Books like Dream Boy by Jim Grimsley
Nathan lives in a quiet Southern town under the shadow of an abusive, drunken father and a dismissive mother who cooks in the kitchen. He watches his schoolmate Roy from the upstairs window, yearning for a life away from his father’s night‑time prowling. When Roy moves in next door, Nathan finds comfort studying algebra together, and their connection deepens. Amidst a community riddled with hatred and petty cruelty, they must keep their love hidden from friends, church, and families. Nathan fears the one truth he has always kept—his father’s abuse—that makes his life impossible. One night, he escapes with Roy to a haunted plantation ruin, where they confront the wilderness and the unsettling certainty that he may never return home.
First publish date: 1995
Genre: LGBTQ+ Fiction/Gay Fiction
Authors: Jim Grimsley
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