Book review of The Long Run by James Acker

Two South Jersey boys discover love on this superbly wrought debut novel from New Jersey native James Acker.

Rising senior Sebastian “Bash the Flash” Villeda is a well-liked observe star at Moorestown High School, which has allowed him to get away with being a jerk for years. Grieving the dying of his mom, Bash received’t let anybody in—not his hardworking stepfather, his ex-girlfriend, Luce, and even Matty, his supposed greatest good friend, whom Bash can’t stand hanging out with anymore. Bash is weary of his tough-guy facade, however he doesn’t know methods to change it. He’d somewhat dash away from his emotions than face them.

Enter Sandro Miceli, whose shot put is pretty much as good as Bash’s 200-meter sprint. Cruelly nicknamed “the Italian Yeti” by his classmates as a result of he’s tall and hirsute, Sandro additionally struggles with the deep-seated anger points he’s developed as a result of conduct of his oppressive, insensitive household. He is terrified that his homophobic father and brothers will discover out that he’s homosexual, and he desires of attending faculty out of state, the place he’ll be capable to love who he needs with out his household realizing.

When Bash and Sandro join at an end-of-summer celebration, all of that begins to alter. During the 12 months that follows, what begins as a real friendship results in romance and forces the boys to discover points of themselves they each hoped by no means to confront.

The Long Run is a uncooked, emotional love story anchored in two journeys of self-discovery. Sandro is aware of who he’s: an indignant, uncared for softy who can’t stand as much as his household, which he describes as “a screaming match in a crowded restaurant personified.” Meanwhile, Bash solely is aware of who he doesn’t wish to be: a high-profile athlete who will get roped into fistfights with children from the rival observe group.

The most sincere bond the 2 boys have is with one another, and Acker handles each facet of their relationship with nice care. His frank depictions of their sexual interactions are notably nicely executed, with awkwardness and enthusiasm that really feel romantic but life like. There’s a lot of humor, too, together with glorious banter that’s resplendent with New Jersey vernacular and slang.

The Long Run is a shocking novel about two boys who uncover happiness and hope within the unlikeliest of locations: one another.