No Going Back by Jonathan Langford

Every parent knows how painful it is to watch your child make poor choices, and it is especially hard when they give in to temptations and trials and make choices that could jeopardize their future. Sometimes they choose paths that bring heartache to both them and the family. But then again sometimes they face weaknesses that they honestly fight to overcome, and it becomes a day-to-day struggle for them. You ache for them immensely, but you can't shelter them from the pain that could strengthen them and help them to grow.

I had the opportunity to read No Going Back by Jonathan Langford. It is the story of a Mormon teenager dealing with the issue of same-sex attraction. I was deeply touched by the story and I read the whole book in a day.

The Book
A gay teenage Mormon growing up in western Oregon in 2003. His straight best friend. Their parents. A typical LDS ward, a high-school club about tolerance for gays, and a proposed anti-gay-marriage amendment to the state constitution. In No Going Back, these elements combine in a coming-of-age story about faithfulness and friendship, temptation and redemption, tough choices and conflicting loyalties.

I will warn you that there is some language, mostly at the beginning, but none of it is explicit. Despite that, I was completely drawn in to the story and it stayed with me long after I finished the book.