By R. F. Gonzalez

Liam experiences the conditions of true love when he meets a cheerleader in high school. Later, at university, he meets a fluttery girl who loves him unconditionally, but their breakup is messy. Then, while traveling, Liam meets Briana, the girl with the tidal design, the girl full of conditions. After being deceived, he becomes an exploiter of lust and love.

What They Are Saying About Love Is a Cheerleader Running

Liam, R.F. Gonzalez’s character, takes his readers on a journey that essentially belongs to one’s soul. Gonzalez’s debut novel, Cheerleader, abounds with moments filled with throbbing adrenaline rushes that showcase moments of dark abysmal despair, to heart-tearing pulsating love, to what we hope is his final salvation. Liam is doomed to fall in love and suffer as much as he’s prone to making those he doesn’t love suffer. It’s a very slice-of-life novel with myriad shades of gray. This is no Greek hero who shall conquer and win. This is a truly Shakespearean protagonist who has flaws caused by his own hamartia. An enriching reading experience created through dexterity of language and mindfulness, Cheerleader will not disappoint its readers. It’s an awesome start to an adventurous journey!

—Parul Bhatia

Author of My Gypsy Dreams, writer

and director of the film  My Father’s Daughter

To paraphrase many, the course of true love does not run smoothly. And it doesn’t run smoothly for Liam, our hero and narrator. Cheerleader is a tale filled with sex, attempts to love, pain, and ultimately resolution, told with wit, depth, and sparkling dialogue. Liam tries to find his way, thinks he has, loses it, and ultimately, drawing from a depth of experience he shares with the reader, catches up with that elusive cheerleader he’s been chasing for years.

—John Paulits

Author of The Sad Case of Brownie Terwilliger

In Liam, R.F. Gonzalez creates a narrator that’s reminiscent of every boy’s quest for love…a quest filled with pain, joy, and everything in between. Cheerleader takes its readers on a witty journey through the roller coaster that is life. Filled with detailed dialogue and skillful writing, Gonzalez’s debut novel, Cheerleader, will leave you anxiously waiting for his next release.

—Leigh Macneil

Author of SPAZ: The True Story of My Life with ADHD