Reviewed by Dennis
TITLE: Going the Distance
SERIES : Fadeaway #1
AUTHOR: John Goode
PUBLISHER: Harmony Ink Press
LENGTH: 210 Pages
BLURB:
Looking like the perfect all-American boy—tall, handsome, and athletic—makes it easy for Danny Monroe to blend in with the in-crowd of a new high school. It’s a trick he picked up moving with his father from one Marine base to the next. When you aren’t going to be around long, it’s better to give people what they want. And what they want are his quick hands and fast feet on the basketball court. On court, he can be himself and ignore certain strange developing urges. Everyone knows you can’t like boys and be a jock, but for Danny his growing attraction is becoming overwhelming. At the thought of losing the only thing that matters, Danny starts to panic and realizes he has a choice to make: happiness or basketball.
REVIEW:
It’s not easy being the son of a Marine, moving from base to base, but to make it even tougher for Danny is having feelings for guys. When his dad finds out about these feelings, Daniel begins to think there is something wrong with him and that his dad is ashamed of having him for a son. Losing himself playing basketball, he feels he can make his dad proud and then Daniel can deal with his hidden feelings.
Going the Distance is a good coming of age story. As a young teen Daniel has discovered feelings for other boys that some think is wrong, even him. John has a well written story that deals with how a teenager feels with not only being a new kid in high school, but with being a kid who is also trying to discover who he is and what his part in the world is. It is written as if Danny is telling you his own story of growing up with a single dad, who happens to be a Marine, and the things he deals with growing up. There are times when you want to shake Daniel and make him listen to what his dad, John, and his friend, Nate, are saying when they tell him they just want him to be happy. It might not be all rainbows and butterflies but since when is being a teenager, let alone a gay one, ever like that.
Take a chance and give “Going the Distance” a read. I recommend it!
RATING: 
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