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Yeah the Boys
A bold, propulsive novel about male friendship and masculinity, set in the world of Holden Sheppard's bestselling debut
Invisible Boys.
Seven years after escaping their rural hometown, the boys – Charlie, Zeke and Hammer – are back, though not as we left them.
Charlie's fighting spirit has faded as he's struggled to make it as a punk musician in Perth. The opening of a new gay bar by Curtis and Ahmed, an older gay couple who have become Charlie's mentors, offers him a different way to make his mark – but the bar's opponents have other ideas.
Zeke is lost. He knows what he stands against – the closeted life and conventional success his strict Italian parents demanded of him – but doesn't know what he stands for. He surprises himself by joining a gay footy is it the mistake his friends think it is, or will playing footy finally give him what he's always wanted?
Hammer has it all – fame and fortune as a star football player – or so he thinks. He's still closeted, and can't stand the AFL stuffing diversity initiatives like Pride Round down everyone's throats, especially his. But when he opens his mouth, he ignites a furore that throws all the boys' lives into chaos.
Unapologetic and unforgettable, this is the story of three boys finding their way back to each other, and finding their own ways to become men.
Seven years after escaping their rural hometown, the boys – Charlie, Zeke and Hammer – are back, though not as we left them.
Charlie's fighting spirit has faded as he's struggled to make it as a punk musician in Perth. The opening of a new gay bar by Curtis and Ahmed, an older gay couple who have become Charlie's mentors, offers him a different way to make his mark – but the bar's opponents have other ideas.
Zeke is lost. He knows what he stands against – the closeted life and conventional success his strict Italian parents demanded of him – but doesn't know what he stands for. He surprises himself by joining a gay footy is it the mistake his friends think it is, or will playing footy finally give him what he's always wanted?
Hammer has it all – fame and fortune as a star football player – or so he thinks. He's still closeted, and can't stand the AFL stuffing diversity initiatives like Pride Round down everyone's throats, especially his. But when he opens his mouth, he ignites a furore that throws all the boys' lives into chaos.
Unapologetic and unforgettable, this is the story of three boys finding their way back to each other, and finding their own ways to become men.
- GenresLGBTContemporaryQueer
448 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2026
About the author
Holden Sheppard
10 books453 followersHolden Sheppard is an award-winning Australian novelist once described as "the lovechild of Rambo and Rimbaud".
A country boy, a weightlifter and a self-proclaimed “bromosexual”, Holden has won acclaim for the raw, blokey honesty of his emotional novels about the modern experiences of Aussie men.
Holden's bestselling debut Invisible Boys - a confessional novel about young gay men growing up in rural Australia - picked up major accolades including the WA Premier's Prize and the Hungerford Award. In 2025, Invisible Boys was adapted as a ten-episode television series for Stan Australia, which was nominated for the prestigious Peabody Awards in the USA and was also nominated for two AACTA Awards in Australia.
Holden's subsequent novels include The Brink – a thriller about young adults grappling with a murder during their schoolies trip – and King of Dirt, a gay bogan love story set in the world of construction workers. Holden's books have won widespread award recognition nationally, including winning the Indie Book Award and Ena Noel Award, and shortlistings in the VIC, NSW and SA Premier's Literary Awards, the Queensland Writers Centre's Adaptable Program and the Australian Book Industry Awards.
Holden's latest release Yeah the Boys is the long-awaited sequel to Invisible Boys. It won the 2025 Minderoo Artist Fund Award and is in stores from 28 April 2026.
Holden has worked as a screenwriter, writing two episodes of the Invisible Boys series. His writing has been widely published in books, journals and the media. He served as Deputy Chair of Writing WA from 2019-2023. Holden is an outspoken advocate for artists' rights, gay rights and men's mental health, for which he was recognised in the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards as a WA finalist in the Australia's Local Hero Award.
Known for a trademark larrikin humour that balances the heavier content of his books, Holden appeared in the 2022 "Bogans" episode of hit ABC TV series You Can't Ask That, was once featured in a bourbon advertisement, and barracks for the Collingwood Football Club.
Born and bred in Geraldton, Western Australia, Holden now lives in Perth's north with his husband and his V8 ute.
A country boy, a weightlifter and a self-proclaimed “bromosexual”, Holden has won acclaim for the raw, blokey honesty of his emotional novels about the modern experiences of Aussie men.
Holden's bestselling debut Invisible Boys - a confessional novel about young gay men growing up in rural Australia - picked up major accolades including the WA Premier's Prize and the Hungerford Award. In 2025, Invisible Boys was adapted as a ten-episode television series for Stan Australia, which was nominated for the prestigious Peabody Awards in the USA and was also nominated for two AACTA Awards in Australia.
Holden's subsequent novels include The Brink – a thriller about young adults grappling with a murder during their schoolies trip – and King of Dirt, a gay bogan love story set in the world of construction workers. Holden's books have won widespread award recognition nationally, including winning the Indie Book Award and Ena Noel Award, and shortlistings in the VIC, NSW and SA Premier's Literary Awards, the Queensland Writers Centre's Adaptable Program and the Australian Book Industry Awards.
Holden's latest release Yeah the Boys is the long-awaited sequel to Invisible Boys. It won the 2025 Minderoo Artist Fund Award and is in stores from 28 April 2026.
Holden has worked as a screenwriter, writing two episodes of the Invisible Boys series. His writing has been widely published in books, journals and the media. He served as Deputy Chair of Writing WA from 2019-2023. Holden is an outspoken advocate for artists' rights, gay rights and men's mental health, for which he was recognised in the 2026 Australian of the Year Awards as a WA finalist in the Australia's Local Hero Award.
Known for a trademark larrikin humour that balances the heavier content of his books, Holden appeared in the 2022 "Bogans" episode of hit ABC TV series You Can't Ask That, was once featured in a bourbon advertisement, and barracks for the Collingwood Football Club.
Born and bred in Geraldton, Western Australia, Holden now lives in Perth's north with his husband and his V8 ute.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
As the author, I want the world to know that a tiny, jocular part of me wanted to title this book either INVISIBLE BOYS 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO or 2 INVISIBLE 2 BOYS. However, various alarmed publishing professionals advised me these titles would be deemed crimes against literature and would "hurt book sales" or whatever, and I was implored to reconsider.
So here we are with YEAH THE BOYS - the story of gay men finding their own ways to be men, and a celebration of male friendship, camaraderie, and footy. I humbly and without any trace of authorial bias give it 5/5 stars for being A FKN AWESUM READ. YEAH DA BOIZ!!
And to paraphrase Yogurt (Mel Brooks) from SPACEBALLS (1986): God willing, we'll all meet again in INVISIBLE BOYS 3: THE SEARCH FOR MORE MONEY. ;)
April 30, 2026
"Coming out is not the end of a story, or a universal balm. Life goes on after we're out, and life can be hard. If you ever feel like a munted pancake, before or after coming out, just know you still matter."
-Holden Sheppard (in the acknowledgements at the end of the novel).
This novel was propulsive and enthralling, and I tore through it at a rate of knots. Alongside the unashamed sexuality and celebration within this novel, Sheppard writes a love letter to queerness and masculinity, and how these facets of identity intersect. 'Yeah the Boys', a sequel to Sheppard's first novel 'Invisible Boys' was a wonderful and triumphant reintroduction to the characters of Zeke, Hammer, and Charlie. Where Invisible Boys was targeted at a young-adult demographic, Yeah the Boys ages with its audience, exploring the characters' struggle to fit in with conventional masculinity framed through adult fiction.
This book is unabashedly raunchy, tender, and emotional, and is a far cry from the sanitised representations of gay men presented in media targeted at a heterosexual audience. Most crucially, this book celebrates masculinity as something more broad than heterosexuality and that stereotypical 'machismo' figure. Sheppard champions an egalitarian view of male camaradierie, in which men can be strong, gay, emotional, and macho all at once- no shame required. He explores the complexities of trauma and repression experienced when one limited idea of masculinity is imparted onto men. and represents characters that survive and thrive despite this.
This book is a brilliant instalment in the 'Sheppardverse', and is definitely one of his best books yet!!
-Holden Sheppard (in the acknowledgements at the end of the novel).
This novel was propulsive and enthralling, and I tore through it at a rate of knots. Alongside the unashamed sexuality and celebration within this novel, Sheppard writes a love letter to queerness and masculinity, and how these facets of identity intersect. 'Yeah the Boys', a sequel to Sheppard's first novel 'Invisible Boys' was a wonderful and triumphant reintroduction to the characters of Zeke, Hammer, and Charlie. Where Invisible Boys was targeted at a young-adult demographic, Yeah the Boys ages with its audience, exploring the characters' struggle to fit in with conventional masculinity framed through adult fiction.
This book is unabashedly raunchy, tender, and emotional, and is a far cry from the sanitised representations of gay men presented in media targeted at a heterosexual audience. Most crucially, this book celebrates masculinity as something more broad than heterosexuality and that stereotypical 'machismo' figure. Sheppard champions an egalitarian view of male camaradierie, in which men can be strong, gay, emotional, and macho all at once- no shame required. He explores the complexities of trauma and repression experienced when one limited idea of masculinity is imparted onto men. and represents characters that survive and thrive despite this.
This book is a brilliant instalment in the 'Sheppardverse', and is definitely one of his best books yet!!
May 13, 2026
A great and VERY timely (AFL I’m looking at you) sequel. I love these characters so much.
May 9, 2026
“If I could’ve been I would’ve been your roof forever”
Off the bat Yeah the Boys was not what I was expecting. In the best way possible. But to be honest I also didn’t know what to expect from the boys after all these years.
Of all the boys, the biggest surprise to me was Zeke. But then again as they say it is the quiet ones you need to watch out for 😉
His path is the wildest of the lot, and at times painful to read because you just feel everything he is trying to hide and manage.
Hammer was less of a surprise, his story plays out exactly how you would think. Mostly.
And as for Charlie, man, poor Charlie. He tries, and you want him to get that happily ever after he desperately seeks, but that baggage is holding him down 💔
I throughly enjoyed the other characters from the Sheppardverse (is he? 😂🥁) making their appearances, having their own parts of this story. Seeing the life Jack and Brick made for themselves, how Bray and Mason carry the events of The Brink with them still. But man Xander is the worst 😂 and we all know someone like Xander!
What I love about Holdens books is that they are unashamedly gay. But they stand out from the crowds because they have this grit to them, this roughness that is missing from so many stories about gay men. They tackle tough subjects, they bring in the emotions of loneliness, the tough journey that gay men go through to find acceptance in themselves, to meet that struggle of being a gay man while also fighting against the stereotypes that society wants to pin you to.
This book, for me, is angry, it’s punk, it’s definitely the adult version of Invisible Boys. And I loved it.
Off the bat Yeah the Boys was not what I was expecting. In the best way possible. But to be honest I also didn’t know what to expect from the boys after all these years.
Of all the boys, the biggest surprise to me was Zeke. But then again as they say it is the quiet ones you need to watch out for 😉
His path is the wildest of the lot, and at times painful to read because you just feel everything he is trying to hide and manage.
Hammer was less of a surprise, his story plays out exactly how you would think. Mostly.
And as for Charlie, man, poor Charlie. He tries, and you want him to get that happily ever after he desperately seeks, but that baggage is holding him down 💔
I throughly enjoyed the other characters from the Sheppardverse (is he? 😂🥁) making their appearances, having their own parts of this story. Seeing the life Jack and Brick made for themselves, how Bray and Mason carry the events of The Brink with them still. But man Xander is the worst 😂 and we all know someone like Xander!
What I love about Holdens books is that they are unashamedly gay. But they stand out from the crowds because they have this grit to them, this roughness that is missing from so many stories about gay men. They tackle tough subjects, they bring in the emotions of loneliness, the tough journey that gay men go through to find acceptance in themselves, to meet that struggle of being a gay man while also fighting against the stereotypes that society wants to pin you to.
This book, for me, is angry, it’s punk, it’s definitely the adult version of Invisible Boys. And I loved it.
May 7, 2026
Big thanks to Pantera Press for sending us a copy to read and review.
Sometimes a book will resonate and perforate into a more personal sphere, whether it be a theme, a historical time or event or an experience that triggers this.
In this instance the journey of coming out and accepting sexuality and ultimately embracing natural urges and lifestyles is on point and very relatable. A gritty and emotional update on the lives of Zeke and Charlie ensues.
The guys have been living separately in Perth after leaving their hometown of Geraldton.
A chance encounter at a sauna sparks a reunion that cements the next phase of their journey.
Hammer is now an AFL star and repels any notion of his own truth.
Like many in denial he sparks outrage by making public homophobic remarks. Threatening private messages to out him play havoc as well.
The Gero trio indulge in debauchery, conflict, acceptance and are all haunted by a past that they don’t want repeated.
Finding their own safe spaces, their people and owning who they are play out dramatically and emotionally in a world where bigotry is still rife.
Absolutely loved catching up with the lads as they age and experience new stages of their lives as gay men.
A cross reference to Jack from King of Dirt was also a pleasant surprise.
A nostalgic story for me both in experience and place.
Sometimes a book will resonate and perforate into a more personal sphere, whether it be a theme, a historical time or event or an experience that triggers this.
In this instance the journey of coming out and accepting sexuality and ultimately embracing natural urges and lifestyles is on point and very relatable. A gritty and emotional update on the lives of Zeke and Charlie ensues.
The guys have been living separately in Perth after leaving their hometown of Geraldton.
A chance encounter at a sauna sparks a reunion that cements the next phase of their journey.
Hammer is now an AFL star and repels any notion of his own truth.
Like many in denial he sparks outrage by making public homophobic remarks. Threatening private messages to out him play havoc as well.
The Gero trio indulge in debauchery, conflict, acceptance and are all haunted by a past that they don’t want repeated.
Finding their own safe spaces, their people and owning who they are play out dramatically and emotionally in a world where bigotry is still rife.
Absolutely loved catching up with the lads as they age and experience new stages of their lives as gay men.
A cross reference to Jack from King of Dirt was also a pleasant surprise.
A nostalgic story for me both in experience and place.
May 4, 2026
I had hoped this would be as good as Invisible Boys, but my first thought after putting it down is that it surpassed it and made me love the characters more. I cannot articulate properly how much I love Holden’s writing, and how much I appreciate the effort that goes in to ensuring the story never becomes predictable and that the characters are given space to screw up and make mistakes.
May 6, 2026
YTB is raw, confronting, funny, heartbreaking, and deeply Australian. It captures a version of queer identity that is so often ignored in literature: the queer bloke trying to survive masculinity, mateship, loneliness, desire, shame, and self-worth in a culture that still polices what men are allowed to be.
What makes this novel powerful is that each character represents a different facet of queer identity. Through them, Sheppard explores our insecurities, our pride, our fears, and our hopes. Some characters are loud and unapologetic, others are closeted, confused, self-destructive, or searching for connection. Together, they create a portrait of queer life that feels honest rather than sanitised. These are not polished, idealised representations built to make straight audiences comfortable. They are messy, vulnerable, sexual, lonely, affectionate, defensive, and real.
Sheppard is unapologetic in the way he writes about what it means to be a queer man in modern Australia. There are no bells and whistles here, no carefully curated version of queerness designed around corporate Pride campaigns or respectability politics. Instead, he writes about queer men as they actually exist — flawed, horny, scared, loving, confused, tender, and resilient. The novel is sex positive in a way that feels liberating rather than performative. It challenges the narrow roles queer men are often forced into, both by mainstream society and sometimes within queer spaces themselves.
There is also something uniquely Australian about Yeah the Boys. The language, humour, emotional repression, blokey culture, and landscape all feel authentic. Sheppard understands the tension many queer Australian men grow up with: wanting connection while also trying to survive environments that teach vulnerability is weakness. That emotional contradiction runs through the entire novel.
Most importantly, Yeah the Boys creates space. Space for queer men who grew up in small towns. Space for queer men who do not fit neat stereotypes. Space for desire, confusion, shame, pride, and growth. Holden Sheppard has contributed something important to modern Australian literature by refusing to dilute these experiences. His writing says clearly: queer blokes exist here too, and our stories deserve to be told in all their complexity.
Thank you, Holden Sheppard, for creating that space.
What makes this novel powerful is that each character represents a different facet of queer identity. Through them, Sheppard explores our insecurities, our pride, our fears, and our hopes. Some characters are loud and unapologetic, others are closeted, confused, self-destructive, or searching for connection. Together, they create a portrait of queer life that feels honest rather than sanitised. These are not polished, idealised representations built to make straight audiences comfortable. They are messy, vulnerable, sexual, lonely, affectionate, defensive, and real.
Sheppard is unapologetic in the way he writes about what it means to be a queer man in modern Australia. There are no bells and whistles here, no carefully curated version of queerness designed around corporate Pride campaigns or respectability politics. Instead, he writes about queer men as they actually exist — flawed, horny, scared, loving, confused, tender, and resilient. The novel is sex positive in a way that feels liberating rather than performative. It challenges the narrow roles queer men are often forced into, both by mainstream society and sometimes within queer spaces themselves.
There is also something uniquely Australian about Yeah the Boys. The language, humour, emotional repression, blokey culture, and landscape all feel authentic. Sheppard understands the tension many queer Australian men grow up with: wanting connection while also trying to survive environments that teach vulnerability is weakness. That emotional contradiction runs through the entire novel.
Most importantly, Yeah the Boys creates space. Space for queer men who grew up in small towns. Space for queer men who do not fit neat stereotypes. Space for desire, confusion, shame, pride, and growth. Holden Sheppard has contributed something important to modern Australian literature by refusing to dilute these experiences. His writing says clearly: queer blokes exist here too, and our stories deserve to be told in all their complexity.
Thank you, Holden Sheppard, for creating that space.
May 1, 2026
Holden Sheppard continues to treat us to his amazing work as an author and this could well be his finest work so far!
While it’s easy to say that Yeah The Boys is a follow up to Invisible Boys- which duh it is- YTB is so much more then this; it’s a treatise on what it means to be gay and masculinity amongst many other things.
Sheppard presents us via Zeke, Hammer and Charlie all sorts of identities and what it means to be gay- after all if gay is about hot man on man sex, then why does society expect gay males to be a a watered down, socially acceptable version that is not sexual?
Being gay means being attracted to being the same sex- in this case male- and Shepard poses to us the age old question of not only what does it mean to be a man, but what does it mean to be a gay man where society expects it to be a palatable PG version of what THEY (society) expect them to be.
Sheppard also ponders about self identity; with Zeke we see his struggles to accept himself when he thinks he already has, despite his somewhat muted (and short lived) escape and return to Gero.
On a somewhat less deeper but still relevant, we see how Zeke, Charlie and Hammer have drifted apart from each other but slowly return to each other’s orbits in somewhat different ways.
Holden Sheppard is an amazing author; this book has made me cry, laugh and more importantly self reflect on being gay and my own interpretation of being a man and my relationship with the definition of being a man and masculinity.
More importantly, this is one book that I think will sit with me for a a long time- it’s a life changing work.
While it’s easy to say that Yeah The Boys is a follow up to Invisible Boys- which duh it is- YTB is so much more then this; it’s a treatise on what it means to be gay and masculinity amongst many other things.
Sheppard presents us via Zeke, Hammer and Charlie all sorts of identities and what it means to be gay- after all if gay is about hot man on man sex, then why does society expect gay males to be a a watered down, socially acceptable version that is not sexual?
Being gay means being attracted to being the same sex- in this case male- and Shepard poses to us the age old question of not only what does it mean to be a man, but what does it mean to be a gay man where society expects it to be a palatable PG version of what THEY (society) expect them to be.
Sheppard also ponders about self identity; with Zeke we see his struggles to accept himself when he thinks he already has, despite his somewhat muted (and short lived) escape and return to Gero.
On a somewhat less deeper but still relevant, we see how Zeke, Charlie and Hammer have drifted apart from each other but slowly return to each other’s orbits in somewhat different ways.
Holden Sheppard is an amazing author; this book has made me cry, laugh and more importantly self reflect on being gay and my own interpretation of being a man and my relationship with the definition of being a man and masculinity.
More importantly, this is one book that I think will sit with me for a a long time- it’s a life changing work.
May 5, 2026
Ok I think I ticked the spoiler on
The first book had me like 'damn' but left me rooting for Zeke and Charlie and had me excited to see what was next for them.
This book Im glad it's over
It was worth the wait, but still parts of it ticked me off and not in a good way.
Zeke turned out to be my lest favourite character, maybe because we a similar. I had high hopes for his independence which he got but it felt frustrating. His parents comeuppance was strong and faltered midway to a 'well you can't stay made at family cause it's family'. I get it but doesn't mean I like it.
Then to kill off the one least problematic character who is a POC at that, one of three in the book who where pivitol, Zeke could've went to be honest. I understand Holden's choices, and you write the stuff you want to read.
I just couldn't tell what was self inserted preaching and what was character perspective maybe a bit of both. Referring to acceptance as woke even by queer people came off as white privilege gay man, because everyone in this world of the book seemed to just be heavy with the slurs, and making a point of gay is strictly masculine. And it came off like the inclusion of people of colour was added because it was either pointed out to Holden that his firstbook lacked diversity or the show did a better job of having a more diverse world that's how it hit me; maybe I'm just a lite version of Xander. His character I wanted to see crash out because he was terrible, yet he was flamboyant, another coding thing happening there.
Those gripes that I could go into greater detail is why a star is gone.
The book is well written and engaging and flows smoothly and deserves a read.
The first book had me like 'damn' but left me rooting for Zeke and Charlie and had me excited to see what was next for them.
This book Im glad it's over
It was worth the wait, but still parts of it ticked me off and not in a good way.
Zeke turned out to be my lest favourite character, maybe because we a similar. I had high hopes for his independence which he got but it felt frustrating. His parents comeuppance was strong and faltered midway to a 'well you can't stay made at family cause it's family'. I get it but doesn't mean I like it.
Then to kill off the one least problematic character who is a POC at that, one of three in the book who where pivitol, Zeke could've went to be honest. I understand Holden's choices, and you write the stuff you want to read.
I just couldn't tell what was self inserted preaching and what was character perspective maybe a bit of both. Referring to acceptance as woke even by queer people came off as white privilege gay man, because everyone in this world of the book seemed to just be heavy with the slurs, and making a point of gay is strictly masculine. And it came off like the inclusion of people of colour was added because it was either pointed out to Holden that his firstbook lacked diversity or the show did a better job of having a more diverse world that's how it hit me; maybe I'm just a lite version of Xander. His character I wanted to see crash out because he was terrible, yet he was flamboyant, another coding thing happening there.
Those gripes that I could go into greater detail is why a star is gone.
The book is well written and engaging and flows smoothly and deserves a read.
May 2, 2026
This book did everything it set out to do, and more. Holden Sheppard has never shied away from complex or difficult themes, and he juggles them again here beautifully. This is a book written by a gay man, FOR gay men- I've never felt so represented in a work of fiction before.
One of the truly impressive feats is, he takes characters that we met in Invisible Boys and shows us where they are almost a decade later, and in that decade, you can feel that they've grown and evolved and become men. We're not just getting the same teenagers ported into a more adult setting, we are seeing the culmination of several rough years, and the toll that can take.
I loved this book, and was even impressed with the cameos and surprises - at no point did it become self indulgent or overly referential - all of the characters were balanced brilliantly, and I can't wait to reread this book and pick up on the things I missed the first time round!
One of the truly impressive feats is, he takes characters that we met in Invisible Boys and shows us where they are almost a decade later, and in that decade, you can feel that they've grown and evolved and become men. We're not just getting the same teenagers ported into a more adult setting, we are seeing the culmination of several rough years, and the toll that can take.
I loved this book, and was even impressed with the cameos and surprises - at no point did it become self indulgent or overly referential - all of the characters were balanced brilliantly, and I can't wait to reread this book and pick up on the things I missed the first time round!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Actual rating 4.5 stars
Yeah the Boys starts off without any lube and keeps pounding your heart into oblivion in the best possible way, right up until you close the book. I absolutely devoured this book and had to physically pull myself away multiple times so that I could do the life things.
I loved seeing Charlie, Zeke and Hammer come into their own and finally feel comfortable in their skin plus having all the characters from Holden's previous books be included made me so incredibly happy (Jack remains my favourite across all the books and I will die on this hill).
I constantly had tears in my eyes for the last 1/3 of the book, swinging wildly from sky high joy to absolute devastation and back again. Totally worth it and I will recommend anything written by Holden.
P.S. fuck Xander
Yeah the Boys starts off without any lube and keeps pounding your heart into oblivion in the best possible way, right up until you close the book. I absolutely devoured this book and had to physically pull myself away multiple times so that I could do the life things.
I loved seeing Charlie, Zeke and Hammer come into their own and finally feel comfortable in their skin plus having all the characters from Holden's previous books be included made me so incredibly happy (Jack remains my favourite across all the books and I will die on this hill).
I constantly had tears in my eyes for the last 1/3 of the book, swinging wildly from sky high joy to absolute devastation and back again. Totally worth it and I will recommend anything written by Holden.
P.S. fuck Xander
May 2, 2026
Long awaited read and I was not disappointed, thank you Holden for bringing the gang back together so we can see what happened to the invisible boys.
So many highlights but my top 5 were:
1 Zeke finding his voice and for pushing boundaries he didn’t think possible or even knew he had.
2 Hammer coming out in his own way and I was thrilled that he still held feelings for Zeke ❤️
3 Charlie stumbled himself into a loving mismatch family that he never really got to have in Gero.
4. How the characters of the Brink made their way into the story.
5. The power of inclusion, acceptance and pride for the LGBT community with pushing boundaries, especially with the Tool Shed and the vision Curtis had for his bar.
Thank you Holden, worth the wait and I already want more please.
Thanks, Matt
So many highlights but my top 5 were:
1 Zeke finding his voice and for pushing boundaries he didn’t think possible or even knew he had.
2 Hammer coming out in his own way and I was thrilled that he still held feelings for Zeke ❤️
3 Charlie stumbled himself into a loving mismatch family that he never really got to have in Gero.
4. How the characters of the Brink made their way into the story.
5. The power of inclusion, acceptance and pride for the LGBT community with pushing boundaries, especially with the Tool Shed and the vision Curtis had for his bar.
Thank you Holden, worth the wait and I already want more please.
Thanks, Matt
May 12, 2026
This book is so important. It represents a very invisible percentage of the gay men community; those of us who don't fit into the neat little stereotypes. It feels real, and deep, and incredibly hot and horny. The Perth mentions are amazing; from Scarborough Beach to Kings Park to ECU to Charlies. This book is really something special, and I implore every gay man I know to read this; I'm sure you'll walk away hugging it tightly to your chest like I did. There's nothing better than gay camaraderie, and I am so grateful to my fellow gay men who have become like a family to me. Yeah the fucking boys!
May 6, 2026
I needed that zeke and hammer closure
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2026
Holden revisits Zeke, Hammer and Charlie as they navigate their early twenties, an age at which the clay is still wet and life’s highs and lows reverberate intensely.
This is a visceral, no holds barred treatise on masculinity, queerness and the innate desire for community.
Check out my chat with Holden here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWxIy...
This is a visceral, no holds barred treatise on masculinity, queerness and the innate desire for community.
Check out my chat with Holden here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWxIy...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews