Title: Maybe with a Chance of Certainty
Series: Tales of Foster High 01
Author: John Goode
Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Coming Out
Length: Novella (98pgs)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (19th October 2011)
Heat Level: Moderate
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Kyle has worked hard at being the invisible student, toiling through high school in the middle of Nowhere, Texas. Brad is the baseball star at Foster High. Both boys are damaged in ways that the rest of the world can’t see. When they bond over a night of history tutoring, Kyle thinks that maybe his life has taken a turn for the not-so-lonely.
He finds out quickly that the promise of fairy-tale love is a lie when you’re gay and falling for one of the most popular boys in school, and if being different is a sin in high school, then being gay is the biggest sin of all. Now Kyle and Brad need to come to an understanding amidst the scrutiny of their peers or their fledgling relationship will crash and burn before it ever gets off the ground.
Purchase Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2575
2nd Edition
1st Edition published as a short story under the same title by Dreamspinner Press.
Review: Kyle has made himself as invisible as he can at school. he does everything he can not to draw attention to himself, until the fateful day Brad steps into his path. Brad needs help with his history midterm and he’s been told that Kyle can help him. by the end of the tutoring Brad wants something more.
This is an incredibly in-depth touching coming of age, coming out story. The story is from Kyle’s POV and there is an incredible amount of description and emotion from this seventeen year old boy, that you actually get a fantastic in-sight into what it must be like for an intelligent, socially awkward, lonely, physically abused boy who has an alcoholic for a mother and who is gay. In less than a week Kyle’s world changes as he gets to know Brad and they share a secret and an understanding of how that secret affects them inside. The hopes and dreams that seem to be shattered one by one as his faith in Brad is tested and Brad keeps failing.
This story is well written and I loved Kyle because he doesn’t try to be something he’s not. Yes, he hides behind his cloak of anonymity, he doesn’t talk to people, he doesn’t look at them, he ignores them and he drifts through school like that every day, but he doesn’t pretend to be something he’s not. Whilst Brad lives up to being the golden boy and it causes conflict between the two… Go Kyle!!!
I will recommend this to everyone as it is a great coming of age story with conflict that reminds you of your school days and your own struggles, and because sometimes the little guy wins.