This deeply authentic coming-of-age story really blew me away. Its tender, raw, heartbreaking, relatable, and a little gross. (17yo boys ya’ll - but that’s ok cause it’s honest)

Sebastian “Bash” and Sandro “Dro” aren’t friends, not enemies, just strangers.
Bash runs Track and Dro does Field. They’re both ‘lost’ at the cuspid of their senior year. The books calls it Cansado: tired, weary, miserable.
At a chance party they meet and start hanging out, their friendship develops first, helping each other discover their real-selves (not the front they put on for other people), and develop into a loving relationship.

This one captured my heart…kept me glued to my kindle ( except for when I had to blow ,y nose or wipe my eyes)…such a beautiful love story with none of the expected tropes…just hoping for a sequel!!

4 stars

This was absolutely so precious and I really enjoyed it!! It was such a fun and realistic YA about two boys figuring themselves out and opening up about how they are feeling.

4.5 stars

This one worked for me. I read it in one sitting on a train from North Carolina to Baltimore and I had to keep on subtly wiping my eyes and blowing my nose.

The story is told from alternating points of view by Bash and Sandro in their senior year. Bash is the captain of the track team and Sandro is the captain of the field team (he is a shot putter). They have known each other for years but have had very few interactions with each other in part because of a manufactured rivalry (mostly by Bash's best friend) between the trackers and the fielders. Both are feeling less and less like they belong in this small town in NJ and can't wait to get away and attend their dream school and become the better version of themselves.

The story is full of teenage boy angst which includes a lot of toxic masculinity, and raw would be a good description of how this story feels to me. What I found unique about this story was that most of the story takes place in their heads since they both tend to remain silent or say very little out loud. And yet, the story really worked for me. I grew to love them both and I loved it as they discovered some of the people in their lives they could really depend on while letting go of those who were toxic.

I thought the representation of bisexuality was very well done as Bash works through what he always thought (largely due to the toxic masculinity crap from his "best friend" and the locker room in general) and Sandro gave him the room he needed to work through it. That dynamic reminded me a lot of Heartstoppers, one of my favorite graphic novel series. I also loved how their relationship started up as two hurting boys finding a safe space to talk and be themselves, and respecting each other's boundaries, giving each other time to continue opening themselves up to someone.

Without revealing too much about the story, I liked the choices they made about their colleges as well as their relationship and the reasoning behind it. It was a mature decision and reminded me of my own daughter and her boyfriend when they made their college choices.

I loved this story and the time flew by as I became immersed in the story. I realized today that it is a debut novel for the author and applaud his efforts. I look forward to future books by him.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to James Acker, Inkyard Press & NetGalley for an advance copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

"You look like you want to die, bro."
"...That's just my face."

This is the debut novel from James Acker and honestly it was STELLAR! It was beautiful written and so much humor that there was a few times I found myself chuckling especially in the 2nd half. I have so many quotes highlighted on my kindle because there were so many gems!!

This is told from two POVs - Sebastian (Bash) and Sandro (Dro) who are both high school athletes involved in track and field. Both are at a crossroads in their respected lives when they came into each other life and their world's flipped upside down.

"If he's affecting you, let him."

I need Bash and Dro be end game forever because the pairing of the two made me so incredibly happy. Dro knew he was gay for a while but for Bash being bisexual was this new feeling. One thing that was great with this book is that they each had separate lives from one another and it wasn't just about them together. We got see Bash's complicated relationship with his step father Del, still grieving his mother's death, his forced relationship with his so called best friend Matty, him striving to be the best to get into his dream college - Rutgers. Dro on the other hand has a hard home life, injured his foot after falling off a roof, doesn't have friends, cannot wait to go to college due to his home life and just kind of runs the motion of the day to make it through until he can graduate.

I think one of my favorite chapters of the book comes in the later half when the boys go camping and it is Sandro's point of view title Bottoms Up (which tells you all you need to know). "My ass is the old man from Up. Selfish, loud and comfortable living a solitary life." I never smiled and giggled so much while reading. It just sounded so realistic what goes on in those early times in a relationship regardless of age.

"But just because you know what's hurting you doesn't make it hurt any less."

One thing I love that Acker did was when there was conflict between the two men, it wasn't solved overnight. There wasn't a fast forward page. Each of the lives of the two characters kept going in the timeline until they eventually came back into each other lives. I thought that was fabulous!

**SLIGHTLY SPOILERISH AHEAD**
.
.
.
I love that the author also made it seem like the couple were not going to be together by the end of the book. As much as I love the happily ever afters in my romances, them not being together is also just as satisfying if it make sense. And in this case, you have two young men who are about to leave home for the first time and knew that they would meet new people who would accept them as they were and knew they could be themselves.

I just really enjoyed this one and thought it was an excellent YA book that wasn't cheesy and felt realistic.
I know I definitely couldn't handle being a teenager in today's world so being able to read about it is nice and also a reminder that high school never ends as adults go through similar feelings as teenagers.

Bravo James!!

4.5

It's hard to believe that "The Long Run" is James Acker's debut novel.

The writing is so confident and unapologetic, and this is one of the first books I've read where teenagers actually sound like teenagers and make the (often dumb) choices that teenagers actually make.

And as a high school teacher who works with at-risk teenagers on a daily basis, I'd like to think I have some level of authority on the subject.

I think Abdi Nazemian's description of this book as "boldly authentic" really puts it best.

Sebastian and Sandro are both so loveable yet assertive. Gutsy yet overthinking. Unconventional yet flawed. These boys are two of the most well-rounded characters I've read in queer YA fiction to date.

Fun and fresh and urgent, "The Long Run" is a must-read title for 2023.

The Long Run by James Acker is an honest and heartwarming coming of age story. The main characters are the epitome of high school jocks. Sandro thinks that he can wait until he leaves his hometown for college to be his real gay self. Bash likes girls and after meeting Sandro starts to realize that he is, possibly, maybe, bisexual. After cops bust up an outdoor high school party, in the heat of the moment, Sandro kisses Bash. What starts as a friendship develops into something more. Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC.

The Long Run was a nice, easy read. The story follows 2 HS boys during their journey to learning who they are. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters and will definitely be recommending this one!

The Long Run is a “raw” coming-of-age story, for lack of a better term. “Bash” (Sebastian) and “Sandro” (Alessandro) are two New Jersey teens who are entering their senior year in high school, as the book starts. It took me a while to really fall in love with this book and its characters but partway through, I was totally in their corner. Also, it took me longer than usual to finish it because it was so raw and heavy at times; I had to read it in small chunks and digest it a bit before returning to the story.

Bash is known as “Bash The Flash” because of his running prowess and Dro is referred to as “The Italian Yeti” because he’s so tall/big and hairy. Bash is the track captain and Dro is the field captain. One knows he’s gay and the other is just starting to come to terms with possibly being bisexual; both are keeping it under wraps. They each have family issues but very different ones. They are both lonely, without a lot of real friends, although Bash has a supposedly best friend in Matty - who happened to be a character I didn’t care for in the least.

I loved how all the South Jersey references (Wawa! Atlantic City! Wildwood!) made it feel so real.

There’s a lot of internal dialog, with each chapter written from either Bash’s or Dro’s point of view. You really get into the heads of these two teens.

Warning: Be prepared for some very explicit m/m sexual encounters. If that is a concern, perhaps skim over those parts because the rest of the book is definitely worth your while.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is a wonderful YA queer love story. This book is fantastic for a teen/young adult who may be questioning their sexuality or is nervous about the logistics of a new relationship. The way this book covers consent and open communication between two teen males is amazing. The characters were introspective and had an amazing amount of personal growth throughout. Both of the MCs had issues with their families that were heartbreaking, but I really appreciated the way it was handled and how it affected both characters. I don't want to say too much more other than this is a great positive story about a young gay relationship and self discovery.

The Long Run by James Acker is truly a bro-meet-bro love story.

My favorite aspect of this book was the voice. It was incredibly distict and witty. I felt like I was in the heads of the characters, and they both sounded very unique. Acker nailed the "bro" vibes of the book. From the way that these characters think and navigate their lives, it is easy to tell that they are bros.

However, this voice, along with other elements, also took me out of the story. I had a hard time connecting to the characters and their circumstances. They so clearly fell into their age categories, and as a reader that is slowly moving out of YA, I had a hard time with this one.

Therefore, I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a "bro-meets-bro" love story. If this idea appeals to you, you will definitely enjoy this book. However, if reading about characters that so clearly fall into the bro category is not something that sounds great, I would steer clear.

The chemistry!!!!!!
It was way more emotional than I was expecting, which just shows how attached to the characters I was. They felt so real and their romance was utterly authentic.

Can't wait to see this book get the hype it deserves!

First, thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Okay, now that we're here...

I can count on one hand the amount of books that made me nostalgic (in a way) for my terrified, semi-closeted queer high school self in small town Louisiana. Two, in fact. "Her Name in the Sky" and "The Long Run"-- what they both have in common is a deep sense of familiarity, of relatability, to my own life and experiences. Generally, also, they both feel familiar but crisp, and the characters are flawed, angsty, fighting against themselves and their schools and their friends and society to get to the truth of who they are, yes, but mostly who they want to be.

What Acker does really well and the reason I have such a deep, immediate affection for this novel is the characterization of the two main characters whose POVs we alternate between. They're angry, intense, but also scared, lonely, grieving, and unsure. They're teenagers, after all. Seeing them grow a little into the people they'll become long after the book is closed in this fuzzy world of After is wholly endearing and a satisfying ending.

Sure, there's no solid, promised Happily Ever After, but I think that would have done a disservice to the book as a whole. What we're left with are the delicious possibilities of love as you grow up and grow into a new version of yourself. And really, that's what I wanted from the book.

For me and from my very own subjective point of (re)view, it's a wonderful book. This is one I'll reread for sure in the future.

5/5

4.5 rounded up! I loved this book. The dual POV was great and really helped tell the story in my opinion. I really enjoyed the "finding yourself and where you belong" aspect because that is such an essential part of being a teenager. I loved the friendship that formed before the love. The getting to know each other for who they are was done so well. I felt like this covered the topics really well and portrayed everything in a very realistic light. This book was very well written and would have been one that i loved as a teen!

One thing that stood out to me in the NetGalley information about THE LONG RUN by James Acker is the word "blunt" as a description. It was almost for that reason alone I requested the book--and I am so glad I did. THE LONG RUN is refreshing in its "dude-ness." This is not the story of two gentle, artistic boys falling in love. This is the story of two strong, at time angry, boys falling in love. Some of the characters' actions surprised me, like the physical fight early in the book. And the language was, well, blunt. We need this type of writing and we need this type of story--and I hope that people of all genders read it. Too often, publishing okays one way that gay or queer boys can be portrayed and this breaks that mold with such compelling characters.

I will definitely use this in my creative writing classes with teens. I can't wait to see how they respond to it and how this might open up their own writing.

The Long Run
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: YA Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 2/7/23
Author: James Acker
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Pages: 400
GR: 4.37

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Inkyard Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

My Thoughts: This was an intense, even a little dark, MM Romance novel. Two very masculine males are approaching adult life and are having trouble being their authentic selves. The author did a great job with representing the LGBTQ+ community. Our MCs have complicated families and not a huge friend group. As they are navigating their senior year in high school, they become friends, and navigating their feelings for each other. The book is divided by seasons, which I liked. The book does tackle some very difficult societal issues and does it gracefully.

The story is narrated in a dual POV from both Bash and Sandro. The characters are flawed, but honest and authentic. Bash really had a hard time expressing his true emotions, being who he really is. The characters were well developed, had depth, intense, chemistry, and creatively woven. The emotional struggle between the MMCs was so authentic, even if they said things at times that they shouldn’t have. The author’s writing style is complex, raw, intriguing, and keeps you engaged.

This story will not be for everyone. It is not the typical fun, sweet, HEA romance. However, if you love intense, raw stories, this one will be for you. I enjoyed it as I typically enjoy both the fun stories and the intense stories. I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Long Run.

I was not expecting this book, at all. It's not a light, easy read. It's actually kind of heavy and definitely sad at times- it'll tug at all the heartstrings. But it is so very worth the read. It started out quite slow, honestly, and it took me a little to get invested, but once I was, I was in, hook, line, and sinker. I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I do.
Sebastian and Sandro slowly wove their way into my heart and I don't want to let them go. I'm going to write some fanfic in my head, of them many years into the future.

4.5 stars

This was such a fantastic read! It was emotional and sweet and so real. There were some kicks to the gut, harsh realities the characters had to deal with, and Bash and Sandro were imperfect themselves. The boys present as straight, with Bash being a track star who's dated women before and Sandro being a big guy and nicknamed the "Italian Yeti." With so many expectations, they struggle to be true to themselves and let anyone in on their secrets.

Seeing the relationship develop from classmates to friends to more was great and I think the timeline was perfect. The insecurities and adversities the boys overcome, especially with their families, were touching and sad at times. I just wanted to take them in and give them the support they deserved.

I lowered this by half a star for all the gay slurs used. I understand why they were in the story, but it felt a bit overused and I wasn't a fan.

The ending of this made me smile and if the author ever wants to write a sequel following them in college, I am here for it!

As HarperCollins has finally reached a tentative agreement with the union, I am posting this review in good faith.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Inkyard Press and NetGalley for the copy.

I was excited to pick up THE LONG RUN in large part because it’s the first time I can remember a big Italian family being featured in a young adult book. I’m from a big Italian family, so I was really excited to see that portrayed on the page.

It was a little disappointing that they were kind of the bad guys in the story. Like, it was very believable, though heartbreaking, that the brash, high volume, high intensity behavior was ultimately weaponized against Sandro. It left him feeling completely bowled over and like it would never be safe to be himself. Which made sense considering how the family treated him. I did like the conversation he had with his mom late in the story and the things she said to fill in some of the reasons behind why things happened the way they did.

I also really liked Bash’s emotional journey, going from someone who couldn’t seem to get through a conversation about his feelings, to someone who was learning to do it, and trying to build his own support network.

Sandro and Bash are both notorious athletes at their school. I thought the decision to feature two athletes in a M/M romance was cool, too– again something I haven’t often seen. Early in the story, during the time that Bash is standoffish and emotionally closed, I had a harder time getting into the book. It was hard to find things about his character that I liked at that point.

But as I read, and as I watched Sandro and Bash grow, not only in their exploration of a relationship together, but pursuing their own personal growth, I felt more drawn into the story.

On the whole, I would say I enjoyed THE LONG RUN, though it didn’t scratch the “big Italian family in YA” itch for me in a satisfying way. I think fans of BEATING HEART BABY by Lio Min or OPENLY STRAIGHT by Bill Konigsberg should check this one out.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

✨The Long Run by James Acker✨

As predicted, this book destroyed me. 🥹

I laughed, laughed out LOUD, my heart broke, was pieced back together, I teared up a few times.

I read a LOT, many many books, and I get frustrated when I read books that feel empty. Just words, no feeling. But this book feels EVERYTHING. The writing is so beautiful, and the author created characters that you absolutely fall in love with.

And not just Sandro and Bash ❤️, the relationships they have, with their families, Lucy, Matty. You watch them grow, grow up, outgrow people they needed at certain times in their lives, find their way back to people who have been waiting for them. Everything is complex and complicated and feels so big because when you’re that age everything is big and loud and you feel SO much and you feel like no one is listening or understands and sometimes they are and they’re waiting (Del) and sometimes they’re lost in themselves just trying to get by (Claudia). The conversation with Sandro and his mom near the end omg 😭.

Seriously, everything was just written so well.

I loved reading this book, reading books like this that just make you feel every feeling is why I love reading.

Also, the chapter titles, a chip skylark reference, bi bi bi (TWO Nsync ties there - Chris Kirkpatrick voices Chip 😂) a mean girls moment “I want my fucking bass back!” As Ronny and Phil drive away in a convertible 😂. Ugh, seriously, read this book.

I got this approved through Netgalley and like 30% in ordered a hardcopy for keeps. Adding this author to my future automatic book purchase list, I’ll read whatever they write no questions asked.