Rebel at Spruce High

Spruce Texas #5

by Daryl Banner

TOBY
It's no secret I'm shy and sensitive. I'm perfectly content to spend my senior year at Spruce High keeping to myself, playing my video games, and avoiding eye contact with anything that breathes.

That proves impossible the moment I meet Spruce High's newest student: Vann Pane.

To be honest, he's kind of scary. Mysterious, full of attitude, and with a checkered past, it's no wonder everyone keeps their distance.

That's why I'm surprised when he comes to my sudden rescue in a "cafeteria food-fight Armageddon" that sends all of Spruce High into a frenzy, defending me against the bullies that have made my life miserable since middle school.

Is there something more than meets the eye about Vann, the rebellious new bad boy in town?

VANN
Spruce High is the third high school I've attended. Or is it the fourth?
I'm not proud of my past. My parents aren't either. And the constant, nagging reminder that I'm just a problem they can't seem to solve is enough to make any misfit like me want to run away.

All of that changes the moment I meet Toby Michaels.

He's sweet, surprisingly funny, with a soul as squishy as a marshmallow. I can't resist my intense desire to protect the guy and stand up for him in the face of his pesky bullies. Toby gives me purpose.

That purpose is about to be challenged when we're cast in a play together - and are made to rehearse one-on-one, in private. The way he looks into my eyes. What he's doing to my heart.

I'm not sure I can stand it another second.

Our already unlikely friendship is about to ignite into something deeper.
Something neither of us will be able to control.

✔️ M/M romance (between 18-year-olds)
✔️ Friends-to-lovers
✔️ Small-town charm & feel-good vibes

Have you read all the books in the Spruce Texas series?
Football Sundae
Born Again Sinner
Heteroflexible
Wrangled
Rebel At Spruce High ◄◄
Summer Sweat
Hopeful Romantic
Mr. Picture Perfect
Hot Mess Express
(with more to come!)

What about the Texas Beach Town spin-off series?
In Too Deep
Crusher
Far From Paradise
(more on the way!)

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary, High School, Young Adult, LGBT

334 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 29, 2020

About the author

Daryl Banner is a USA Today Bestselling author, composer, and performer. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Honors College with a degree in Theatre and Psychology. He is happily married to his piano. Theory suggests this is why he writes romance.

During Daryl Banner's time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian.

Join his mailing list here to be the first to hear about his new releases! He awards an Amazon gift card every newsletter:
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Fun facts about Daryl Banner:

- He is an obsessive self-taught pianist.

- He is a huge video game enthusiast.

- He left his day job of 10 years to tour with a 2-woman-1-man original musical.

- He's been remixing video game music for over 20 years. One of his remixes is featured in the major motion picture "The Spy Who Dumped Me". Check out his work here: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner

- He composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series, including The Beautiful Dead and OUTLIER. He is also the award-winning composer of the audio drama Janus Descending, as well as several films, games, podcasts, and other media. You can enjoy his music here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com

Reviews

[Papie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate it when authors I love write books I don’t like. I hate writing the review. I loved the rest of the series but it took everything I had to finish this book. I started skimming around 60%, and I had completely lost interest by the time I made it to the two epilogues.

It started out pretty good. It’s a YA set in the town of Spruce Texas, like the rest of the series. Toby is an 18yo HS senior, who has almost no friends and is being bullied. I vaguely remember we met him as a child in Heteroflexible. Vann is the new hot bad boy at school. They are cast as a couple in the HS play and their practice kissing quickly turns into real kissing. And they were cute together.

But the drama. So much drama. Parent drama. Small town drama. HS drama. And bullying. And becoming friends with the bullies. And bullying “as a love language”? WHAT. THE. FUCK.

I was ready to be done when they broke up out of the blue. And it was really cheesy and OTT. Kids don’t talk like that. Maybe I dated the wrong guys, but I have never seen an 18yo declare their love in such a wordy way. It just didn’t ring true. And the ending was SO cringey.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have trouble giving Daryl Banner's books less than five stars because I always love them so much, at least the Spruce Texas ones. :)

[Gustaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread (ish?) July 2022.

I'm so glad I gave this another shot. This time in the right headspace. Because I liked it so so much.

Original DNF review:
Dnf at 40%.

This is one hundred percent me, not the book. I'm just not in the right mindset for teenage angst right now. While it's not at all what you expect from this series, it still fits and I can see a lot of people really enjoying this. Will come back to it at a later date. Maybe when I'm healthy and doesn't have to worry about having Miss Covid visiting my body.

[Daryl Banner]

The next book in the Spruce Texas Romance series is underway, featuring Harrison as the leading man. The question is, who's run away with his heart? I can't WAIT to share book six with you, coming soon!

[Guy Venturi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hail to the Rebel King: Kingsley (Sneeze)

Spruce Texas is hard to find. Most people never look for it. But if you can find it, you probably followed the HS football crowd to the stadium on a Friday night during the season. Texas would not exist without football.

Toby grew up in Spruce. He doesn't remember his father who left when he was young. His mother remarried to an evil stepfather and a stepbrother his age that are not helpful. Toby lives a life of trying to avoid bullies. Although he is now a senior in high school, he had to repeat 7th grade due to excessive bullying. Now all of his few friends are gone from school. But plenty of football bullies remain.

Then a new student starts his senior year with plenty of rumors and gossip about getting band from his previous schools and maybe even killing someone. When he sits beside Toby and defends him from the bullies, starks and fists fly. Even yogert flies.

The classroom, hallways, cafeteria, and locker room are not the same. Life is challenging and unusual. Everything changes from Texas standards.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

This upset me so bad!!

All van was doing was protecting him and left him like a piece of trash blowing in The wind!! What happened to find someone special and hold on to him till the end! Or love some with for who the are all of them!! I'm sorry but van was better off finding some better than Tobey! Van always had tobeys back no matter what from the first day and Tobey is just gonna turn his back on him over van protecting him from the people who bullied him his whole life who made his life so bad he was held back a year Tobey picked them over van!!! Nope van should've found some who loved ALL of HIM not just the parts tobey could handle ! I'm sorry but Tobey was selfish and not loyal at all!! Van should've let Tobey go and found some to love him as much as he loved Tobey! Tobey made van fill like he couldn't be himself like he had to change himself for Tobey to even love him or ve with him! Nope Tobey should've been the one asking for another chance! Poor van got the short in of the stick an now trap with someone undeserving an not loyal at all! LOVE ISN'T MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow was this book the weakest of the series so far and I hated it

The way bulling and domestic violence were portrayed was appalling. in Spruce, Texas as long as the bulling doesn’t leave physical scars you can’t be mad about it? And if you’ve been emotionally abusing your stepson and move on to physical if you feel bad it’s all better. It was so gross how the bulling was so bad and then just not a problem because the bully didn’t realize that he was being a bully?

And the end was setting up a spin off which killed the momentum of the ending

Least favorite by far and if I reread this series this one is a forever skip

[Teresa Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this emotional broken heartstopping
Love story of Vann and Toby
Grabbed my heart
All the feels ready for more

[Lori Hammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, I just can't get enough of Spruce, TX adventures in finding love! Eighteen year old high school Seniors Vann and Toby are working through their separate home and school issues, when rehearsing for a kiss in a play brings them together. Dealing with bullies, becoming self-confident, and some innate maturity get Toby and Vann where they need to be. There seems to be a classmate or two who stories may need to be told. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of Banner's Spruce Tx books since last year, and I'm always happy to return to this world. We get a few cameos of various Strong family members, as well as the Tuckers, the reverend, and the guys from Wrangled. Banner even throws in a character from Getting Lucky, which is not part of the Spruce series but is also a good book by Banner.

What keeps this from being a four star book is how the character of Toby is written. He's kind of a dick, to be honest, and his break up or whatever with Vann was stupid and childish. Then Banner literally has Vann pull inspiration from Grease, where Sandy changes from a sweet girl to a sexy femme fatale in the last act. Vann shows up in cowboy gear, big belt buckle and all. Banner misses the point that in Grease, Danny Zucko is the jerk, so why did Sandy have to change for him? It's the same here. Toby ends up being the jerk yet Vann has to change, at least outwardly, to fit in with the Spruce environment. Sure, Toby says some junk about him not changing, but it's Toby who should have come to Vann with his hat in hand asking for forgiveness.

I also don't think Banner dealt with the bullying issue at all. It's clear that Toby isn't bullied for being gay, but we're never given a reason why it's happening until it's all swept under the rug near the end. It wasn't convincing at all and it never felt like the bullies got their comeuppance like they should have.

Even so, it was a nice book to read. Banner has a great style, full of humor, and writes with strong voices through his characters. I'm looking forward to the next Spruce books, as well as the spin-off series that is set up in this one.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally T-Boy gets his own book!!! I have been waiting for a YA (but with some steam and sexy times as well) to come from the Spruce Texas series and I was not disappointed at all! This book is probably the longest romance Daryl has ever written (coming in at over 125k) and it deals with a lot of issues facing high school kids today, both with their parents at home, as well as the push and pull from their peers at school. Toby and the mysterious new boy at school form a relationship that is both sweet and hot...while the real school bully is definitely hiding some secrets of his own. I loved it!
Suitable for mature 14-15 year olds and up.

***** 5 ***** "he was everything to him and more" stars

[~BookNeeds~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, what a great series, it keeps getting better and better. My second favorite book in the series and very endearing characters. Daryl gives the story heart that invokes all kinds of emotions.

[Kelan · Rating 5 out of 5]

...I don't think I've ever rated a romance book 5 stars, but I literally have nothing bad to say about it, which is saying something because it's about young adults trying to figure out who they are and what they are doing. I also really enjoyed it and the struggle they went through, even with the trope of the play and the "bad boy" it all worked really well and had a good little change to it. I really like Daryl banners stuff I'm coming to find.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I do love a badboy x country boy I often found the couple annoying with all the drama and bullying and just annoying characters.

Definitely not bad and I still like being in Spruce Texas with everyone but not a favorite

[Seren Altmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not surprisingly, Daryl can add another masterpiece to his collection of excellence. I’m afraid it is not possible for me to accurately express the magnitude of feelings that this book has instilled in me. It’s obvious that Daryl’s own high school experiences influenced the one portrayed in this story. It is impossible for an author, not having experienced first-hand this type of torture, to grasp and present a story with the devastating loneliness, grit and ruin that being a victim of bullying and abuse can inflect. No amount of research could do justice to a story like this one.

This novel is not only realistic to the core but it is relentless. The story portrayed is real, genuine and unforgiving. The trials and tribulations of living in a small town. The heavy burden of a town’s outlook on its various citizens. The parent’s impossible expectations of their children. The malignant behavior of the elite and the degradation of those they view as below them. I myself was thrown back into memories of my school years and the hell that I eventually escaped. Whilst reading this book, I didn’t merely feel for Toby... I felt like I WAS Toby.

A line in the book mentions “...a country-boy Cinderella” and I couldn’t agree more. This coming-of-age tale is bursting with deep messages of love and acceptance. Of overcoming outside obstacles as well as internal ones.

Toby. Oh sweet sweet Toby... I want to wrap him in bubble wrap and carry him around in my pocket to protect him from the world. He is just too precious! And Vann! Vann is just what Toby needs and vice versa. They help each other evolve throughout the book and it is bittersweet as well as endearing.

Toby continuously experiences abuse in all forms (physical, mental and emotional) and yet he perseveres. Vann is the first person to finally see Toby for who he is and acknowledges the abuse as well as tries to do something about it. While reading this book, the song “3 Libras” by A Perfect Circle came to mind and it is just perfect as a soundtrack for this book. If you know the song, you’ll understand.

It was as addicting as it was heartwarming. Including various side characters with depth and enough interesting layers that makes you easily invest in them. And oh man... all the feels! Vann’s quest to protect Toby. Toby’s struggles with Hoyt and his boys.

This is the longest romantic book of Daryl’s to date and it was the perfect length. There is no filler. I never had the urge to skip a paragraph or two. It was fast paced and emotionally interactive. There is awkwardness and humor. There is an HEA that is well deserved and satisfying for all parties. I wish that my own high school experience had a happy ending such as this one. I am eagerly awaiting for the next installment in this series. I need it.

[travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, and I enjoyed it, but it was just kind of... okay. I don't think it had any glaring flaws, it just didn't really fit my personal tastes. I liked Toby and Vann, and I liked their romance, but it also felt pretty rushed for my tastes. There were also some things that stuck out to me as odd, like Toby seemed to have some issues with his family (why does he just live out in a shed, why does his mom not seem to care much about how the stepdad treats him) that were kind of resolved but kind of not? And why was Vann's mom so obsessed with the politics and having the mayor in her pocket in this small town? She almost felt like a Saturday morning cartoon villain with all her scheming, and it didn't really add much to the plot. Also, I was able to read it on its own without having read anything else in the series, but I feel like I probably should have because after a while it became hard to keep track of all the other side characters that kept getting mentioned that, I assume, were the MCs of the previous books. It was a lot to take in.

I did really enjoy Hoyt and his relationship with Toby (I'm a sucker for bully romances, what can I say), and at times I found it even more interesting than Toby's relationship with Vann. If Hoyt ever gets his own book, I'll definitely be reading it because that boy deserves to find love with a boyfriend of his own.

[Heather Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just Okay

I love YA romance and I also love Daryl Banner. Sadly the two didn't go well together for me. The story dragged. There was too much focus on redeeming every single character who was vile. It was utopian and unrealistic. That's not the way the world works. I dislike the way the bullying was 'justified' as the bully liking Toby. They're not 6 anymore but 18 year old young men. I want to feel no remorse for Hoyt whatsoever. Everything ended way too well for me in terms of all the conflicts. It just seems unreal. I still have no idea why Toby backed away from Vann. Thay so seems contrived. And then Vann had to win him back over?

[Bo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Rebels As It Turns Out

This is the YA high school segment of a sometimes spotty series centering around a minor character from a couple of other books, Toby (on the cover) and a new boy in town who looks like he's going to be trouble (Donovan, aka Vann, thank you very much).

I'm not going to go into details here, but I will tell you that this is among Daryl Banner's best books and it's full of surprises, heat and angst with two characters who cannot seem to get away from each other--or the trouble that causes.

I loved it, every step of the completely incongruous way.

[Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Early review -

Rebel at Spruce High is a mesmerizing young adult romance by Daryl Banner. The fifth book in the Spruce Texas Romance series, it's everything I was hoping it would me. As an avid fan of young adult, coming of age tales, I was elated to get a chance to read this book.

This book does justice to many of the issues facing teenagers today. It also does a fabulous job illustrating that people's action aren't always motivated by what one would assume. I couldn't be more impressed by the way the author handles this.

If you've been reading the Spruce Texas series, you'll adore the appearances of many past characters. It's just fabulous. Making it even better though is the way the author handles them. I was actually confused at one point thinking "No! No! Please don't make me hate this character!"

Toby is the bullied boy at school. He's a total outcast, starting the new school year without all his friends who graduated. His bullying is front and center throughout, making some tough to read moments. Seriously, if bullying is a hard no for you, skip this book.

When he meets the new boy at school, Vann, he never expects the way the two will forever change each other.

Both Toby and Vann are outcasts, even at home. But together they find friendship, acceptance, confidence, and love. They each teach important life lessons to each other. Their journey towards mending relationships, learning to love oneself, and finding a purpose, is both long and beautiful.

The writing is amazing. Written in alternating 1st person pov, the emotions jump off the pages. Fear. Discomfort. Anxiety. Want. Confidence. Rage. Heartbreak. Devastation. Rejection. Love.

The most impressive aspect of this story is the multi-layered way different actions, emotions, and motivations are addressed. As the mom of two teens, I know first hand how teens react to things, taking them personally. It's great to see how different characters feel about the same moment. The author gives us these multiple perspectives and he does so in an impressive manner.

Rebel at Spruce High is the perfect choice for when you're in the mood for a heartwarming, young adult read. Daryl Banner is stellar in exploring the complexity of issues facing teens today, and illustrating the difficulty of relationships, whether it be family or friends. I couldn't put it down. I would highly recommend this to anyone, and find it would be a great read for teens as well as adults.

[S.M. Harshell · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I was given a free copy of this book by the author to read and review.**

Rebel at Spruce High is the fifth installment of the Spruce Texas Romance series. It is a young adult coming of age read. Trust me when I say you won't miss the in detail sex scenes. Banner writes this story in such a way you still feel the steam between the characters.

Unfortunately I have only read two books in this series and found reading Rebel at Spruce High as a standalone wasn't an issue. What I did learn is that I seriously need to go back and read books two three and four!!!

I loved that this is a coming of age young adult read. It had so much feeling and emotion that jumped off each page at you. Toby is the awkward video game lover that seems to be the butt of the joke among the jocks at school. All of his friends graduated last year, he should of graduated too but being bullied caused him to repeat a grade, leaving him alone for his senior year. When Vann shows up at school the rumor mill is in overdrive over the new kid. Toby takes the expected bullying from Hoyt for the first half of the day but when lunch rolls around Hoyt's games are stopped by the new guy Vann standing up for Toby. No one's ever done that before so Toby is surprised and super shocked by the rudeness Vann tosses Toby's way when he tries to thank him.

I loved the chemistry between these two. Toby was given a bad hand dealt to him but meeting someone so opposite to himself helped him break that shell and become a better man. They both learned from each other. I can't wait to read more from this little Texas town!

[Annie Elm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Spruce books! This wasn't my favourite one but it's still a good one.

Toby is retaking his last year at high school and he's dreading going to school because of a group of guys that makes his life difficult. But things suddenly changes when a new guy moves to Spruce.

Bad boy Vann has been moving around with his parents and lived in big cities and now he's stuck in Spruce and in trouble on the first day because he stood up for someone.

When Vann and Toby becomes friends and discovers that there's a mutual attraction they just want to spend all their time together.  But parents, bullies and Vanns bad temper is throwing obstacles in their way.
I really loved Vann and Toby together and the tension before they become an item.
But I got really angry with the grown-ups!
Tobys mother who doesn't hear how her husband talks to Toby, Vanns mother who in the beginning just talks about connections and the teachers who should have seen what happened to Toby. With a personal experience of a relative being bullied it's really triggering.
And even if Hoyt and his buddies was the main reason of Tobys trouble and they never actually hurt him physically he really is dumb as a rock if he didn't see how he hurt Toby. I loved that he could redeem himself and I hope we get to see more of his journey when he finds his own key.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of the Spruce Texas Romance series from the very beginning, but this book is more YA than steamy adult, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to connect to this story. I'm happy to report that I had nothing to worry about. This book did not disappoint with it's deep and emotional journey that both Vann and Toby embark on when it comes to family, friends, school, and first love. Toby and Vann are characters that can be so vulnerable that sometimes it was hard to believe that they represent 18 year old men, but then again that is the magic of Spruce. Vann was more than just the "rebel", his thoughts, feelings, made him a breath of fresh air and Toby was more than just the quiet, shy, artistic, country boy. While most of the story takes place in the beginning of their senior year, you see the bond, the conflict, and the growth of the characters. I highlighted quiet a few lines in this story, that just really struck a cord with me.

For detail oriented readers like me that need everything tied up in a nice little bow (when it's a standalone), you'll come to a point where you're convinced that the author forgot to wrap up a sub-plot in relation to Vann's parents and the mayor, don't worry all is brought full circle in the end.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I will admit, I was drawn to this audiobook for Cooper North and Chris Chambers both (!!!) I absolutely adored this story.

Toby is a high school senior, living in a small Texas town, dealing with high school life, a rough family life, and navigating being the target of a group of angsty football players and their shenanigans.

In walks Van, the new guy in leathers, riding a motorcycle, having moved from New York. Everyone is impressed, scared, and intimidated by him. Everyone but Toby.

Without giving a way the entire story, Van and Toby both have amazing character arcs that are fully realized, which was really refreshing to read. In fact, most of the 'main characters' in the story had full, fleshed out arcs that brought them around from being completely awful people to sort of nice.

Full disclosure, I have not read any other books in this series, and there were a lot of other couples mentioned, but I didn't feel lost at all or like I was missing a piece of the story.

Overall, this had a ton of great relationships, a lot of realizations, and some great characters. I really loved it.

[Sue Ouellet-Cofsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Trust your own mind and heart. And when you make a friend, you stick with that friend until the end. Friends are your home away from home, no matter where you are.’

This is the main theme of our next Spruce Texas romance (I have to say this theme runs throughout the series). This story was a bit like coming home...a Daryl Banner homecoming. Some of our favorite characters throughout this series and a few from other Daryl Banner stories come together to help Toby and Vann realize what is really important in their lives. Toby seems to be cast as the outsider both in his family life and in school. He doesn't realize what others can really see in him because it has never been truly nurtured. Vann has a reputation, whether earned or unearned, we will soon learn. Things are never as they seem and sometimes it takes a special person to make it all clearer, both for these two, but also for everyone around them. Strong bully theme is prevalent but there is so much hidden in the background of their stories. Daryl brings us a truly well rounded, wonderful story that while mostly YA with a little spice, is amazingly told and could be a story for any young gay man in small town America.

[Robert Borsellino · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great surprise to see Toby-Tobes back in book number 5. I was dying for another Spruce Texas Romance, and this one for certain delivered it all, and then some. Daryl, as usual, brings our every emotion possible throughout this book, and I couldn't help but be transported back to my high school years. Vann, is a very wise new addition to Spruce, and brings out new feelings and discoveries in many of the Spruce characters, both in many high school students as well as the adults of Spruce. He helps Toby in so many different ways, and you can see them both grow and inspire each other. Is this new guy the real rebel at Spruce? Maybe...and maybe not.. find out for yourself. I definitely hope we see more of both Toby and Vann in Daryl's future works at Spruce... or maybe somewhere else ?

[Cindy Fong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to go back to Spruce for another M/M story from Daryl Banner. This story centers around Toby who we know from previous stories. All it took was for a new family and a resident "bad boy" to shake Spruce and Toby's life up. Rumors and bullying run rampant all across Spruce High. Toby is trying to blend in his last year but there is something about the new kid Vann that draws Toby in.

This is a story about discovery and setting the tone to be the "person you want to be". It is about looking at the world through another lens and finding out that things are not what you thought they were. At the end of the day, this really was a love story that needed to play out as it did. As much as Vann was a "bad boy" he was so sweet and romantic to Toby and I couldn't help but smile throughout their interactions.

[BookLady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toby and Vann. Meek hometown boy meets the worldly new guy with the bad boy appearance. Daryl Banner's YA story of 2 souls finding each other in the nosy town of Spruce. Toby has been the subject of bullying since middle school and Vann has attended multiple schools as his parents move around. Landing leads in the school play gives both actors a chance to adapt the story to better fit a same sex romance. Too many levels of Spruce's systems fail to protect or encourage Toby, and I especially find his mother lacking in finer parenting skills. It's been hard for Toby to work "towards something" and Vann seems to fill some of the voids. Most of the steamy scenes are "fade to black," a new experience for me with Daryl Banner's stories. Very enjoyable to read about new and old friends from Spruce.

[Kelly Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great YA novel with believable teenage angst and a much needed message about truth and honesty. But, as expected, with Daryl Banner’s writing you also get the humerus banter he’s known for which brings happiness and smiles. I was laughing in the prologue!

Toby and Vann are two artistic but completely different guys who become friends, lovers, confidants dealing with real world issues such as bullying. Rebel At Spruce High also gives us a chance to catch up with some of our favorite characters from Spruce Texas. Daryl even references his characters from Getting Lucky (which I had to reread after because it’s another favorite of mine).

Rebel At Spruce High is another 5 star read and I can’t wait for the next installment of this small town.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toby is living the frustration of still being in high school when his friends have all moved on. When the new “bad boy” Vann stands up for him the two become reluctant friends. Vann is on notice by his parents. His shenanigans have to stop. They encourage him to participate in school and find a friend.


A coming of age YA/NA. There are sexual situations but they are not graphically described. This book would be perfect for an older teen. Spruce is a great town. Town favorites pop up in this installment. The entire series is great. Plenty of humor and sass yet stories with heart.

Great writing and world building. Spruce is like an old friend and I always enjoy catching up with the gang!!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is so good and sweet and very emotional. It had my heart breaking at times for both Toby and Vann with everything they were each dealing with separately and also together. I really enjoyed the evolution of their friendship from the unknown to more. One of my favorite scenes is what I will refer to as the pool scene. It was just a beautifully written scene and it made me feel like I was experiencing it right along with them.
This book made me laugh, cry my eyes out and get angry. It was truly a wonderful book and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to read an early copy. Plus I LOVED revisiting Spruce Texas and hearing mention of beloved characters from other books. I highly recommend this mature YA MM story. I think you'll love it!