Why Can't Freshman Summer Be Like Pizza? by Andy V. Roamer Published by NineStar Press on June 1, 2020
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RV, having successfully completed his freshman year at the demanding Boston Latin School, is hoping for a great summer. He’s now fifteen years old and looking forward to sharing many languid summer days with his friend Bobby, who’s told him he has gay feelings too. But life and family and duties for a son of immigrant parents makes it difficult to steal time away with Bobby.
Bobby, too, has pressures. He spends part of the summer away at football camp, and his father pushes him to work a summer job at a friend’s accounting firm. Bobby takes the job grudgingly, wanting to spend any extra time practicing the necessary skills to make Latin’s varsity football team.
On top of everything, RV’s best friend Carole goes away for the summer, jumping at an opportunity to spend it with her father in Paris. Luckily, there is always Mr. Aniso, RV’s Latin teacher, to talk to whenever RV is lonely. He’s also there for RV when he inadvertently spills one of Bobby’s secrets, and Bobby is so angry RV is afraid he is ready to cut off the friendship.
I found the story and RV to be full of heart and it made me wish God had graced me with a little brother. Being that the main character in this story is questioning his sexuality I felt that how it was presented and handled was done extremely well. It’s not easy to be a teenager especially one struggling about whether they may or may not be gay. Summer did not turn out as RV had imagined it. His very best friend Chloe ended up going to Paris to spend time with her dad and Bobby has a jam-packed summer full of football practices and a part-time job his dad is forcing him to do. Not to mention his own confusion with his sexuality. Though he is somewhat farther in his journey than RV, he’s still somewhat unsure and certainly, thanks to his overly masculine dad feels the need to overcompensate his manliness.
Things at home are also stressful for RV as his parents are still working hard towards getting their US citizenship. They also ask him to work the summer at a gas station of a family friend that unbeknownst to them actually turns out to be rather dangerous. Luckily, RV has the guidance of his teacher from school Mr. Aniso. He is fast becoming an excellent mentor and someone who he can trust to help her decipher the confusion that is being a teenager. I wish I had someone like Mr. Aniso for guidance when I was growing up. I hope there are more novels in this serious as I enjoyed this novel and its predecessor a well.
I also have some news! I was able to get my hands on an advanced copy of the sequel to this awesome novel! Thanks to Netgalley! As soon as I finish it I will make sure to review it as soon as I am done. I totally looking forward to the next chapter in the adventures of the loveable RV.
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