30th January, 2026 in Recommended Reads

Sailor on the Edge by Christopher Renna

“For the first time since my parents died, a storm didn’t feel like a reminder of an ending; it felt like the start of something else.” Through the novel, Sailor on the Edge, by Christopher Renna, we experience the angst and hope of young love through the eyes of Sailor, the protagonist of a budding LGBTQ+ romance. Set in rural Midwestern America, the novel explores the lingering presence of homophobia while also capturing a sense of youthful acceptance that would have been nearly unimaginable decades ago. By highlighting the trials that come with the constant nervousness of revealing one’s identity, the novel occasionally brushes against familiar tropes. However, this feels less like a flaw in storytelling and more like a reflection of the often-lived realities LGBTQ+ youth continue to face. Through its emotional and deeply human portrayal, Sailor on the Edge is a recommended read, offering meaningful romantic visibility in an age that still too often seeks LGBTQ+ invisibility.