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.

This book could best be described as a roller coaster: the beginning is slow, and you're not sure if you're gonna like it, but once the drop happens, you just enjoy the ride. It's thrilling, it made me laugh, it made me cry. I will definitely be reading it again. I will say it's definitely an older teen book, but it was great. I loved it. Wish I could give half stars to give 4.5.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of The Long Run! It was a quick, heartwarming read. I will add this to my library's purchasing list for our Young Adult section.

Wow this book was amazing! Loved the unexpected romance, the evolving of themselves through their new friendship. I had to include the blurb above cause they both had a lot of baggage and they were just starting their lives. But it was so sweet and the door was a little open, they were all onboard. I kept forgetting it was YA except the school part and applying to colleges. They were very mature and this book made me cry! For Sandro at the end when he talked with his Mom. I just have a warm feeling in my chest now from this book.

Thank you inkyardpress and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

My favorite read of 2023 (so far)!

In the forward, James Acker says that his book is “a teenage boy. Gross and hilarious and complicated.” It’s also “a beautiful, tender story about two hardheaded boys finding each other” and “bathroom graffiti with an oddly heavy message.”

Yes, to all of this.

I laughed a lot while reading this novel. I would love to insert a quotation of the passage that made me cackle the most, but the censors would probably try to get me. (Look for the bit about the old man from Up in the March 30 chapter. And really, that entire section is just a hoot.) Some of the humor is off-color and gross, as teenage boys can be. There’s a lot of sarcastic quippery and occasional silliness, too.

Beyond the funny bits, though, the romance between Sandro and Bash is extremely heartfelt. Both Sandro and Bash are lonely and adrift at the beginning of the book. Quiet and sensitive Sandro feels very alienated from his loud and aggressive Italian family; he fades into the background while longing to feel like the center of someone’s attention. Meanwhile, Bash’s stepfather would really like to know him better, but Bash holds him at a distance. Sandro doesn’t have any real friends because he hesitates to open himself up and reach out to people. In contrast, Bash seems to have lots of friends, but since he always tries to be what other people want him to be, almost no one really knows the true Bash. When Sandro impulsively kisses Bash at a party, that moment of openness sets the stage for them to form the close connection that they haven’t managed with anyone else. With each other, they are heard and seen and loved for who they are, and that means everything.

Really, I think the ultimate message of this book could be summed up as “Only connect!” Although Bash and Sandro’s relationship is central to the book, it isn’t the only one that’s important. As the story develops, Bash and Sandro also slowly open themselves up to other people—old and new friends, Bash’s stepfather, and Sandro’s mother. Reaching out to others and being authentic is difficult for them both, but it’s the only way to establish personal relationships that are truly meaningful.

I just loved everything about this book; it’s the best thing I’ve read so far this year. Highly recommended!

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

This is an absolutely spectacular YA queer romance. I honestly cannot recommend it enough.

Sebastian “Bash” Villeda is a senior track star whose mother died recently. She had been sick a lot and he has been adrift without her. Bash lives with his white stepdad, Del, who is a decent enough guy, just not really clued in on how to deal with a moody, bi-racial teen boy. He works nights, and Bash works days, so he and Bash don’t see each other often. Del’s not abusive or mean, just grieving too, and confused about his role in Bash’s life. Bash spends most of his awake time running or hanging with his loud-mouthed best friend, Matty Silva. Bash is pretty tired of Matty’s BS, causing fights and being homophobic. It’s all so tiresome, honestly. Bash wants to get away, but he’s not sure how. The only thing that makes sense is running as fast as he can, so he does it all the time.

Allessandro “Sandro” Micelli is the youngest son in his family of screaming Italian-Americans, and too quiet for his huge body. He’s a field team captain, throws an awesome shot put, and struggles with his ever-ranging body hair and lack of parental involvement. His overworked parents are currently propping up his elder brothers in careers and managing their young grandchildren. Sandro hasn’t had a private conversation with his mom in years, and his dad has little use for him. He’s gay, and closeted, because he knows they won’t accept him. Sandro can’t wait to get away from his loud, embarrassing family, for good. But, it’s hard because, at the moment, he’s injured. He broke his ankle falling off his house roof, where he’d been sleeping to avoid the chaos of his family. And, the foot didn’t heal right in his cast because he walked on it too much–miles and miles daily to get around. There’s no public transit, and his parents and brothers were too busy to bother driving him anywhere. His family isn’t abusive, per se, but they are definitely neglectful, and casually homophobic. Mostly, they are too busy with their own lives to take interest in Sandro or his needs.

Bash and Sandro know each other from school and track. They aren’t friends, but they connect one night at a big track/athlete drinking party. The cops come, and Sandro can’t really escape with his boot, but he knows a hidey hole–somewhere he’s been chilling in the summer heat to escape his home life. While hiding, he and Bash have a good conversation, a real one, that ends in Sandro unexpectedly revealing his sexuality in a way that shocks them both.

Sandro’s sure he’ll be the target of homo hate, but that doesn’t happen. In fact, Bash and he grow tighter, working together on school projects and experiencing mutual attraction. Because Bash is bisexual, though, he’d not really acknowledged his attractions much in the recent past. He dated his longtime friend and neighbor, Lucy, but she broke things off since he was so emotionally and physically unavailable. As a friend, though, she counsels him well, and Bash and Sandro’s down-low experimentations grow in intensity and frequency.

This is a coming of age, coming out story that takes place over senior year. Bash and Sandro have simple lives, and simple dreams. They have complicated interactions with their friends and families that felt both genuine and relatable. They grow to love one another and trust each other, as Bash takes the time to support Sandro, and Sandro helps Bash find his purpose. There are difficulties–reasonable ones–that expose each others’ vulnerabilities in honest and understandable ways. I ached for both Bash and Sandro. They are well-written and fully fleshed on the page, and I fell into their quandaries just the same as they had. Their teen-boy Jersey speech was an incredible dialect to get lost in. I loved how hard they rode one another, how fearlessly they trashed themselves, how hard they worked to get things right. I could have read ten books on Bash and Sandro and pined for an eleventh.

Expect swearing, fighting, alcohol, and casual drug use. Expect bad behavior and good sports. Expect to cry. Expect your heart to break and be reforged stronger and more capable. Expect a strong ending, and a hopeful outlook.

I'm so emotional right now!!! Hands down this is one of the best books I've read about teen guys. It delves into the complex inner worlds of Bash and Sandro as they navigate senior year, their relationship, and who they want to be. This book is so raw and gets into the super macho, posturing, toxic attitudes in sports culture, and how that carries over into the way men try to mold their sons in their image. The impact of that environment affects Bash and Sandro in different ways: Sandro develops a loud, unquenchable anger in response to the pain and loneliness his family inflicts; Bash crafts different personas to cope with various social situations, meanwhile feeling totally lost inside. Seriously, I could go on and on about how nuanced and wonderfully complicated the characters are; their POVs are so real. And the love story!!! I could write an essay just about the slow building, soul awakening beauty of it. This book is packed with all the highs and lows of senior year, first love, and growing up, and I was engrossed the entire time. Expect humor, pain, crassness, bad decisions, soft moments, tears, rage, joy, and yearning. I don't think I've felt this deeply about a book and its characters since I first read Aristotle and Dante. Highly recommend!

I had a really hard time with this book. I wasn't prepared for it to be so dark and I couldn't get into it. I don't think it would be fair to the author or myself to keep going but perhaps some trigger warnings somewhere would have been good.

thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest opinion

this was such a fun and quick read i really enjoyed it. Sandro and Bash were such lovely characters and i really enjoyed the alternating POV between them. it made it so much deeper because we got learn more about both of them. the storyline was really cute and their relationship was just adorable. Plus the writing was really captivating and it just makes you want to finish the book in one sitting

i was in such a reading slump but this truly helped. everyone should read it !

This was much harder hitting than I was anticipating. Both boys have a lot going on in their home lives which play major parts in their character developments. I like that this is not an 'easy' romance, there are difficult conversations had that are not just breezed over. There is no bullshit last minute problem that breaks them apart just to get back together in the last chapter.

TW: gay slurs, graphic sexual content, physical fights, death of a love one, emotional abuse, physical abuse, underage drinking

5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC.

This book was so good! I would agree with all of the reviews comparing it to Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and I would even compare it with Red, White, and Royal Blue which is one of my personal favorites. I think this one is going to stick with me for a long time, just as Red, White, and Royal Blue did.

I loved Bash and Sandro's story. I loved watching them get to know eachother, I loved giggling out loud at their conversations, and I loved seeing their character growth...this was just such a great story about how two people can be struggling but can really learn to support eachother. I even loved the hard parts, where I was so sad and so frustrated for them. I wish I had more to say besides "I loved" over and over again, but that's the truth. There was nothing I didn't like about this, and I'm honestly sad it ended. James Acker could probably write 20 more books about Bash and Sandro and I'd read them all.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves an angsty YA romance like Aristotle and Dante, LGBTQ characters, and stories about family and friendships. Again, this is such a good one and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.

Read this book if you like: Dual POV, LGBTQ representation, multicultural couple (mexican, black, Italian)

Wow. This was amazing. It was dark at times. It was raunchier and definitely deeper than any YA romance I have read. The author perfectly captures teenage boys with the insecurities, the discoveries, the growth. Sometimes in YA the characters feel much older or much younger than the intended age but not in this book. Bash and Sandro were so well-developed as characters, so raw and real. Their chemistry was off the charts. Sandro knows he is gay. Bash is discovering his sexuality. This is so good. I highly recommend it. It came out yesterday. It's a debut. 😲

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Inkyard Press for the gifted e-book ❤️

A really and truly excellent book! I cannot wait to put this in the hands of teens that come into the store. Acker really captures a very authentic teen boy voice, and I was compelled by the story and engaged by how all of the characters interacted. My only critique is that the choppy writing style sometimes interfered with my ease of reading, but that is ultimately a small gripe.

“And the way Sandro smiled. I think that’s how I knew it was true. That I wanted it. That I wasn’t sorry. That I’d drive that kid anywhere he asked me to.”

I truly can’t believe this is a debut. This felt so realistic and beautiful, and seeing these two characters embrace their feelings in incredible. It encompasses those strange feelings we all had in high school so well.

The relationship that unfolds between Bash and Sandro is outstanding. Everything about it feels real: the uncertainty of their feelings, what they should or shouldn’t do, how their friends and family would react, and what that means for the future. They seem so different, but what they find in each other is the person they can confide in above all others. They are supportive and proud of each other, and the way they encourage each other is really lovely.

What I think is so incredibly important about this book is the relationship between to male jocks. I feel like when I reach a lot of YA male-male romances, it’s never two macho jock types. Acker explores this so well. They have to think about so much and it affects a lot of the decisions they make toward each other. There’s also a discourse on locker room language that I think is really important. I can only imagine how many boys and men will read this book and relate.

Sandro’s relationship with his family is particularly heavy, and when he finally confronts it, I felt it. It’s a difficult section of the story, but it’s so necessary and seemingly so cathartic for Sandro. And my God is that entire moment incredible. It’s portrayed with such beautiful honesty and emotion, and it’s a conversation that was clearly a long time coming.

“He loves me so much, Ma.”

I absolutely loved this book.

*In solidarity with the HarperCollins Union, I will be withholding my review from all social media until the strike is over and they receive a fair contract.*

Sandro and Bash need a big, warm, long-lasting hug. That's what I spent most of the book thinking, just give these boys a hug, and don't let go until they start squirming.

Sebastian "Bash the Flash" Villeda and Sandro Miceli seem to have nothing in common. Bash has no family save his quiet stepfather, while Sandro lives in a house bursting at the seams with a loud and brash family. Bash is always at the center of the action, seemingly basking in the attention that being a loud and successful jock gets him. Sandro is happy to sit back and observe, keeping himself out of everyone's line of fire as he gets enough of that at home. They're barely even aware of each other until a fateful night when what seems like fate brings them together. It's the beginning of a series of realizations, confessions, and growing up that takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster full of all the angst and joy of being a teenager.

My one nitpick is that it gets a little too close to NC-17 for my adult-reading-a-YA-book self. Yes, I know teenagers get physical. Yes, Acker made those scenes some of the sweetest and purest in the entire book. But I'm also allowed not to be entirely comfortable getting so many details when I'm *gasp* old enough to be their mom. OMG, I'm old. It's a minor and personal thing when you consider how integral the conversations and revelations had during those moments are to the story overall, not to mention that I really am impressed with how sweetly Acker wrote them. But I feel the need to warn anyone who might feel as I do to come prepared.

Overall, I loved the story of Sebastian and Sandro and how many complex issues get handled with such sweetness and maturity. It's a great book that shows that growing up sometimes means letting go and speaking your truth. I very highly recommend it.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the beautiful read!

Thank you to #NetGalley, James Acker and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

This story is about two track and field athletes who love in a wonderful YA read! This is the story of Sandro and Sebastian. When a busted party brings them together, neither one of them thought they would become friends, let alone they would fall in love.

I enjoyed this YA read. It was dark at times, but enjoyable.

Oh. My. God. I do not even have words right now. This was everything I didn’t know I needed.

I will fight for Sandro. Such a lovable teddy bear! Bash can defend himself, but ugh what a relatable character!

And the rep?! A Mexican Black bi boy and an Italian gay bear? Like what hello!

I know this isn’t much of a review, but just know I want to tell everyone to read this book!

Thank you NetGalley, James Acker, and Inkyard Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

The Long Run by James Acker releases February 7, 2023!

Thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for the ARC of this!

Darker than the YA romance I usually read, I nevertheless enjoyed this one. The characters sort of stumbled into each other, but the progression of their relationship from there was decently paced and fun to read.