Anything Could Happen by Will Walton

Anything Could Happen by Will Walton

Review by Lauren

Source: copy from Book Expo America; all opinions are my own

Official Summary: When you’re in love with the wrong person for the right reasons, anything could happen.

Tretch lives in a very small town where everybody's in everybody else's business. Which makes it hard for him to be in love with his straight best friend. For his part, Matt is completely oblivious to the way Tretch feels – and Tretch can’t tell whether that makes it better or worse.

The problem with living a lie is that the lie can slowly become your life. For Tretch, the problem isn’t just with Matt. His family has no idea who he really is and what he’s really thinking. The girl at the local bookstore has no clue how off-base her crush on him is. And the guy at school who’s a thorn in Tretch’s side doesn’t realize how close to the truth he’s hitting.

Tretch has spent a lot of time dancing alone in his room, but now he’s got to step outside his comfort zone and into the wider world. Because like love, a true self can rarely be contained.

Review: When I attended Book Expo America in May, I met Will Walton at his signing and got a copy of his debut, Anything Could Happen. This is a really quick read and it's full of great characters. I really liked Tretch and I could identify with liking someone who has no clue whatsoever and you're pretty sure it's never going to happen anyway. I suppose a lot of people could understand Tretch's feelings, gay or straight, and this makes this a good book for a variety of readers.

Apart from Tretch, there are some other awesome characters in the book. Despite not realizing Tretch's feelings, Matt is a really good friend. He also has two dads, so you know he doesn't have a problem with people being gay. Tretch isn't out to anyone in the beginning of the book though, so it's interesting to see who he will ultimately trust before the conclusion.

I also really liked Tretch's brother, Joe. He's a bit older than Tretch but he's a good guy and he's there for his brother when he needs him. Tretch has some other great family members too, even if Tretch feels like he can't tell them he's gay. It's understandable though; you just feel bad for Tretch.

The biggest complaint about this book is probably that nothing really big happens. Things are revealed and there is a lot of emotion in parts, but overall, it's a fairly straight forward story. At the same time, this didn't really bother me. It's something people might wish to be made aware of, which is why I'm mentioning it here. For me, I think the book was quick and engaging enough that it works.

I'll definitely keep an eye out for more by Will Walton!