Summer's Second

by Jeff Billington

Asher Brock’s last summer of youth is far from ideal. His hopes for the future, including an escape from his constricting Ozark Mountains hometown, seem increasingly fragile as he faces hurdles of poverty and abuse, all while coming to terms with being gay. Raised by an alcoholic single mother, he clings to his noted intelligence as an escape to a better life. But it will take more than brains—namely, strength of character and aspiration—for him to navigate the months leading to his senior year of high school.

The pregnancy of his recent girlfriend, the heightened aggression of his long-time bully, and the increasing presence of his long-absent father create a season of turmoil, spurring unease and self-doubt. But with support from family and friends, an opportunity for love, and the shedding of generations of secrets, Asher sees beyond preordained fate and starts to realize the opportunities in his grasp.

Genres: Queer, Coming Of Age

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 13, 2022

About the author

Jeff Billington grew up on a farm in the Ozark Mountains of Southwest Missouri, surrounded by animals, family, and local lore. His adult life has included stints as a journalist, communications director for a member of Congress, and working for environmental and advocacy nonprofits. He currently lives in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book it was so good Billington made Asher felt like a friend to me than a character he was so well written that you felt all the emotions he was going through and how his mother was single and him being an only child was also a representation I loved I feel a lot of coming of age novels don’t speak on the topics and themes like these so again it was nice to see this blossom in the book and I can’t wait to read any coming of age novel Jeff has next it was a good time!

[Laura Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer's Second is about a boy named Asher Summer who lives in a small town and is digging to get out while life plants him deeper into the soil of his hometown. It's a life full of poverty, abuse, and neglect, but there is still hope as Asher hopes to earn a scholarship to college so that he can get away and become successful. But with so much holding him back, that idea feels far fetched.

Summer's Second is the perfect, angsty teenage story for any reader who is going through a lot and wants some company for their misery. It's a heavy tale that's sometimes hard to take, but there is a purpose to all of the torture that the protagonist endures and a hopeful message behind it.

A full review will follow.

[Ariel Riggles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would definitely recommend Summer’s Second for all readers who enjoy charming and powerful storylines with dynamic and relatable characters. Set in a small, simple town, main character Asher quickly becomes a friend you’d love to have with his sweet, loyal nature and admirable determination. Despite his subpar upbringing, threats from a relentless bully, and countless other struggles he faced throughout the story, his compassion and ambition kept the tone of the book optimistic and honest. Character development is a strong suit of writer, Jeff Billington, who is an eloquent and engaging writer with a vocabulary that just might have you reaching for a dictionary. I’m hopeful for a second book!

[Caio · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this moving story of one teen’s summer of discovery and how he fights to overcome the challenges facing him, from his mother’s alcoholism to an unyielding and surprising bully. Beautifully written, I quickly connected with the characters and felt my heart speed up in some of the most intense scenes. I would recommend it to anyone, young adult or old, as it tells an important story about growing up gay and poor in rural America.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

it felt loved

Good book that definitely felt like some lived experience. The MC is a little too good for his situation but I enjoyed it and liked the end that was undefined but hopeful.

[Vickie Christman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Life is hard, but this book showed love, compassion, trials and tribulations. Would love to read a sequel.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creating a better life is possible, but getting there won’t be easy.

Asher was a well-developed and memorable protagonist who knew the odds were stacked against him. I empathized with the many struggles he was dealing with and cheered him on as he did everything he could to break out of his dysfunctional childhood and create a better life for himself. He’d been forced to take on adult responsibilities at a young age, so I yearned for him to finally have a chance to enjoy being a teenager and relax a little.

This book did an excellent job of showcasing the positive and negative aspects of living in a small town. Asher was lucky to have several people who knew about his rough home life and quietly made sure he had enough food to eat and new, clean clothes to wear when his mother didn’t provide them. There is definitely something to be said for people who solve problems like these without making a fuss about it. On the other hand, Asher was also the target of gossip and bullying in part because it’s difficult to keep secrets in such a tiny and tight-knit community. Anything that happens to anyone in small towns like this one is bound to be revealed to everyone sooner or later, and that isn’t always necessarily a good or safe thing.

I adored the hopeful but realistic ending. Without giving away spoilers, it was nice to see the main character resolve the conflicts that could be fixed before the final scene while also acknowledging that some problems are too big to wrap up in the year or so when this took place. There was lots of room left for a sequel if the author ever decides to grace us with one, but I was also satisfied with how it all ended. Asher’s personal development gave me a lot of hope for his future.

Summer’s Second was delightful.

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this coming of age novel we meet Asher (Ash), a teenager in the Ozark town of White Oak, who is working toward recognition of both his potential and his identity as a gay man. As Asher deals with self-doubt, bullying, poverty, and food insecurity while navigating relationships with family and friends, heroes appear on his path to help him along.

Summer’s Second has a natural, relatable prose style; in fact, I found this book, which was published a few months before Chicken Dinner News, to be so readable and so engaging that I lost sleep to finish the book.

Character development is excellent; no major character is one-dimentional – not even Tommy, the classmate who bullies Ash. Pace and dialogue are on point as well.

[Justin Wycliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It wasn't some fluffy gay love story, but a pretty gritty look at what life can be like when you grow up away in an isolated town surrounded by rumors and tragedy. Asher sure has guts though, and that was the best part of it, it reminds you that sometimes all you have is hope, but sometimes that is enough.

[Urban Andenius Skeppstedt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book, in so many ways.
It talks about hardships, overcoming obstacles and being a good person despite life not treating you well.
Ash is from now on one of my favorite fictional people.

[Mark Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice coming of age, young adult novel. With its LGBT theme, I wish I would have read a book like this while in high school.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful! 🥹🥹🥹

[Beth Ott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story with well developed characters. Billington left me wanting more as I got so invested in the main character and his struggles. Appropriate for teens and adults.