Noah Riley didn't mean to drown, or did he? But waking up in another boy's hoodie entices him not only to live a little longer but also to solve the mystery.
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Nineteen-year-old Noah Riley wakes up disoriented, soaked to the bone, and alone on the shores of Rockaway Beach, Brooklyn, NY. After a night of wallowing in self-loathing, a Jägermeister, and drunken, dumb choices, he has no clue who pulled him out of the water except for a Polaroid and this unfamiliar black hoodie he is now wearing. Searching for answers as his life unravels and past secrets ravage his sanity, he finds a love that challenges his self-identity and drives him to find meaning in his life. Now, at the turn of the tide, he'd better learn how to make friends with his worst fear: living.
Think of second chances, new beginnings, and gay romance.
Content warning: This story contains mature sexual content and themes of mental health, suicide, and drug abuse.
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Editors' Pick feature 2020 - 2021
Noah is a runaway who is busy keeping his emotions under control and his secrets close to his chest. Living rough on the streets, every day is a fight to survive, and his inner demons wreak havoc as he struggles to conquer them.
Malik masquerades as a dumb jock so no one knows he dedicates hours to solve his brother's mysterious death. But behind his façade, his identity is a blur, and accepting himself is the hardest part.
When they cross paths, they're thrown into a world full of schemes, lies, and...love. Love that forges them together as they fight their own battles. That is only if a band of thugs, a shady father figure, and Noah's life on the streets doesn't destroy them first.
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💢Awards:
2023 Amby's Diverse Lit Winner
💥 1st in Fiction: Milorate Laurels Awards
💥 1st in General Fiction: Shimmer Awards
💥 Sole LGBTQ winner: Ambassador African Awards
💥 2nd in LGBTQ: Aeryn Awards
💥 2nd in New Adult: Greek Script Awards
💥 3rd in Mystery: Aspirants Awards
💥 3rd in Romance: Better Days Awards
💥 3rd in General Fiction: Punk Rock Awards
💥 Wacky Writers Judges' pick for November 2020