This book is about boyfriends and girlfriends - getting them, keeping them and moving on from them. Young people put enormous energy into these processes: they worry, they hope, they conspire and they cry because, in a sense, having a boyfriend or girlfriend is about much more than just having a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Using dozens of recognisable vignettes, Luxmoore movingly describes his work with young people. In particular, he explores the dramatic conflict between young people's loving and hating as they move from the intimacy of relationships with parents to relationships with boyfriends and girlfriends, frantically negotiating sex and sexuality, the meaning of love, faithfulness and unfaithfulness and many other issues vital to the adults these young people will become.

The book will be essential reading for professionals and parents struggling with the ferocity of young people's feelings where 'I love you!' and 'I hate you!' are never far apart.