The Long Run follows Bash (Sebastian) and Dro (Sandro), two jocks who shouldn’t have anything in common. Until one night at a party, they kiss. After that, a friendship is born. As Bash and Sandro become friends, they find themselves unexpectedly attracted to each other. In a world that seems designed to keep them apart as anything more than friends, will they be able to persevere? Bash and Dro will need to examine their personal relationships, friends, and what they’ve always believed to be true about themselves. 

The Long Run had fantastic queer rep (specifically gay/bisexual). The bisexual rep felt very realistic to me, especially how Bash experienced confusion determining his identity after primarily dating girls. I also loved how he sort of didn’t feel attached to labels and instead described his attraction, which is relatable! Meanwhile, Sandro has always known that he is attracted to boys and has struggled with how to come to terms with it in his busy Italian Catholic family. 

Sandro must deal with a complex and abusive family situation, while Bash must reconcile whether his deceased mom’s college plans are more important than his current dreams. These are heavy issues that are heartbreaking to read about. The beginning of this book definitely took a bit of time for me to get into. I was hooked around the halfway point, when more reflection and change was occurring. Bash and Dro were a very cute, loving couple who had to overcome stigma, casual homophobia, and mental health challenges. I enjoyed the ending of this book a lot, especially the revelations from Sandro’s mom and Bash’s stepdad. The Long Run feels like an incredibly important book, while being difficult to read at times. I’m looking forward to reading what James Acker writes next! 

Thank you to James Acker, Inkyard Press, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.