Hayden, at the beginning, was so relatable as somebody whose fear of rejection and abandonment lead him to make some really toxic friends, which deepened his insecurities and made him afraid to show who he really was. Jez’s desperation to find a new life away from his abusive ex led him to beg his brother Miguel for a place to stay, who then asks Hayden to put Jez up, as Hayden has a house while Miguel is just renting a room, which allows Hayden to see the freedom he is missing and eventually make some needed changes in his life. There was so much to like about this little book, (13 short chapters). The complexity and depth of the characters were fantastic, and I cheered at how Hayden grew from somebody who was uneasy in his skin to being comfortable and willing to help others...and to stand up for himself and others like him. K.C. Burn put a new twist on the "opposites-attract" theme with the more straight-seeming Hayden falling for the flamboyant and unapologetic Jez. With his acceptance of Jez and then acceptance of himself, he (and we) discovers that they weren't so different after all. The story itself speaks a lot about not judging people. Not by who they hang out with, or their actions...or who they choose to love. Miguel’s character reveal really drove home how we tend to come to conclusions based on the bias of how we perceive things to be...not how they may actually be. I also enjoyed how, rather than jumping in and be the heroes of the day when going to deal with Jez’s abusive ex, the couple took a step back and let the police calmly deal with the situation....and that the police didn't just write it off...even when they were presented with reasons why they might have. The author provided an amazing sub-plot that tied everything up very nicely. In a nutshell... Set Ablaze is a novel that looks at acceptance of who we are and how the people we surround ourselves with can and do, influence and change that acceptance. Oh yes...it also had a very cute little dog:) ( )