Book picks similar to
Just a Dumb Surfer Dude by Chase Connor
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young-adult
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Safe
C. Kennedy - 2012
Caleb Deering is the captain of the swim team and the hottest senior in school. He comes from a loving home with a kind father and a caring, but strict, mother who is battling breast cancer. Nico Caro is small and beautiful, and has a father who rules with an iron fist--literally. One morning Caleb forgets himself, and he pecks Nico on the lips at school. A teacher sees them and tattles to the Headmaster. The accidental outing at school might be the least of their problems, because the ball set in motion by the school’s calls to their parents could get Nico killed. In the face of that very real danger, Caleb knows he has only one mission in life: to keep Nico safe.
Power Play
J.M. Snyder - 2003
until an accident during practice leaves him confined to a wheelchair. The doctors say he'll walk again but a new season is already underway and he's been replaced on the team, which leaves him feeling alone and betrayed. What's the use of fighting to get back on the ice now? Then he meets Dante Espinosa, a short track skater on the city's speed skating club. Though he has to work overtime to afford his sport, Dante is hell on ice, and dreams of making the cut on the U.S. Olympic Speedskating Team. Their love of the ice brings them together, but too many obstacles stand in their way: Ryan's struggle with therapy. The memory of Dante's first boyfriend. Lack of funding to the event, Dante's harassing boss, a skating friend in love with him, and Wil Dietrich, who will do anything to win.
Mikey and the Chickadee
Kid Boise - 2016
Every day, the same stunning man, riding alongside you. He seems to notice you. You could swear something's there--it almost feels as if he's reaching out... Then, one fine day, you're given the chance of a lifetime: a opportunity to finally strike up a conversation. Do you take it?Wyatt does. And he's thrust into a more beautiful, violent, emotionally-charged journey than he ever could have expected. Only time will tell if his new bond with this beautiful boy can weather the tumult and confusion that accompany early adulthood... “Mikey said things in a way that invoked visions of us spending time together in the future. I considered this while I watched the sun set out my window. Beyond houses, buildings and occasional fields, all of it racing by, I caught flickers of open water and the far-off levee holding it at bay. The next few miles were peppered with conversation borne, still, out of an inscrutable dose of caution and unfamiliarity. How does one coax something from a void? What kind of enigmatic force conjures a friendship between strangers? How fragile those first times together must be, yet with so much depending on them. For one covert second, I swelled with sadness, not just because a continued relationship with this beautifully unchained boy was so improbable, but for the tragedy of all friendships that died in infancy.”
Exchange of Hearts
N.R. Walker - 2015
Surrounded by wealth, nannies, and material things, all he craves is the approval of his father. Sent away to the boarding school his father and grandfather attended, it’s assumed he will follow in their footsteps from Sydney’s prestigious Ivy League school straight into medical school.But Harrison doesn’t want to be a doctor.He dreams of music and classical piano. His only true happiness, his escape from the world expected of him, is dismissed by his intolerant and emotionally detached parents. Levi Aston arrives from London for a three-month student exchange program. Free-spirited and confident in who he is and what he wants to do with his life, Levi convinces Harrison not give up on his dreams.But convincing Harrison not to give up on his family might not be so easy.
The Way Back
Carter Quinn - 2012
When his friendship with Eric turned into something much more, it ended as suddenly as it began, leaving Riley devastated. He hasn't let anyone near his heart since. Until now. When Riley needed him most, Jason was there to help pick up the pieces. Six years later, he's back in Riley's life. Riley is slowly letting Jason past his defenses and is starting to accept how good they are together. They're even planning their first romantic weekend getaway when, out of the blue, Eric calls, claiming he wants Riley back. Riley has been pining for Eric for six years, but now he has a brand new relationship with Jason to consider. Jason—who has always been there when Riley needs him, who puts Riley's happiness above his own, even if that means his own heart will suffer—insists Riley face his old feelings for Eric to make sure they're really gone. But are they? How long will it take Riley to figure it out? And how long will Jason wait?Second Edition (+4000 more words)Kansas Book #1Bonus Short Story:The Way Back Together(+6000 words)Riley and Jason have carved out a weekend together to plan their upcoming event, but those plans take a backseat when Eric shows up on their doorstep an emotional wreck.
Hard to Know
Jason Collins - 2020
That’s too much time to spend with the last guy I want to see, but I don’t have any other options. We might not get along, but we’re adults now, and I won’t let my sister down.Ben and I have history, and it’s not the kind of history I can forgive. But this new Ben isn’t the jerk I remember, and that makes it even harder to ignore how hot he’s gotten. It’s almost enough to make me forget what he did—almost.He was a player back then, and for all I know, he’s probably gotten worse with age. He’s still my nemesis, and it’ll take more than those smoldering eyes to get me to trust him.Old rivalries don’t burn out—they simmer.BEN:I’ve changed, but Caden’s grudge hasn’t.When my cousin asks me to give a stranger a ride across the country, I figure a friend of his is a friend of mine. But when I recognize the handsome stranger as Caden, I realize I’m about to be trapped on a road trip with a guy who’s hated me since high school.What happened between us is more complicated than he thinks, but he doesn’t know that. The damage was done a long time ago. Still, that doesn’t stop me from imagining what his body would feel like under mine. With him this close to me, it’s impossible not to wonder.I don’t need a relationship, especially with the problems I’m facing at the youth center I run. But when it comes to trouble, Caden might be the only guy I can turn to—if this road trip doesn’t kill us.My heart’s in the hands of my worst enemy.Note to readers: This is a standalone MM romance.
Bottled Up Secret
Brian McNamara - 2014
He has a great group of friends, his pick of colleges, and he has recently come to terms with his sexuality. One night, he meets Mark Galovic, a gorgeous, younger classmate of his. In a matter of minutes, Brendan is hooked. As the friendship between them grows, Brendan reaches his breaking point when he spontaneously confesses his feelings to him. Brendan is shocked and elated to find out that Mark feels the same way about him. The two begin to date, but because Mark is not out, it must remain a secret. As their friends and family become suspicious, openly gay Brendan becomes increasingly frustrated with their discreet relationship, while Mark becomes more and more paranoid that they’re going to be found out.
I'll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip.
John Donovan - 1969
Between alcohol-infused lectures about her self-sacrifice and awkward visits with his distant father, Davy's only comfort is his beloved dachshund Fred. Things start to look up when he and a boy from school become friends. But when their relationship takes an unexpected turn, Davy struggles to understand what happened and what it might mean.
Always
Khloe Knight - 2013
After one fateful day at summer camp Jason's dream finally comes true as he and Damon begin meeting in secret. But the waters of this new relationship are tested when school comes around and the weight of this secret becomes heavier than either boys expects.Enter Dean Hardy. When the new openly gay bad boy takes an interest in Jason the stakes rise and it seems like there is no way to keep Damon's secret and be happy at the same time. Will Jason and Damon overcome the pressure of being together? Or will Jason decide he doesn't want to be someone's secret any longer?
Wonders of the Invisible World
Christopher Barzak - 2015
But when Jarrod, his former best friend, suddenly moves back home, Aidan begins to see clearly for the first time—not only to feelings that go beyond mere friendship, but to a world that is haunted by the stories of his past. Visions from this invisible world come to him unbidden: a great-grandfather on the field of battle; his own father, stumbling upon an unspeakable tragedy; and a mysterious young boy, whose whispered words may be at the heart of the curse that holds Aidan’s family in its grip. Now, Aidan must find his way between the past and the present to protect those he loves, and to keep the invisible world at bay.
Fjord Blue
Nina Rossing - 2016
It’s not like he didn’t deserve it. After all, he crashed his dad’s vintage Bonneville in a car-chase duel on a Miami freeway. Ben is mad at the world and not ready to reveal the reason for his bad behavior the past year, when he partied and got into fights to forget his attraction to his best friend’s hot cousin Dino. Norway is cold and rainy, the farm is desolate and resists modernization, and the grandparents are quiet and religious. On to the scene waltzes Even, the eighteen-year-old farmhand, who counters Ben’s restlessness and complaints with friendship, fresh perspectives, and problems of his own.With the mounting expectations of Ben taking over the farm one day, getting closer to Even becomes Ben’s only reason to stay put. As the friendship deepens, the two boys learn that secrets can turn into both beautiful and ugly truths, and that support can be found in unexpected places.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson
John Green - 2010
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two strangers are about to cross paths. From that moment on, their world will collide and lives intertwine.It's not that far from Evanston to Naperville, but Chicago suburbanites Will Grayson and Will Grayson might as well live on different planets. When fate delivers them both to the same surprising crossroads, the Will Graysons find their lives overlapping and hurtling in new and unexpected directions. With a push from friends new and old - including the massive, and massively fabulous, Tiny Cooper, offensive lineman and musical theater auteur extraordinaire - Will and Will begin building toward respective romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history's most awesome high school musical.
Black Sheep
Kay Simone - 2019
After relapses, detoxes, and even jail time, Otto found the stability and sobriety he was looking for halfway across the country with a new identity.But when Otto gets word that his father is terminally ill and his mother and brother are struggling to keep the family inn afloat, he knows that it’s time to swallow his pride and go home.Even if he hasn’t talked to his family in almost two decades. *** When Cheshire-native Reese left his foster family to find his passion in New York City, he imagined he was saying goodbye to Cheshire forever. But Reese was never cut out for New York. The city chewed him up and spat him out, and Reese was forced to return home where his best friend still resented Reese for leaving.
“You left me just like Otto. Everyone leaves...”
Now it’s been two years since he’s been back, and Reese runs Cheshire’s only general store. He’s painstakingly mended his friendship with his best friend, and even after the recent death of his foster father, Reese almost feels like part of a family again. Reese feels like he’s finally got his life under control. Then his best friend’s brother walks into Reese’s bar. *** Nineteen years ago, Reese and Otto were as good as brothers. But now, they have more catching up to do than either of them realized. After a chance encounter in which neither man recognizes the other, the two must navigate the wreckage of a struggling family, a brother who can’t forgive, and the reality of life in an isolated town in the mountains.
Black Sheep is the first book in the three-book series, My Best Friend’s Brother. It has a happy-for-now ending, but is NOT self-contained. This slow burn starts out with a bang and delivers content meant for adult audiences. Black Sheep contains frank discussions about drug use and recovery.
The British Devil
Greg Hogben - 2012
A secretary in a small-town Southern Baptist church in Texas, she bristles at Greg’s secular beliefs. Through passive-aggressive manipulation, subtle deceit, or outright battle, Vivien resolves to banish Greg and return Danny to the fold, come hell or high water. Greg’s hold on Danny’s heart is pitted against Vivien’s crusade for Danny’s soul.All the while, Greg devotes himself to keeping Danny happy while negotiating the cultural differences of his life in America. Danny’s new career as a lawyer takes them from his native Texas to New York. But with Vivien testing Greg’s stiff upper lip at every turn, something has to give.The British Devil is a semiautobiographical novel exploring culture, religion, and love in a bi-national relationship.
The Dangerous Art of Blending In
Angelo Surmelis - 2018
His strict Greek mother refuses to see him as anything but a disappointment. His quiet, workaholic father is a staunch believer in avoiding any kind of conflict. And his best friend Henry has somehow become distractingly attractive over the summer. Tired, isolated, scared—Evan’s only escape is drawing in an abandoned church that feels as lonely as he is. And, yes, he kissed one guy over the summer. But it’s his best friend Henry who’s now proving to be irresistible. It’s Henry who suddenly seems interested in being more than friends. And it’s Henry who makes him believe that he’s more than his mother’s harsh words and terrifying abuse. But as things with Henry heat up, and his mother’s abuse escalates, Evan has to decide how to find his voice in a world where he has survived so long by avoiding attention at all costs.