Walker feels like his life has been going downhill since his father died. In Ron Koertge’s Where the Kissing Never Stops, this high school junior has to come to terms with the fact that his dad wasn’t who he thought he was, that his life is going out of control, and to top it all off, his mom has take a job as a stripper. Walker’s relationships in the book, with his best friend, Sully, his new girlfriend, Rachel, and his mom, allow him to explore his changing feelings, insecurities, and daily challenges of growing up. He learns his father left him some land to use as a college fund, but over time finds solace in working the land with Mr. Kramer, a long-time land owner/farmer whose quiet strength and plain-spoken common sense provides a paternal influence for Walker.
Koertge weaves the relationships and choices in Walker’s life together very well. There’s a lot of humor mixed in as well, and the reader feels a kinship to Walker as he faces his own self doubt, frustrations, and feelings of inadequacy. The growing relationship between Walker and Rachel, which is sexual but never explicitly described, is told well, as is his close friendship with Sully, who has his own commitment issues with his girlfriend Peggy. Koertge’s prose is swift, his dialog is sharp, and his care in developing these characters make Where the Kissing Never Stops an enjoyable novel.
- Posted by Cori