Author: Dan Williams
Publisher: L.L. Press
ISBN: 0999843230
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 157

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Book Description
Rick Harmond moves from his small hometown, where he worked on his father’s ranch, to a bigger city for college. In his cowboy boots and hat, he immediately feels out of place but he refuses to let his reluctance get the better of him - he’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime! He’s been given a full-ride scholarship thanks to his affinity for math. One of the stipulations to receive the scholarship is that he join his college’s Gamma Sigma Gamma fraternity chapter. They’re not the kind of people he would usually be around, but he needs the scholarship - farming can’t pay his tuition. He endures the ribbing given by his fellow pledges and the frat brothers, and he also befriends a sorority sister, Rosanna, a popular cheerleader. Rick also meets Rosanna’s roommate: Lorraine, whose double-leg amputation has confined her to a wheelchair. Lorraine, a former cheerleader in high school, has become withdrawn, even standoffish, since her accident. And she has good reason to be defensive: Every day she gets looks of pity, looks of disgust, and hears people talking behind her back, thanking God they’re not in her position. Rick is intrigued by her and finds an opportunity to get to know her: He can help her with her algebra assignments, and she can help him with his English assignments. But soon word of his friendship with Lorraine gets back to the leaders of Gamma Sigma Gamma and a meeting is called: Rick, as well as his fellow pledges, are told they are not to associate with undesirable people because it reflects badly on Gamma Sigma Gamma. Rick then finds himself in an impossible situation - he doesn’t want to stop seeing Lorraine but the consequences set his world on fire. How can he remain Lorraine’s friend but also afford to stay in college?

Reviews

"Close Enough to Perfect by Dan Williams is the story of anyone who has ever been outside of the 'In' crowd for any reason. Williams has created strong characters which will resonate with our own struggles about staying true to ourselves; our values; and how we interact with others along the way. I found myself cheering on Rick Harmond as he steps out of his comfort zone and into a culture that is too self-absorbed to even notice its bad manners (or even flat-out rudeness). During this tumultuous upheaval, he has to make extremely hard choices and finds almost too late what is most important to him."

-Jeff Dillard, Amazon customer, 5-star review

"(Williams) has taken the subjects of disability and difference and written about them so that anyone could see themselves in the place of the character. He then evolves the characters to be more than they thought they could be. It is an engaging story with likable characters which also happen to be real. A great read."

-Di Davis, Amazon customer, 5-star review

"I liked the very accurate portrayal of a young woman going through experiences in high school and college as an amputee. The brutal honesty of how the public deals with her new body and how she deals with it herself...Great work, descriptions and dialogue."

-Deborah, Amazon customer, 5-star review