Way to Go

As summer vacation begins on the sland of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, 17-year-old Danny feels lost, with no career aspirations and the burden of hiding that he’s gay. He’s also having trouble relating to his two best friends—brash, confident Kierce and laid-back Jay. When Danny starts working at a new restaurant as a dishwasher, he discovers a passion for cooking, becomes sous chef at the restaurant, and bonds with Lisa, a hip and sophisticated waitress from New York City with troubles of her own. Set in 1994 (when the author was himself a teenager), Ryan’s debut novel focuses on Danny’s frustrations and self-doubt (“Being gay was the last thing on earth that I wanted, but my body refused to cooperate with my brain”). Though Danny’s angst and dithering may frustrate gay teens who are comparatively more self-confident in their sexuality, those who, like Danny, feel like “an island of gayness in an ocean of straightness,” should identify with his search for a path of his own. Ages 12–up. (Apr.)