“The problem with being the best is everyone wants to find out why. The problem with being the best is you gotta prove it every day. To people you don’t know. Or like.”

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my advanced readers copy of The Long Run.

This book wasn’t bad, but it defiantly wasn’t for me. Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. This book sounded so good, but I think I didn’t connect with it because it is made for younger audiences. I don’t really have anything bad to say about this book, besides that I couldn’t get into it. What I did like about this book is I liked the dual perspective and the focus on mental health.
I would recommend this book to those who like sports, lgtb+ romance, and just a slice of real life.

I received an arc of The Lon Run from netgalley in exchange for my honest review (I still hate doing these little disclaimer boys).

I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it and then couldn't put it down. Bash and Sandro are amazing characters, and I love the way that they interact with and show their care for each other. I think it's beautiful how they learn each others quirks and how to read the others body language. So many times with YA, teenagers either feel too old or too young, but to me, this book got it right. Something else I loved is that so many books about queer discovery/ people in the closet focus around coming out. And this book didn't do that. It wasn't a huge source for drama or fights. More books should be like that. Because yeah, coming out and feeling like you are actually being known for yourself is pretty important, but it isn't everything, and it isn't the solution to every problem. You never stop coming out either, so making it a big event would have just been a cry for angst in a book already filled with it. All that to say, I like the stuff that the author chose to focus on.

Some stuff I didn't love: <spoiler> I don't care if regular stupid teenage boys drink and drive. I don't want to read it. I don't want to read it in any form that implies it is an ok thing to do, because it isn't. And I know they never drove drunk, just after drinking, but still. I don't like it</spoiler>. As well, I didn't care for boys calling each other the f-slur. And I don't know if that is a realistic portrayal of (a) teenage boys, (b) teenage boys in the States, or (c) heterosexual teenage boys who play sport, but no matter what, I didn't want to read it. That is not a word I am ready to reclaim, and it makes my heart hurt a little every time I see it on a page. So maybe heterosexual high school boys in Jersey are like that (I have no experience with teenage boys from the States, and very minimal experience with straight ones), but I don't wanna read it, even if it is the case. I don't really think it brings anything to the story, to show how fucked up other people are. But what do I know.

Anyways, if you read this far, this is a beautiful book about learning to open up, and to feel emotions again, and to communicate with the world, on top of being about two boys falling in love and learning all about what it means to love and be loved. To all the teens struggling to find a place for themselves in a world that doesn't seem to actually care about getting to know them, this is a book for you.

I sat on this review for a while, trying to figure out how to accurately sum up what is such a beautiful, painful book into a few short paragraphs. The Long Run is a complicated story of finding and embracing your identity, high school survival, and speaking your truth. It's introspective, slow, and melancholy, mixed with some bright moments of ridiculous laugh out loud teenage boy humor.

Sebastian Villeda has grown to hate his reputation as "Bash The Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey with a rep as the coolest guy in town with a following of bros to match. His only want out of life is to graduate high school and go to Rutgers on a track scholarship, the school where his mother once worked - before she passed away a few years ago and left him with a stepfather who Bash barely interacts with. He'll graduate and leave all of them in the dust. Meanwhile, Sandro Miceli is the middle child in a huge Italian family; too quiet and accommodating for his own good. He can't even work up the voice to ask for rides when he breaks his foot, opting instead to walk around town on a boot and crutches - after all, he'll be graduating soon and leaving all of them behind for Northwestern.
Then Bash and Sandro, only previously quietly orbiting each other on the same track and field team, meet at an end-of-summer party that gets busted, and they're both forced to reconsider everything everything that they thought they wanted out of their last year of high school.

"It's not enough to want something. You gotta find the right way to want it."

Dual PoV stories are always hit or miss, depending on the talent of the author. Are they able to accurately give both main characters their own unique voice that can be pinpointed without labels? In the case of The Long Run, the answer is a resounding "yes!" James Acker does such an amazing job of weaving two beautifully different points of view in the stories of Bash and Sandro, one so afraid to figure out who he is outside of the identity he's spent so long in, and the other just trying to muddle through until he can escape. It's lovely to see how they both grow together and as individuals throughout the book through their separate narratives.

It's a melancholy, weary story, of two boys with so much baggage to carry and how they each fit in the other's life around that. This is absolutely one that will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

Sebastian and Sandro are captains on the track and field team, respectively, but they have never really interacted. Both with complicated family relationships, they each are eager to leave high school behind for college. When they are thrown together as they escape a party that has been broken up, they find they enjoy spending time together and they want to keep doing it -- without their friends, classmates, or family finding out. The two find a connection they never expected and they each want to protect from the pressures of school, friends, and family, but soon find they don't quite know how to do so when they are still learning about themselves and figuring out their futures.

This was a powerful and perceptive book, with strongly drawn characters, a high engaging, and often emotional, story, and distinctive voice.

Highly recommended!

When I first heard about this book, I got super excited. It has a lot of elements that I look for in books, so I had pretty high hopes that I would enjoy it. The Long Run definitely lived up to my expectations.
Bash and Sando are seniors who are simply trying to survive high school until graduation. With unsatisfying home lives and friendships, both boys are feeling angry and lonely. That is until they come together one night and uncover some truths about each other that lead to a tumultuous friendship, and possibly more. Bash and Sando's romance was sweet, sometimes difficult, and, at times, surprisingly hilarious. They were heavily flawed characters, but were trying so hard to be better, that you just had to root for them. The Long Run was such a great story from start to finish, I highly recommend it!

The Long Run by James Acker is a young adult love story. Track and field bros, Sandro and Bash, are struggling to find themselves as they come to the end of their high school years. They’ve never been close but they randomly hang out at a party in the woods and share a drunken kiss. Neither knows quite how to handle this but they both know they enjoy being together. The more they hang out, the closer they get and the more comfortable they get with who they are becoming.

I really enjoyed the characters—they seemed true to young LGBTQ+ people who are struggling with who they are and what they want out of life. The high school and family dynamics in the story showed the struggles kids and teenagers go through as they grow up. I liked how the chapters alternated between Sandro’s point of view and Bash’s point of view so we get different insight into different struggles of the characters. I thought the story was well-written and I would like to read more by this author!

This book is for anyone who feels like they aren't enough. This is a story of two boys finishing high school and navigating how to express what they want, how to accept who they are, and how to learn to love themselves for their faults. This book explored themes of grief, anger, sexuality and friendship. I loved this book with all my heart. It was heartwarming, emotional and poetic. It gave me Aristotle and Dante Explore the Secrets of the Universe vibes. The ending was beautiful and I hope we get a sequel!

In the 15 minutes since I've finished reading this AMAZING debut (once I dried my tears), I've already requested that my local public library add this to the shelves, and I plan on purchasing this novel for the teens in my life. This novel is raw, and honest, and true (I believe) to teenage boys. And their inner lives/monologues, as well as the facades they present to the world. Not just about finding love, but how finding acceptance and love allows you to fully become yourself.

"Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro.

Sandro Miceli is too nice for his own good. The middle child in an always-growing, always-screaming Italian family, Sandro walks around on a broken foot to not bother his busy parents. All he wants is to get out and never look back.

When fate—in the form of a party that gets busted—brings these two very different boys together, neither of them could’ve predicted finding a love that they’d risk everything for…"

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC...

The Long Run takes us on a journey with two track athletes in their final year of high school. One is a star sprinter, and the other a field athelte. Normally they have different social groups, but in the final year they come together and go through many ups and downs.

Characters (9/10): I thought both our main characters were very well fleshed out. The story is told in dual POV so we get a good amount of time in each of their heads. I think seeing the story from both sides really helped the attachment to both.

Plot (7/10): The story was very enjoyable and did not linger too much. I liked the progression throughout the school year and the way the relationship developped kept me intrigued. Though it would have been nice to see a bit more from the track and field aspect of their lives.

Writing (8/10): I really liked the writing. The author did a good job at writing two distinct POVs. The way we saw inside the head of our two main characters helped with immersion.

Entertainment (8/10): I enjoyed this story quite a bit and it kept me hooked. It would have been neat to see them compete at competitions (more so Bash as Sandro was injured), but that did not take away from the journey of these two characters with their relationship.

Overall (8/10): A fun read that gets you attached to the two main characters. You just want the best for both of them in the end!

It was such a fun read. For many pages I felt so attached to these characters... It's so difficult nowadays to be surprised with a good book, and "The Long Run" made an impact on me!

Review will be posted after the HC Union’s demands are met. I stand with the HCUnion and will not be giving written reviews of HC books until they come to an agreement with the union.

A truly raw and touching story of two boys trying to find who they really are through all the pains and expectations of growing up. Often kind of gross and uncomfortable to sit with their thoughts and the damage toxic masculinity has done to them, but only because Acker really doesn't shy away from painting a harsher, but for many more accurate, picture of what growing up a boy is like. A stunning debut.

This was an excellent read! I absolutely flew through the book. The Long Run is a YA book about Bash and Sandro, two lonely, sad, angry boys in their last year of high school as they find each other, become friends, and explore their feelings for one another. They have complicated family lives and don’t really have close friends, but they’re able to build a safe space together where they can truly open up.

I LOVED THIS. Bash and Sandro are both unique and fully formed characters who have great chemistry together. A lot of times I complain about dual POV books where the voices of the characters are the exact same and you get confused about which POV the chapter is from. That never happened here because they each have their own very distinct voice. There’s some really beautiful writing here and a few of the emotional moments had me tearing up.

Outside of the more serious moments, which there are a good deal of, there are also a lot of fun, sweet, and silly moments. I connected deeply with both Bash and Sandro and just wanted the best for both of them. They both have things in their lives they have to work through, and they don’t always say or do the right things with each other, but they do try to make things better. The book is split up into different sections for the seasons. It starts in summer and goes through the end of spring. I love where the book left off, but I also could’ve been happy reading hundreds of more pages about what they get up to next.

Definitely check this one out if you’re a fan of queer YA contemporary, it’s amazing.

I just finished an eARC for The Long Run by James Acker and can’t stop thinking about it. And it’s not just because I’m a Jersey girl, or that I could vividly picture every single Jersey reference that James put in this book, or because of the amount of cursing (we New Jerseyians love our swear words).

The Long Run is a coming-of-age story and romance about Sebastian Villeda (Bash) and Alessandro Miceli (Sandro/Dro). The two are both high school athletes navigating senior year, Bash being a track star and captain and Sandro being a field captain. While they’ve always been (at the most) acquaintances, it’s at a sports party where the two realize there might be something more between them.

I loved this book because it was so raw and real. It gave me Young Royals vibes as we saw two teenage boys seriously going through it. There were dysfunctional families, toxic friendships, homophobia, and sexual exploration (all very real things that high schoolers have to deal with on the daily). I was hooked on the self-acceptance journey and character growth for both Bash and Sandro, and the author did not disappoint. These two were navigating some serious shit and didn’t always handle it well. The author did a great job portraying this to the readers. In my opinion, there wasn’t really one central plot in this book, but rather several sub plots that worked so well and cohesively. And there was 👏🏼 So 👏🏼 Much 👏🏼 Incredible. Character 👏🏼 Growth 👏🏼. Not just for our MCs, but minor characters as well! WHO CHEERED?!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Look for The Long Run on February 7, 2023!

📕 Advance Review for “The Long Run” by James Acker out February 7th!

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.

While I’m not typically eager for coming-of-age stories, this one hit me different and had me invested in both MC’s individually and then rooting for them to be together.

I thought the writing was very well done and perfectly reflected life as a teenager - the machoism, drinking, sex, foul-mouth’ness of it all. While this enhanced my experience, it could be an issue for others as a YA novel.

Damnit - the Wawa eating, Jersey boys got to me!!!
Well done!
Rating: ★★★★.5 (round up to 5)

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for letting me review this great story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for providing me access to an early copy of The Long Run for my honest review. Acker skillfully introduces us to two closeted high school boys, Sebastian (Bash) and Sandro (Dro). Everyone knows Bash as a track star, the best guy ever, but no one truly knows him, including himself, and Dro hides behind his image as a nice boy to avoid facing his own struggles. When they meet, walls begin to crumble as they discover they have each other. Their journey together proves that love is more than sex and involves intimacy, fear, loyalty, times of anger and the ups and downs of life. Their young love is a privilege to witness and I eagerly await the next installment in their journey.

I was honestly a little wary of this book after the first few pages. It means it when it says that it’s a “bro meets bro” story, and it was VERY evident in the language. I initially struggled to get into this book because of the very bro-y language, but I’m SO glad I stuck with it. While the “bro” aspect is a large part of the story, it goes so much deeper than that. The “bro-y” language that initially turned me off, really fits the characters, and actually made a lot of sense once I got into it.

This was primarily a story about finding yourself and being the truest form of yourself, not the you that society, your friends, or your family wants you to be-your youest you. Throughout the course of the book, Sandro and Bash navigated high school, college applications, family drama, relationships and toxic masculinity, and I ADORED these two! I loved reading their journey and I fell more and more in love with Bash and Sandro with each turn of the page.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and InkYard Press. All opinions are my own.

I give this book props for what it is trying to do, especially in representing young queer men. As I’m not that, I don’t know if I can review this fairly. The choice of writing style and the “bro-y” language didn’t personally work for me, but hopefully it will for someone else?

The Long Run was such a lovely, emotional coming of age story that showed beautifully all the joy and pain of figuring out who you are, how you want to show up, who you want in your life, and growing into your independence and identity. Sandro and Bash were deep, well-rounded characters and I loved seeing their friendship grow and then their spark blossom into something more - so much of the book was just sweet, slice of life moments. I thought the book did a nice job not getting too bogged down in it's own heaviness; there was a timelessness about the moments of struggle and triumph in the story as it moved along. I would have loved a little more from some of the side characters, but I felt like only getting to know them a little served to reflect the insularity of deep teen friendship and first love.

The Long Run follows Bash (Sebastian) and Dro (Sandro), two jocks who shouldn’t have anything in common. Until one night at a party, they kiss. After that, a friendship is born. As Bash and Sandro become friends, they find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other. In a world that seems designed to keep them apart as anything more than friends, will they be able to persevere? Bash and Dro will need to examine their personal relationships, friends, and what they’ve always believed to be true about themselves.

The Long Run had fantastic queer rep (specifically gay/bisexual). The bisexual rep felt very realistic to me, especially how Bash experienced confusion determining his identity after primarily dating girls. I also loved how he sort of didn’t feel attached to labels and instead described his attraction, which is relatable! Meanwhile, Sandro has always known that he is attracted to boys and has struggled with how to come to terms with it in his busy Italian Catholic family.

Sandro must deal with a complex and abusive family situation, while Bash must reconcile whether his deceased mom’s college plans are more important than his current dreams. These are heavy issues that are heartbreaking to read about. The beginning of this book definitely took a bit of time for me to get into. I was hooked around the halfway point, when more reflection and change was occurring. Bash and Dro were a very cute, loving couple who had to overcome stigma, casual homophobia, and mental health challenges. I enjoyed the ending of this book a lot, especially the revelations from Sandro’s mom and Bash’s stepdad. The Long Run feels like an incredibly important book, while being difficult to read at times. I’m looking forward to reading what James Acker writes next!

The Long Run is available February 7, 2023. Thank you to James Acker, Inkyard Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc