One Summer in Vancouver

by Tony Correia

Overview

"Delightful" — ★ starred review, Booklist

The 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver were an inspiring and culture-shifting event in the history of LGBTQ2S+ culture and visibility. One Summer In Vancouver is a fiction which takes place in the midst of an event which is  reconstructed with careful detail by an author who was there.

This is a story of self-discovery and romance for young adult readers today -- but it will also engage adult readers of historical fiction, sports fiction, LGBTQ2S+ fiction, and romance.

Tom, a teen struggling to understand his sexual identity, flees Toronto for a summer of freedom in Vancouver, where something exciting is about to happen: the Gay Games.

Living with his “out” Uncle Fred, Tom experiences a new world where being your true self is freeing and fun. He falls in with teen Dwayne, who falls for him, and Gina, a lesbian getting over a relationship with a popular singer. As the Games wrap, Tom has to decide whether to return home back to a closeted life and a father who doesn’t understand, or to make a new life in Vancouver.

The story plays out against the backdrop of the Games, populated with the important organizers and cultural figures who were prominent in this landmark event. This novel is a tribute to the spirit of courage and unity that the Games represented at a time when being openly gay and proud was a radical stance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459417434
Publisher:	James Lorimer & Company Ltd., Publishers
Publication date:	04/04/2023
Sold by:	De Marque
Format:	eBook
Pages:	280
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

TONY CORREIA has worked as a waiter, bartender, bouncer, barista, receptionist, and recently, a technical writer for a software company. His newspaper column, Queen's Logic, ran in Xtra! West for five years. He is the author of the Lorimer Real Love novels Same Love and True to You. His memoir, Foodsluts at Doll & Penny's Cafe was published in 2012. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Editorial Reviews

"[E]njoy this delightful book not only in the summer but year round."—starred, Booklist

From the Publisher

2023-05-09
A 17-year-old impulsively sets out on an adventure of self-discovery.

Tom doesn’t know if he’s gay, but he’s questioning his sexuality, and that’s enough for him to leave Mississauga, Ontario, and fly to Vancouver without telling anyone, including his parents. After all, it’s 1990, and the Gay Games are taking place there. Tom is sure he can stay with his Uncle Fred. Soon after arriving, Tom meets Dwayne, who takes him to his uncle’s house—and, having developed a quick crush on Tom, gives him his number. Dwayne’s volunteering at the games, and Uncle Fred tells Tom that if he wants to stay with him, he has to help out there as well. So, the boys, who both seem to be White, end up spending more time together. Populated with too many side characters to easily track, the book continues the countdown to the international sporting event with religious fanatics protesting and the boys’ feelings developing rapidly. Unfortunately, the many characters’ individual personalities fail to shine through, making the shifting points of view confusing; even protagonist Tom lacks charm and interesting traits. The book attempts to evoke nostalgia through period details, but the stiff dialogue does little to engage readers' interest.

An interesting premise that doesn’t deliver. (map) (Fiction. 14-18)

Kirkus Reviews