Beneath the Blushing Sky
About
Set in 1965, this coming-of-age story follows the freshman year of basketball player Lee Rollins, a shy and intelligent boy who is taken in by the romantic intrigue of three popular girls. His world is further rocked when his closest teammate is sent away for delinquent behavior. Lee's realization that friendships can be forged with girls as well as boys helps him survive his turbulent year and step more boldly into the shadow of his absent friend.
Praise for this book
"In the gray heart of a 1965 winter, freshman Lee Rollins learns that growing up isn't measured in inches or grades—but in silences, betrayals, and the quiet grace of unexpected friendships. With poetic detail and emotional clarity, Beneath the Blushing Sky evokes the ache and beauty of adolescence in a world where boys shoot hoops on frozen courts and girls arrive at your door like dreams in wool scarves. A tender, haunting coming-of-age story that lingers like a memory."
“With lyrical insight and emotional precision, Beneath the Blushing Sky captures the raw edges of adolescence in 1965—where friendship, heartbreak, and fleeting moments of beauty collide on and off the court. Gary McIlroy crafts a vivid coming-of-age tale that glows with humor, heart, and the kind of honesty that lingers long after the final page.”