Blurb
Watermarsh Tales: Book One Is it possible to have it all—even for a boy from a dying town of old cranberry bogs? Even for the son of religious zealots who will never accept his being gay? Even if his closeted boyfriend will never acknowledge their relationship and dates girls to distract people?
Sixteen-year-old cross-country runner Zeph hopes so, because he isn’t giving up on his happily ever after. He has big plans for life after high school and for his relationship with Connor… even if Connor insists they keep it secret.
Then Bronson, an old friend of Zeph’s, returns to Watermarsh after being kicked out of boarding school with secrets of his own in tow. But they keep their eyes on the prize and start a blog to impress colleges who often dismiss small-town students like them.
But not even Zeph can run from everything as his home life implodes and the love triangle he’s stuck in with Bronson and Connor begins to crumble. He’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to hope—even if it means a covert trip to Bronson’s old prep school.
Sixteen-year-old cross-country runner Zeph hopes so, because he isn’t giving up on his happily ever after. He has big plans for life after high school and for his relationship with Connor… even if Connor insists they keep it secret.
Then Bronson, an old friend of Zeph’s, returns to Watermarsh after being kicked out of boarding school with secrets of his own in tow. But they keep their eyes on the prize and start a blog to impress colleges who often dismiss small-town students like them.
But not even Zeph can run from everything as his home life implodes and the love triangle he’s stuck in with Bronson and Connor begins to crumble. He’ll do whatever it takes to hold on to hope—even if it means a covert trip to Bronson’s old prep school.
Review
My Rating - 4.5 Stars!
Scudder James Jr's Cranberry Boys is a riveting young adult romance.
Zeph is struggling with his life, as he's closeted and dating a closeted teammate. His parents are classic religious homophobes, who can't "allow" their son to be gay. The religious beliefs are plenty, the hatred is loud and clear, and the hurt to their son life changing. The religious parts, with a lot of bible quotes brought out so many emotions. I was sad, I was pissed, and I wanted to scream. The homophobia and the fear are all consuming, making me furious.
And then there's the closeted aspect. My heart hurt for Zeph. Caught in a life of lies and secrets, rejection and always being in second place, the struggle is real. Soon he's in a love triangle as he tries to figure out his life.
With Connor, Zeph is secretly dating the classic jock who needs to be seen with girls to keep his cover alive. The damage he does meanwhile is overwhelming. And then there's Branson, who leaves Zeph more confused than ever.
Their story includes cheating, bullying, and more. Please note the cheating and skip if that's a hard limit for you. This story is heavy on the secrets, hiding, lies, and denial. The 1st person pov is perfect, allowing us to fully understand Zeph's feelings.
One of my favorite parts of this book is the coach's alternative to swear words. It is a hoot.
I love the writing. The author developed a good, smooth story, with some great angles. Part of me loved it, part of me was left wanting more. Overall, I loved it and it's message. I just wanted some parts to be more developed.
Cranberry Boys is a compelling tale of choosing the life you have or the life you want. It's a great story of finding someone who wakes you up and helps you figure out your truth. I definitely recommend this Scudder James Jr book to anyone who like YA, especially any confused teens.
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