I'm not exactly sure how I feel about Xander even such a long time after reading the book. He started off discouraged and distraught, his love of dinosaurs and basic sweetness came through, and he was at home with Ruben, but I just didn't connect with him. I saw him, but I didn't feel him.
Ruben was much the same for me. He was a good Daddy for Xander. I absolutely appreciated how he introduced his desires and their possible dynamic to Xander; that was probably the thing that made me like him more than anything else. Adding in how protective of him he was toward Xander's step-mother and Ruben really fit the role of the protector Daddy with a caring streak a mile and a half wide. But there were little things that just didn't sit right with me. His many, many assurances to Xander, and to himself, that he was just doing a favor for Xander's brother did nothing to endear me to him.
Speaking to the introduction of the HIV+ thing... I'm of two minds and one is slightly more dominant. Part of me feels a bit icky about it because there's spicy time without external protection and Ruben bringing it up was a minor announcement with a question of understanding, both of which were acknowledged by Xander with understanding and acceptance, and then the issue was dropped. No explanation beyond that at all. I'm not 100% sure I liked that.
However, and this is a big however, I feel that it was complete in its sparseness. It was addressed adequately for understanding and consent and it wasn't made to be a giant elephant in the room. The way it was done was simple and I can see it as removing the stigma of the disease when the reality of it now in a modern, western society with all the new medications and treatments is that it doesn't have to be the slow, awful killer that would have those affected be like the lepers before them.
So overall I think the story was sweet. It wasn't my favorite by this author at all, but it was a nice read.
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