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Heart or mind

Patrick Jones - Author

This is a romance set against conflict between African American and Somali students. Rodney and Jawahir’s relationship brings questions of loyalty and social division into the foreground.

More about this book

Do the crime, do the time behind bars. But once you've been in, it can be tough to stay out. Tension between African Americans and Somalis at Rodney's high school erupts into a food fight that turns into a riot. In the midst of the violence, Rodney helps a Somali classmate to safety. Soon Rodney and Jawahir fall for each other. Against the pleas of their families and friends, they can't help but follow their hearts. As groups on both sides of the fight harbor lingering resentment, Rodney and Jawahir are caught in the middle. Rodney is determined to avoid trouble, having served a previous stint at the County Home School. But in a world where hate seems to rule, can Rodney and Jawahir keep their flame of love alive? Or will their relationship ignite a fire that destroys all in its path?

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Family and friends· ExplainedGroup resentment· ExplainedIntergroup tension

Consider

Violence and harmDiscrimination or prejudiceRelationships and intimacy

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

romancefamily and friendsgroup resentmentviolenceintergroup tensionavoiding trouble

FictionIllustrated book

Themes in Context

Love, loyalty and social division

Rodney and Jawahir fall for each other amid tensions between student groups and opposition from family and friends.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The Romeo and Juliet framing and love-versus-loyalty theme place Rodney and Jawahir’s relationship amid competing loyalties.

Talk about: If the people around a couple object to their relationship, how might the couple weigh those concerns against their own wishes?

School conflict and past trouble

Tension between African American and Somali students escalates into a riot; Rodney has previously spent time at County Home School and wants to avoid trouble.Provisional reading

Talk about: If Rodney is trying to avoid trouble, what choices does he face when conflict breaks out around him?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The Romeo and Juliet framing gives the story a way to explore how affection, family and friends’ expectations, and group resentment can pull young people in different directions.

What Deserves Attention

The school conflict escalates from a food fight to a riot, with violence and lingering resentment between the groups. Rodney has also previously spent time at County Home School.

A Conversation Worth Having

If family or friends disapprove of a relationship, what might make it difficult to balance their concerns with what the people in the relationship want?

Reading Approach

Consider reading together or checking in after the riot, then give your reader room to decide how Rodney’s effort to avoid trouble shapes his choices.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Love, loyalty and social division: The ending and the reasons for each family’s opposition are not established.
School conflict and past trouble: The extent and consequences of the violence, and the circumstances of Rodney’s earlier stay, are unclear.

Heart or Mind - Patrick Jones - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Love, loyalty and social division; School conflict and past trouble

Heart or mind by Patrick Jones | Open Library