John, who can be mean since his parents' divorce six years ago, and Marisol, who has recently come out as a lesbian, meet through their interests in writing zines, into which they pour their life stories.

As the story begins, John wonders what it would be like to meet one of his favorite zine writers, Marisol.

While John is spending time with his divorced father, he starts to ask questions about Al, the man his mother is marrying.

She asks him to a zine conference on the shore of Cape Cod, next to the Bluefish Wharf Inn.

After the convention ends, Marisol plans to go live in New York with her friends, Jane, Sarah, and B.J.

John is left to sort through his relationship with his parents and finish his last year of high school.

Publishers Weekly found Hard Love "somewhat overdramatized" but "The awkwardness of awakening sexuality, a growing preoccupation with identity, and crossing the line from friendship to more are all themes here with which teens will readily identify.