5 stars
I went into this expecting a simple, easy-going romance read, but was pleasantly surprised. It tackled a lot of issues with insight and humor. The fabulous femme teen, Riley Weaver knows joining the Gaybutante Society will help him on his journey to podcast stardom. But when he makes a bet with Skylar, who thinks no gay guys could ever like femme guys, his dreams of life among the Gaybutantes is on the chopping block. With single-minded focus, Riley works to prove Skylar wrong by finding a cis, masculine date for the ball, not foreseeing the consequences of his new priorities and who might get caught up in the crossfire.
This is an upbeat story that shows all its character’s flaws, even as Riley fights against limiting viewpoints. Also deals with self-centeredness, fights with friends, and pressure from parents.
I’m personally not a fan of a lot of romance tropes and I loved that this one spun so many on their heads. It takes a bet trope and does so much with it, using it as a conversation point about gender expectations, personal preferences, and how humans try to pigeonhole each other. It also plays around with enemies-to-lovers and friends-to-lovers tropes in an interesting way.
I also loved the LGBTQ-utopia June created and his demonstration that even those in the queer community can have harmful biases. Consists of a wonderful cast of characters with varying gender expressions, sexualities, and interests. I wish I could be half as cool as any of the members of the Gaybutantes.
Listening to the audiobook narrated by the author was a special treat. He brought all the characters to life and really showcased Riley’s personality.
Such a sweet story with fantastic messages about inclusion, acceptance, and letting people be themselves without trying to force them into narrow definitions. Loved the emphasis on questioning preconceived notions and the ways we unintentionally limit ourselves from finding exactly what we need.