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I didn't read Here’s to You, Zeb Pike the first story chronicling Dusty and Emmitt relationship. Thanks A Lot, John LeClair can be read as a standalone. It's told from Emmitt POV and does a good job explaining the characters situation so it's not confusing. I do think it will be a better if you read Here's to You, Zab Pike since it a companion read to this book. I think you can get away with giving first and than going back to read the first since readers are given the gist of what happened to Dusty. Just be aware that spoilers are given since this is book 2 but blurb for book 1 should suffice for this book. So it actually works out.

Thanks A Lot, John LeClair is told by Emmitt perspective. We get to know him and his passion for hockey, his relationship with Dusty and his family situation. Readers really follow along on the ups and downs of his teenage life and his plight of staying closeted. When his boyfriend, Dusty starts acting weird, Emmitt doesn't know what to make of it. He decides to wait him out but when his boyfriend breaks up with him, Emmitt kind of loses a bit of his discipline during an important hockey game and no one knows why except close friends and family. He thinks he's ruined his chances but he isn't going to go down without a fight. With the encouragement of his brother, he set out to win Dusty back and finds out why Dusty hasn't been himself. What he uncovers forces him into making some difficult choices.

I really enjoyed reading this. Emmitt was a likable character and had a strong moral standing. He was considerate of others and it really made him stand out. I liked getting to know him and how he handled himself. Emmitt family dynamic was interesting and it great that his mom was so supportive of him and his brother and urged her kids to reconcile with their father. I liked seeing how he handled the trial and tribulations that came his way.

A free copy was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.