The Locker Room

Reviewed by Jenn on Diverse Reader

When Meredith asked us about doing flashback reviews, I had a couple books pop into my head right away. The Locker Room by Amy Lane was one them. I first read this book in January of 2016, this book has never left me.

Xander Karcek loves and needs two things in life: basketball and Christian Edwards. Xan is 14 years old and he's starving, living in poverty with a drug addicted mother. Basketball is all he has until he meets Chris.

Christian Edwards is a boy who doesn't see that Xan's clothes are torn and don't fit his tall frame properly. He sees a new friend and claims him the first night they meet on a neighborhood basketball court. Chris takes Xan home for dinner and the two become inseparable from that night on. The bond they form goes beyond friendship, family and even love. The need they have for each other seems desperate and a little magical too.

Chris and Xan manage to do the impossible, they play ball from high school all the way to the NBA...together. The "happiness twins" are an unstoppable team on the courts and unbeknownst to the world, they're a team at home too. Xan needs Chris and basketball and has had both for years. As pressure from a new coach and teammates begins to be too much, choices have to be made. These choices come with painful, life changing consequences. Chris and basketball, can Xan really survive without both is the big question.

This book makes me ache, for these characters and for anyone having to hide who they are. I have never had to fear losing everything I have because of who I love, NO ONE should have to. I love this book for more than the love story, friendship and brotherhood of these two characters. I love it for the innocence of two men just wanting two things in life and the belief that they can have them. This is a 5 star book and one that requires tissues.

This is such an amazing book, I'm so glad I read it again!

My favorite book of all time!! Would recommend this to everyone. This is Ms. Lane at her best. I have read it no less than 10 times and it never gets old. This is the definition of true love.

Wow - my first Amy Lane story and I was hooked. Angst is her middle name, but so worth the journey. Thank you for such incredible characters!

Great story. One of the best. But at the end of the book there is a phone call comes in from the owner of the basketball team to reveal whether or not our hero, who just outed himself, will be tossed off the team or will play and the answer is... Who knows? It just stops there then picks up in a happy dream of waking up, eating breakfast and our gay couple wondering what they will do today. And that final scene is just a dream; not even reality. So it is a great disappointment that Amy Lane choose not to complete the story. I'd rate this 4 or 5 stars if it had an ending. But to read this very long novel and have no ending means I can only give it 2 stars.

Very Good Book. I had to force myselft to put it down. The authors really pulls you it to the emotions of Xander & Christian. I will definately re-read this book over and over.