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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Playing Hurt" by Gerald L Nardella.]

Playing Hurt by Gerald L Nardella is a relatable and starkly realistic narrative about high school drama and social pressures in the 1960s. It follows two teenagers, Brian and Deanie, as they navigate the trials of their senior year. There's a heavy emphasis on sex, as it pertains to adolescents who are just starting to understand the subject. The most remarkable thing about Playing Hurt, though, is its down-to-earth depictions of the conflicting pressures in both boys' and girls' lives regarding sex and relationships.

Despite the reputation of female characters written by male authors being shallow caricatures, I was able to see myself in Deanie and her friends. Their attitudes towards sex and relationships are defined by the twin pressures of their parents to stay abstinent until marriage and the ever-present pressure from their male peers to have sex with them. This dichotomy is handled stunningly well, with no navel-gazing about how the world is unfair and attitudes should be different. These things just are.

Brian's character was, arguably, more impressive. Toxic masculinity is so rarely addressed in media, and Brian buys into it full force; its harmful side effects hit him hard, particularly towards the end of the novel. It was amazing how well Nardella portrayed the ways that seeing women as property can damage men, ranging from jealousy and self-esteem issues to outright violence. This was quite eye-opening to me, as I hadn't often considered how our culture's gender expectations can harm men, too.

Both Brian and Deanie are victims of peer pressure, which plays out in a myriad of forms. There's a side plot about their high school's rivalry with another school, Brian's friend Dick engages in criminal behavior, and Deanie's ex-boyfriend Bill threatens and even assaults her. These events serve to keep the narrative moving, but they never come at the expense of clarity or character development, and Nardella does an excellent job of staying focused on the overarching issues of sexuality, misogyny, and toxic masculinity that he set out to tackle.

The writing style of Playing Hurt is straightforward and clean, with enough description to give readers a sense of the characters and environment, but not enough to bog down the story. It's a quick read, at 116 pages, and I found it shockingly compelling for its length. For these reasons, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars. It's not a happy story, so those looking for a light romance set in the 1960s should look elsewhere. I'd recommend Playing Hurt to those who enjoy in character-driven narratives that focus on the heavy themes I outlined above, and I can see it being of particular interest to anyone looking to better understand the confusion towards sexuality felt by adolescents. It's a gem of a story, and remarkably moving.

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Playing Hurt
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Thank you for the detailed review. This sounds like an awesome novel discussing sensitive topics without being boring.

Wow, this sounds like quite the dramatic novel. It has an interesting premise that is so rarely discussed, and I’m glad to see that it did not get bogged down on the “life's not fair” side of things and instead simply presented the social failures as they are.

I like the themes brought out in the story-the issue of sex and peer pressure among teens. The author has masterfully developed the characters, which makes the story more interesting. Thanks for the review.

Even though this book's setting is the 60s, your review makes me think of 80s brat-pack films where this same overriding pressure for sex is at the forefront. I suppose it's the case no matter the decade. Thanks for this review!

is a relatable and starkly realistic narrative about high school drama and social pressures in the 1960s. Sweet book, recommended for any book reader.

I'm glad you enjoyed this one so much. I do love that time period, but I don't know much about the social pressures of that time. Sounds interesting.

Sounds like a succinct novel treating relevant, heavy issues with a balanced approach. I am interested in reading it to find out how men are affected by these gender/sexual issues. It is a sadly one-sided conversation these days. Thanks for the great review!

I would be curious to see how today's teenagers with their open sexuality would react to the struggles of that time period.

Oh man, thank you for reading and reviewing this book! The conversation about gender roles and expectations has to be had, and this book seems like a good place to start. Good characterisation is also always a definite plus, and I liked that the book is short and sweet!

Thank you for the excellent review. This sounds like a very good book and insightful for the reader to understand how these social pressures affect young men in a negative way as well as young women.

Great review! The story sounds unique as most authors focus on other topics in novels set in the 1960's (civil rights movement, the Vietnam war). It was a treat to read your opinions since I recently considered choosing this book for review.

A book that follows the trials of two teenagers in a small town in the 60s sounds intense, especially with the heavy themes. The authentic descriptions of conflicts and peer pressures is certainly a bonus. That the author focuses on issues that are rarely addressed in the media is another plus. Not my cup of tea, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review!

Incredible review! Personally, the events of the book and its characters doesn't feel relatable to me, but I'm glad it resonated with you. Especially since sex before marriage is still a taboo around here. Thank you for your review.

It's a book that reveals what most of the female genders encounters, the problems they go through