
Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with complicated family dynamics, specifically the pain of an absent parent returning or the nerves of a first romance. It speaks to the teenager who feels like they have to hold everything together while their own world is shifting. The story follows Gio, a Black bisexual teen, as he navigates the sudden reappearance of the mother who left him years ago, alongside a budding relationship with a new teammate. This is a nuanced exploration of forgiveness and identity for readers aged 14 and up. It acknowledges that love and healing are rarely linear or simple. Parents will appreciate the book's honest look at mental health, faith, and the importance of supportive friendships. It offers a safe space for teens to process feelings of abandonment and the courage it takes to be vulnerable with others.
Explores the difficult choice of whether or not to forgive a parent who caused deep hurt.
Sweet, age-appropriate romance between two boys, including kissing.
Explores themes of parental abandonment and the emotional toll of a mother leaving.
Depictions of a parent struggling with alcohol and the impact on the family.
Parental abandonment, alcohol abuse (the father struggles with drinking), mentions of depression and mental health struggles, and the emotional trauma associated with a family crisis.
A high schooler who feels the weight of adult responsibilities or who is navigating the complex process of setting boundaries with a parent.
This book can be read cold by most teens, but parents may want to be ready to discuss the father's drinking habits and the realistic, messy nature of forgiveness. There is no single 'right' way to handle the mother's return, which is a great talking point. A child expressing deep resentment toward an adult who has let them down, or a teen who seems to be withdrawing because they feel they must manage a family crisis on their own.
Younger teens (14) will likely focus on the high-stakes drama of the mother's return and the excitement of the romance. Older teens (17 to 18) will better appreciate the nuanced critique of the 'strong Black boy' trope and the complexities of the father's coping mechanisms.
Unlike many stories that treat parental return as a simple happy ending, this book prioritizes the child's healing over the parent's redemption. It beautifully weaves together faith, queer joy, and the specific pressures of being a 'preacher's kid' without making any of those elements feel like a burden. """
Gio is a Black bisexual teen living in a preacher's household who has spent years processing the hole left by his mother's abandonment when he was nine. Just as he begins a sweet, tentative romance with David, a new player on his basketball team, his mother reappears seeking forgiveness. The narrative follows Gio as he balances the joy of first love with the heavy emotional labor of deciding if, and how, to let a parent back into his life.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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