Time Out

By: Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner, Carlyn Greenwald

Narrated by: Kevin R. Free

Heartstopper meets Friday Night Lights in this “seamless, engrossing” (Publishers Weekly) coming-of-age story about a teen hometown hero who must find out who he is outside of basketball when his coming out as gay costs him his popularity and place on the team.

In his small Georgia town, Barclay Elliot is basically a legend. Here basketball is all that matters, and no one has a bigger spotlight than Barclay. Until he decides to use the biggest pep rally in the town’s history to come out to his school. And things change. Quickly.

Barclay is faced with hostility he never expected. Suddenly he is at odds with his own team, and he doesn’t even have his grandfather to turn to the way he used to. But who is Barclay if he doesn’t have basketball?

His best friend, Amy, thinks she knows. She drags him to her voting rights group, believing Barclay can find a bigger purpose. And he does, but he also finds Christopher. Aggravating, fearless, undeniably handsome Christopher. He and Barclay have never been each other’s biggest fans, but as Barclay starts to explore parts of himself he’s been hiding away, they find they might have much more in common than they originally thought.

As sparks turn into something more, though, Barclay has to decide if he’s ready to confront the privilege and popularity that have shielded him his entire life. Can he take a real shot at the love he was fighting for in the first place?

Critic reviews

"Free is in his element as he deftly portrays Barclay’s growth, spurred on by his loving and loyal friend group. A sensitively narrated story that charms, outrages, and ultimately inspires."

a great coming out story with politics and sports

I like the story focusses on the issues of which are on going today that small brave actions and make a big difference

Great, modern and realistic book

Loved this book and a big congratulations to the authors and narrator of this story. It captures the real world we live in, The real attitudes and homophobia that is often brushes off and laughed at. The main character retreats, but finds his strength. I think this will help others find the strength to find and become their true, lovable selves and live the life they ate meant to.

A GREAT coming out/of age story

“Time Out” by Sean Hayes (Yes -that Sean Hayes!), Todd Milliner, Carlyn Greenwald tackles coming out, grieving the loss of a loved one, homophobia, voting rights and financial corruption. It was a lot to try to cover in a book that’s about 200 pages.
Barclay Elliot is the captain and star player of his high school basketball team, the pride of his small Georgia town. He’s gay and wants to come out to family, friends and the whole school before the big game of the season. What could go wrong? But, things don't go as he planned -- If they went off without a hitch, there wouldn't be a story, right? Eventually, Barclay has to decide if he’s ready to confront the privilege and popularity that have shielded him his entire life.
“Time Out” is very good and I believe this would be a awesome book for anyone who is struggling with coming out - or if you are just trying to understand the coming out process from all sides. The message is – you are not alone. The book has a sweet romance subplot, too. I really cared about each of the well-defined characters. This is a hopeful coming-out story charged with motivation for change. I give it two big thumbs up! Hope you read it.

Kind of OK

Good characters and good tension but also a lot of apparent chronological and other plot problems. Not a waste of a credit but not a well-spent one, either. You might like it!

All at the end

It’s all good at the end… most of it was good story telling but kinda, back and forth