She Loves You, She Loves You Not…(2011) by Julie Anne Peters is a perfect example of the pulpy-romance on which Peters has built her career. One natural disaster too simple? Why not give ‘em two! The drama, the straight-up lady longing, the romantic clichés, the processing, the feelings-did I mention the drama? Peters is completely unafraid to throw absolutely everything at her characters, just to see how it will all pan out. I have an unabashed soft spot for Julie Anne Peters’ young adult novels. Plus, she’s wearing carpenter shorts and leather hiking shoes. I watch her dump the tray, load up the hot plates along her arm, then serpentine through the tables and chairs.ĭyke! my gaydar screams. Why Did You Make Me Hit You?: Reeve suggests that the abuse is Joanna's fault for not leaving when she had the chance.She shoves the tray between us and cuts through.Romanticized Abuse: Joanna asserts that when you love someone, you stick around especially when they hurt you, and that this is a true test of devotion.Rape as Backstory: Both Reeve and Robbie were sexually abused as children.Parental Incest: Both Reeve and Robbie were sexually abused by their father and possibly stepfather.Later, it is heavily implied that Reeve cheated on her. My Girl Is Not a Slut: Joanna believes that despite Reeve's promiscuous past, she can commit to a relationship if given enough reason to.Love Martyr: Even after repeated violent assaults from Reeve, Joanna stays in the relationship and insists that once she truly earns Reeve's trust things will turn around.Fetishized Abuser: Reeve often suggests that Joanna is attracted to her 'because' she is abusive, not in spite of it.Coming-Out Story: Although Joanna is already out when the story begins, Tessa has not yet accepted it and fully worked through her own homophobia.Joanna's supervisor similarly assumes that Robbie is the one abusing her, rather than Reeve. The hospice worker sees Joanna's face and asks if she has an abusive boyfriend. All Abusers Are Male: Invoked and subverted.Early into the story, Reeve warns Joanna to stay away, but Joanna sees Reeve as the key to her happiness and pursues her against everyone's advice. When Joanna is put in charge of tutoring Reeve's twin brother, Robbie, Joanna finally sees her chance to make her dreams come true. After the death of her parents Joanna lives in a constant fantasy wherein Reeve Hart, an out lesbian student at her school, finally returns her affections and the two initiate a passionate, intimate relationship. The protagonist, Joanna, is a lonely lesbian teen about to graduate high school. Rage: A Love Story is a young adult novel written by Julie Anne Peters in 2009, detailing an abusive relationship between two teenage girls.

Rage by Julie Anne Peters