Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention: Yeled Tov by Daniel M. Jaffe

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Yeled Tov

"Excellent coming of age story that follows a young Jewish man struggling with his sexuality, self-loathing, vivid imagination and fear of rejection while at college against the backdrop of the 1970's. Deeply moving and a transformative story for all readers, regardless of age, gender, or sexuality."

"This book is an absolutely gorgeous coming of age story. Jake's struggle to be a good man and a devout Jew as he wrestled with the realization that he's homosexual is a beautiful, sometimes devastating, but ultimately a hopeful journey to self-acceptance. It was the perfect balance of bittersweet, funny, and insightful. I highly recommend this novel. "

1974 and Jake Stein wants to be a good Jewish boy, but he finds himself struggling to reconcile his traditional beliefs and his strong faith in God with his growing attraction to other boys. He lands a part in the school play, The Diary of Anne Frank, and while he should be imagining the suffering of the Holocaust, he feels real tsuris over falling for the kid who's playing Peter van Daan. Even college is no escape, as his freshman roommate happens to be gorgeous and rarely dressed. Author Daniel M. Jaffe's newest novel offers readers a compelling young hero trying to find a path between desire and devotion, often with advice from the voice of God, or at least how Jake imagines the Almighty would instruct a young man to do the right thing.