[Book 1 of the Taste Series] Julian White doesn't say his real name in self-introductions. Hiding behind his middle name and a pair of overly round eyeglasses, he tries to get through the tenacity of attending a competitive culinary school under his uncle's influence. Amidst his learning of crust structures and the nutritional value of bananas, he meets an old friend.

"This is a story. A love story. It's a story of a boy who loved his best friend. It's a story of how his best friend loved a girl so much that he was willing to travel across country for her. It's a story of how we were really. Or rather, how we weren't." --- Since kindergarten, internally optimistic Newton Roth and the enigmatically impulsive Damien Walters have been best friends. Thick as thieves, the pair has never been apart, doing everything together from learning how to ride a bike to getting their first car. But the only fault is Newt's love towards Damien, even though Damien's happily taken with his girlfriend of two years Claudia. When Claudia leaves for her trip to Seattle without a formal goodbye, Damien is crushed. Intent on getting the proper goodbye he deserves, he drags Newt with him cross the country to make that happen.Though along the way, they encounter pink-haired hitchhikers, Amazonian built bartenders, and much more. Will their friendship stay intact in the end, or will it blossom into something more? ------ mad props to winters- for the cover

Everyone at school knows Andrew Jennings. Missing an arm. Openly gay. But when he meets star athlete Ryan Sullivan in therapy, can friendship lead to more? ***** When Andrew 'Jacky' Jennings ends up in therapy after an English assignment gone wrong, he doesn't expect to find his high school's star athlete, Ryan Sullivan, sitting in the same waiting room. After all, he and Ryan couldn't be more different: football captain, future valedictorian, and all-around nice guy, Ryan is the school's golden boy, while Andrew is known for his permanent snarl, being openly gay, and losing his left arm (along with his father and sister) in a car accident. But when Andrew learns they actually have a lot in common, he's surprised to see past the enigma that is Ryan Sullivan and his seemingly perfect life. And as the two boys begin to connect over their shared grief, depression, and teenage angst, they might just discover a little pocket of happiness for themselves -- if they're willing to fight for it. [Word count: 100,000-150,000 words] Cover designed by Lily Taylor Please read the 'Introduction' for a full list of content/trigger warnings