I’ve been debating whether this is FOUR star book or a FIVE star book. Let’s get through this review and see where I end up. 
    First off, this book was not my cup of tea. I didn’t really look at what the book was about, but it ended up as a Book Of the Year Finalist and one of the only finalist I hadn’t read, so I thought… why not? I purchased this book new. (In case anyone cares ha)
     I’m glad I didn’t get a heads up on what the book was about because it would have been a shame to not have read it. 

This book is beautifully written. I could picture all the dialogue in a very real sense. I felt like I was there, listening to the two fathers badger each other or hearing the yelling or becoming worry with concern along with the characters. 
     I also am a big believer that you can tell a lot about an author by the way they write an ‘action-packed-scene’ and Crosby sure can do it well. 
     The writing has easily earned this book FIVE stars in my mind. 
     I will not down rate it due to simply not really enjoying an action packed revenge storyline. 

My temptation to knock a star is due to the feeling of having the author’s morals or societal lessons jammed down my throat. I understand the conflicts being presented in this book, but the long winded speeches about it got old and got old fast. It also came down to believability. In a high tension situation, you do not have time to give a speech about LGBTQ+ rights. Was Crosby correct in everything he said? Yes. I agree totally with him and enjoyed watching these two homophobic men, with a side of unintentional racism, grow into better human beings. I just think it could have been shown in a less in your face, eye roll speech manner. Obviously the author is a wonderful writer and I know he could have cleverly gotten the same point across with a little less lecturing. 
    I agree with a few other reviewers on their feelings of Buddy’s location (wording carefully to not give anything away). It felt unbelievable. 
     Again, I still learned a lot and I really (really) love learning while reading.  I read about some community issues I had no idea about. I read a different view point that I totally enjoyed. I overall really enjoyed the writing style of Crosby. 

So, as we near the end of the review, what am I left with? In the end, talent is talent. My piddly annoyances with a few unbelievable situations do not take away of how well this book was written. How much that even though I didn’t quite enjoy the genre of this book, I always found myself picking it up. I enjoyed the characters and would think about them while I wasn’t reading … THAT is what makes a good book. And THAT is why this book earned my FIVE star review. 

A side, let me get on my soap box moment. This is why you should pick up books you necessarily wouldn’t read or think you wouldn’t enjoy. You never know what wonderful author is lurking in these self-shunned genres that you could discover and completely enjoy.