, Angry, Stern
Protagonist and Antagonist
The protagonists in the story are Ashton and Beau, while Sawyer is the antagonist since he is the obstacle in their love story.
Major Conflict
After Sawyer leaves town, Ashton spends more time with his cousin Beau as they rekindle their old friendship that turns into a romantic one. Sawyer will be heartbroken to find out his girlfriend has fallen for someone else least of all his own blood.
Climax
The climax reaches when Beau’s mother reveals that Sawyer is actually his brother after a fight between the two boys.
Foreshadowing
“You were my partner in crime, Ash. Sawyer was the good guy. But the two of us, we were the trouble makers. What happened?”
This foreshadows the rekindling of their connection that will lead to Ashton cheating on Sawyer.
Understatement
“Yes. Ask your daddy. Hell, ask your mama. That ought to be loads of fun. She hates me anyhow. Might as well make her hate me more for lettin’ the cat outta the bag.”
Beau’s mother understated response after revealing the truth about the boy's parentage.
Allusions
“I rented two movies from the Red Box. If you don’t like either, you can pick from the ones I have in my room but I’m warning you now they are mostly romantic comedies.”
Imagery
“The large oak trees signaled the turn into the trailer park Beau had lived in all his life. The rich beauty of the southern landscape as you pulled onto the gravel road was deceiving. Once I drove past the large trees, the scenery drastically changed. Weathered trailers with old cars up on blocks and battered toys scattered the yards. More than one window was covered by wood or plastic.”
Paradox
N/A
Parallelism
The love triangle between the three characters parallels the two cousins, with Sawyer as the perfect, gentle, and boring boyfriend and Beau as the bad boy and wild one.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
“…he crashed his motorcycle into an eighteen-wheeler.”
Personification
“The oxygen entering my lungs stalled when I saw Beau standing in the kitchen.”
