Pitch

August 10, 2013 by Whit!!!!!!!!!

Title : Pitch

Author : Will Parkinson

Publisher : Dreamspinner Press (BUY HERE)

Genre : M/M, Contemporary

Length : 180 pages (e-book)

Published : August 8, 2013

Rating : ★★★★

Blurb:

A Harmony Ink Press Young Adult Title

The day Jackson Kern walks into Taylor Andrews’s classroom is a momentous day in Taylor’s life. He’s had crushes before, sure, but as time goes on, this is starting to look a whole lot more serious. Still, Jackson doesn’t return Taylor’s feelings.

Taylor has his own admirers, though. Kevin Richards is used to getting what he wants, and what he wants right now is Taylor, so when Taylor rejects him, Kevin retaliates. At first Taylor’s entourage rallies around him, but then Kevin takes his deception one step further and Taylor sees his support dwindle, teaching him the valuable lesson about who he can truly consider a friend.

Review:

That was pretty damn sweet. I wish I had been like these boys in High School. Very good and sure of what they wanted. Through that want they learned more about themselves and became better people. That desire to make the person you love proud and to be worthy of their admiration. Even if they don’t love you, you want them to be happy. Very romantic and pure. I really enjoyed the day-to-day growth of these guys.

Taylor falls for Jackson the minute he walks into home room. He can’t get the guy out of his mind, even though the schools social-climbing school hussy has claimed him for herself. Jackson doesn’t seem to mind, so Taylor assumes he must be straight. Doesn’t make him want him any less. Taylor actually starts going to Jackson’s baseball games and sketching Jackson on and off the field. Not something he’d ever do if he wasn’t crushing on a player. Taylor decides that since he can’t get over his crush, he’ll just be happy to spend any time he can with Jackson. Meaning he signs up for every activity possible. It’s really the only way he can be there for Jackson since they never speak to each other.

Jackson is new to another school. He should be used to it based on all the bouncing around he and his dad have done, but this time it’s different. This time he’s staying through graduation and he wants to finally belong. Do the things he’s never been able to stick around and do. He becomes the star pitcher and student council president. Making a real difference in their community. He’s popular and has friends. All things he’s always wanted.

Thanks to the help of the hussy who redeems herself, kind of, they pine for each other from afar. Until the prom! I know it sounds dramatic and it kind of was. Jackson realizes that she’d been keeping them apart with lies.

Basically this was a young adult romance. No sex but I didn’t really miss it. Very cute characters. The story is told strictly from Taylor’s POV so most of the book you’re guessing what Jackson is thinking. I loved Taylor’s best friend Benny. He was smart, funny and loyal. All around good guy who was always there for Taylor.

Now, the baddie stalker I didn’t love. Not because he was bad, but because he was a little of the top on page. He was believable off page and I despised him plenty. I think the situation with him blackmailing Taylor wasn’t terribly realistic for as smart of a kid as Taylor is. AND that he was a teenager.

Yay! Another YA book I enjoyed. Who knew? I know so many people who will love this. It’s a sweet coming of age story about two boys finding their way to each other.

Rated 4 stars by Whit