Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix

Ages 13 to 18

In this queer YA reimagining of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, a teen boy discovers first love amid a bloody, centuries-old feud.

Verona, Italy. Romeo dreams of a quiet life. But as the heir to the Montague family, he is expected to give up his "womanly" artistic pursuits and uphold the family honor—particularly in their blood feud with the Capulets. Worse still, he is expected to marry a girl approved by his parents. But the more Romeo is forced to mingle, the harder it is to keep his secret: He's attracted to other boys.

One night, he meets Valentine, the kindest, most beautiful boy he's ever encountered, and is shocked to discover that Valentine is just as enamored with Romeo as Romeo is with him. So begins a tender romance that the boys must hide from their families, each of them longing for a world where they could be together without fear. As the conflict between the Montagues and Capulets escalates out of control, Romeo and Valentine find themselves in danger of losing each other forever—if not by society's scorn, then by the edge of a blade.

About the Author

Caleb Roehrig is a former actor and television producer who cannot seem to live in one place. Currently dividing his time between Chicago and Helsinki, he is an expert at writing on planes and recovering from jet lag. His young adult titles include Teach the Torches to Burn: A Romeo & Juliet Remix; the acclaimed thrillers Last Seen Leaving, White Rabbit, Death Prefers Blondes, and The Fell of Dark; The Poison Pen—a tie-in to the CW’s popular Riverdale television series; and the Archie Horror original novel A Werewolf in Riverdale. Wherever he’s living at the moment, he’s there with his husband and an overabundance of books. calebroehrig.com