Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for gifting me a digital ARC of the debut novel by Elvin James Mensah - 4 stars!
Harley is a young Black gay man who just dropped out of university because of his anxiety issues. His religious father never accepted Harley because of his sexual orientation and they are estranged. The book opens with Harley in the woods contemplating suicide when a housemate, Muddy, finds him. Muddy is straight, in a relationship with another housemate, and is now on a mission to help Harley. He introduces him to the things he loves - birding, rugby, the band Oasis. Along with their other core friends, Finlay, Chelsea, Noria, they form their own found family.
This is a quiet book with strong characters. It's filled with difficult subjects such as mental health, suicide ideation, abuse, but also filled with hope, friendship, acceptance, and love. Great debut!
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