Deacon Locke Went to Prom

Brian Katcher

May 2017 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

The love life of an awkward teen takes an unforgettable turn after he brings his grandmother to prom in this funny, offbeat, and smile-inducing contemporary romance that is pitch perfect for fans of Jesse Andrews and Robyn Schneider.

Promposals are taking over Deacon Locke’s high school and there is no place left to hide. But even with graduation looming, shy and unusually tall Deacon doesn’t think he can get up the nerve to ask anyone to the dance. Especially given all the theatrics.

It isn’t until Deacon confides in his witty and outgoing best friend Jean that he realizes should could be a great person to take. Only problem is Jean isn’t your typical prom date. She’s older. A lot older. And she’s Deacon’s grandmother.

But when Deacon meets Soraya—a girl unlike any other he’s ever met—he fears he has totally squandered his chances of having a prom he’ll never forget. Deacon couldn’t be more wrong. About everything.

Deacon Locke Went to Prom is award-winning author Brian Katcher’s fifth novel.

Ratings and reviews

Firstly, this story - It's cute. Plain and simple. A shy guy who can't seem to get a date decides to take his grandma to the prom, accidentally becomes internet-famous and then has to deal with the problems his fame brings. It is also very coming-of-age in the way he has to decide what he wants for his life, but also the fear of how he learn to manage the responsibilities of being an adult. As a character, Deacon is effortlessly humorous, even though he is not a joker like Elijah. And his counterpart, Soraya, definitely gets her moments of characterization. She may be the love interest but she influences the plot so much and it is good that he understands her side of the equation, too. His grandmother, Jean, was a great character and hers and Deacon's relationship is so beautifully written, I was almost teary at the last few chapters. As for the writing in this book, there was no clear style to it, and I felt it needed work. Chapter endings were weird, and felt abrupt. The overall flow of the writing also felt disconnected in places. The most incredible part was a teen character not even having a social media account. I can get the no cell phone part, but not interested in the internet? Nah, that is a little unbelievable. Deacon can also come across as a little prejudiced at times, which, while I know that characters can't be perfect, made it difficult to love him. Overall, though, I would say this a good book. I definitely got more than what I expected from the blurb.

About the author

Brian Katcher is the author of the Stonewall Book Award-winning novel Almost Perfect, Playing with Matches, and Everyone Dies in the End. He lives in central Missouri with his wife, Sandra, and his daughter, Sophie. When he's not writing, he's working as a school librarian and a member of the Forever Young Adult blogging group.