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Vincent Harris, 15,  knows he gay and suspects his parents know it, too. But his father is a Baptist minister, and for him homosexuality isn't just wrong; it's sin that can damn one to hell. For years Vincent has tried fighting his urges, sublimating them, and certainly praying to make them go away. But now, in a new town, Vincent meets Robert, and Vincent must decide if he wants to make the so-called sin of his nature manifest. Short yet forceful in many ways, this story brings Vincent out of the shadows to a place of truth. Hardy's writing ranges from mundane to moving, and though Vincent's father (and Robert) never seem fully fleshed out, Vincent and his mother, who wants to be more charitable than her world will allow, have a solid reality to them. A couple of scenes are a little more than romantic, but the one with the most power is when the Harrises lay hands on their boy and implore God to cure him. Vincent, however, hears the voice of God saying something quite different.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2008 Booklist

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr 8-10-A story of first love set in late-1970s Virginia. Vincent, 15, is the only son of a Baptist preacher. He has grown up knowing all of his father's sermons, the Gospel songs, and that he is going to go to hell for being gay. But no matter how hard he prays to God to change him, he stays the same. When his family moves to a new parish, he meets Robert, and the teens strike up a friendship that turns into romance. Despite his family's views and those of his religion, Vincent comes to realize that God loves him just as he is. The teen's angst and his desire to fit in are somewhat believable. What is difficult to accept is that when his parents discover proof of his orientation, they merely pray over him. Their reaction seems too subdued compared to the hellfire-and-brimstone of his father's ministry. And, at the end of the book, Vincent resolves his feelings quite quickly, despite having been fighting them for so long. A decent effort that falls short of the mark.-Jennifer-Lynn Draper, Children's Literature Consultant, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.