Like a Love Story Summary
Abdi Nazemian

Like a Love Story Overview

Abdi Nazemian’s young adult historical fiction novel, Like A Love Story, tells the story of three New York City teenagers attending the same high school, growing up in the height of the AIDS crisis of 1989. Reza is a recent Iranian immigrant, terrified of AIDS and equally terrified of coming out. Art comes from wealth and privilege, yet is their school’s only out teenager and an active ACT UP activist. Judy is a talented designer, and devoted to her Uncle Stephen - a gay man with AIDS who is also an ACT UP Activist. At the start of the novel, Judy and Art are best friends. Judy starts to date Reza, despite Reza knowing he is gay and attracted to Art. As the novel progresses, each of their lives grows more complex, at the same time the AIDS crisis continues to grow while Uncle Stephen gets sicker and sicker. This novel explores the themes of Keep History Alive, Love Above All, and People Can Change.