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Boys Come First
Suddenly jobless and single after a devastating layoff and a breakup with his cheating ex, advertising copywriter Dominick Gibson flees his life in Hell's Kitchen to try and get back on track in his hometown of Detroit. He’s got one objective — exit the shallow dating pool ASAP and get married by thirty-five — and the deadline’s approaching fast.
Meanwhile, Dom's best friend, Troy Clements, an idealistic teacher who never left Michigan, finds himself at odds with all the men in his life: a troubled boyfriend he's desperate to hold onto, a perpetually dissatisfied father, and his other friend, Remy Patton. Remy, a rags-to-riches real estate agent known as “Mr. Detroit,” has his own problems — namely choosing between making it work with a long-distance lover or settling for a local Mr. Right Now who’s not quite Mr. Right. And when a high-stakes real estate deal threatens to blow up his friendship with Troy, the three men have to figure out how to navigate the pitfalls of friendship and a city that seems to be changing overnight.
Meanwhile, Dom's best friend, Troy Clements, an idealistic teacher who never left Michigan, finds himself at odds with all the men in his life: a troubled boyfriend he's desperate to hold onto, a perpetually dissatisfied father, and his other friend, Remy Patton. Remy, a rags-to-riches real estate agent known as “Mr. Detroit,” has his own problems — namely choosing between making it work with a long-distance lover or settling for a local Mr. Right Now who’s not quite Mr. Right. And when a high-stakes real estate deal threatens to blow up his friendship with Troy, the three men have to figure out how to navigate the pitfalls of friendship and a city that seems to be changing overnight.
386 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2022
153 people are currently reading
5749 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
April 22, 2023
Oh wow I loved this story about three gay Black men living in Detroit! It reminded me of one of my absolute favorite television shows Insecure. Even though I miss that show a lot, reading Boys Come First brought so many of the positive Insecure-inspired feelings back. In Boys Come First, we follow three gay friends: Dominick, an advertising copywriter who’s returning to Detroit after his long-term romantic relationship in New York City collapses, Troy, an idealistic high school teacher who comes from a financially privileged background, and Remy, a successful real estate agent who’s struggling to find similar success in his romantic life. When Dominick returns to Detroit, he reignites his long-term friendship with Troy who’s also best friends with Remy, and the three hit it off. However, when one of Remy’s real estate projects morphs into a ploy to enable gentrification in this trio’s hometown, the three men will have to figure out a way to navigate conflict in their friendship or face a more permanent separation.
I enjoyed reading about these three characters so much. It can be hard to pull off with multiple points of view, but Aaron Foley excels at making each of their perspectives unique while still blending together well. One of my best friends and I have talked about how oftentimes it can feel like fiction centering Black characters has to revolve around police brutality or slavery to make it into the mainstream; I loved how Boys Come First instead focuses on how these men navigate their careers, romantic lives, families, friendships, and the changing tides of Detroit. This novel reminded me of Insecure in the best way possible, such that the characters felt so dynamic and three-dimensional and worth paying attention to. Horribly traumatic things did not need to happen for me to feel invested in Dominick, Troy, and Remy, rather, Foley’s quality of prose kept me engaged in their stories and immersed in their day-to-day lives.
At the same time, this novel does address real and important themes, such as the impact of gentrification, coping with emotionally unavailable and/or abusive men, and dealing with aging. Yet, all these themes fold into the characters’ narratives seamlessly. The novel puts its characters and their development at the forefront, not shying away from topics like gentrification though also not putting the social justice issues above and beyond our connection with the characters. As an Asian American person I recognize I’m not the best person to judge this, though Boys Come First felt unapologetically Black to me, like I sensed and appreciated that Foley wrote this with love for the gay Black Detroit community and not to appease white or non-Black people of color.
Overall, I loved this novel. I felt sad for the characters when they faced challenges, happiness for when they found success in various domains of life (), and laughed at the many humorous moments too. The theme of friendship made me smile and Foley executed the three characters’ friendship dynamics so well. This is the first time I’ve given two books in a row five stars since June 2021, so big thank you to Aaron Foley and Gina Chung for writing two bomb books and bringing me much comfort, solace, and entertainment even when I’m dealing with grief and other life issues. I would highly recommend Boys Come First to anyone who enjoys engaging realistic fiction about people’s day-to-day lives, fans of Insecure, and people who have taste generally!
I enjoyed reading about these three characters so much. It can be hard to pull off with multiple points of view, but Aaron Foley excels at making each of their perspectives unique while still blending together well. One of my best friends and I have talked about how oftentimes it can feel like fiction centering Black characters has to revolve around police brutality or slavery to make it into the mainstream; I loved how Boys Come First instead focuses on how these men navigate their careers, romantic lives, families, friendships, and the changing tides of Detroit. This novel reminded me of Insecure in the best way possible, such that the characters felt so dynamic and three-dimensional and worth paying attention to. Horribly traumatic things did not need to happen for me to feel invested in Dominick, Troy, and Remy, rather, Foley’s quality of prose kept me engaged in their stories and immersed in their day-to-day lives.
At the same time, this novel does address real and important themes, such as the impact of gentrification, coping with emotionally unavailable and/or abusive men, and dealing with aging. Yet, all these themes fold into the characters’ narratives seamlessly. The novel puts its characters and their development at the forefront, not shying away from topics like gentrification though also not putting the social justice issues above and beyond our connection with the characters. As an Asian American person I recognize I’m not the best person to judge this, though Boys Come First felt unapologetically Black to me, like I sensed and appreciated that Foley wrote this with love for the gay Black Detroit community and not to appease white or non-Black people of color.
Overall, I loved this novel. I felt sad for the characters when they faced challenges, happiness for when they found success in various domains of life (), and laughed at the many humorous moments too. The theme of friendship made me smile and Foley executed the three characters’ friendship dynamics so well. This is the first time I’ve given two books in a row five stars since June 2021, so big thank you to Aaron Foley and Gina Chung for writing two bomb books and bringing me much comfort, solace, and entertainment even when I’m dealing with grief and other life issues. I would highly recommend Boys Come First to anyone who enjoys engaging realistic fiction about people’s day-to-day lives, fans of Insecure, and people who have taste generally!
May 30, 2022
Real Rating: 4.5* of five, rounded down for racism
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: There's no such thing as "reverse racism." There's just racism, with shifting targets. Dom, Troy, and Remy all say, and feel, really racist things. And guess what: Unlike white people, these Black men have reasons to feel angry and frustrated and dispossessed. Their skin color marks them out as targets for lunatic racist white scum.
And guess what else? Black folks ain't perfect. These are three gay men, in a social milieu that really, really does NOT want their men to be gay. At all. So can you see what leads these loving, flawed, hurting, sadder-looking-for-wiser guys to be mouthy? It's like women of all colors rolling their eyes so hard they see their brains when men of any color start legislating what they can and can't do with their own bodies. There's a lot of anger built up at a lot of groups. Most with reason and justice on their side.
A lot of that anger is faced up to in this story of hurt, betrayal, and abuse. Dom and Troy, in their different ways, are reeling from domestic drama that is instantly relatable. Remy, not part of the kidhood bond shared by Dom and Troy, is probably the most personally insulated from domestic drama since he's in a "situationship," a neologism (it was to me, at least) I really like for a long-distance, still love-based, relationship. Not like I understand that from the inside or anything....
Remy's job as a real-estate hustler leads to a major fracture in his friendship with Troy and, to an extent, Dom, because his work is threatening to repurpose Troy's employer, a school, into gentrification's profitable arms. Detroit's decades of economic woes are a huge part of this story's rage-fuel. Would Dom have left Detroit for New York (and by extension met his cheating ex) had Detroit been capable of sustaining his ambitious need for a media market commensurate? Troy's domestic woes are fed, at least in part, by the economic struggles inherent in pursuing a teaching career. And here's Remy about to make a bundle of cash off the city's redevelopment....
I think the major take-away from this story is that there's no room for racism's corrosive effects in any society we need to support the creation of; and the other hate-isms, like homophobia and colorism, have to go in the dumpster too. When these Black, gay men face so much trouble from outside, it makes their work to fix the problems inside so very much harder. And that stops them not at all, doesn't even slow them down much, as they fight and fuck and work themselves up to fever pitch. These men, messy lives and sad hearts and powerful spirits in them all, make every day count. They don't, by the end of the story, waste what they've got anymre in wanting what they can't have.
But that does not mean they take second best. Not for long, anyway. It makes them great companions for a summer laze on the beach.
Just...maybe skip ahead over the smexytimes. Until you get home, anyway.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: There's no such thing as "reverse racism." There's just racism, with shifting targets. Dom, Troy, and Remy all say, and feel, really racist things. And guess what: Unlike white people, these Black men have reasons to feel angry and frustrated and dispossessed. Their skin color marks them out as targets for lunatic racist white scum.
And guess what else? Black folks ain't perfect. These are three gay men, in a social milieu that really, really does NOT want their men to be gay. At all. So can you see what leads these loving, flawed, hurting, sadder-looking-for-wiser guys to be mouthy? It's like women of all colors rolling their eyes so hard they see their brains when men of any color start legislating what they can and can't do with their own bodies. There's a lot of anger built up at a lot of groups. Most with reason and justice on their side.
A lot of that anger is faced up to in this story of hurt, betrayal, and abuse. Dom and Troy, in their different ways, are reeling from domestic drama that is instantly relatable. Remy, not part of the kidhood bond shared by Dom and Troy, is probably the most personally insulated from domestic drama since he's in a "situationship," a neologism (it was to me, at least) I really like for a long-distance, still love-based, relationship. Not like I understand that from the inside or anything....
Remy's job as a real-estate hustler leads to a major fracture in his friendship with Troy and, to an extent, Dom, because his work is threatening to repurpose Troy's employer, a school, into gentrification's profitable arms. Detroit's decades of economic woes are a huge part of this story's rage-fuel. Would Dom have left Detroit for New York (and by extension met his cheating ex) had Detroit been capable of sustaining his ambitious need for a media market commensurate? Troy's domestic woes are fed, at least in part, by the economic struggles inherent in pursuing a teaching career. And here's Remy about to make a bundle of cash off the city's redevelopment....
I think the major take-away from this story is that there's no room for racism's corrosive effects in any society we need to support the creation of; and the other hate-isms, like homophobia and colorism, have to go in the dumpster too. When these Black, gay men face so much trouble from outside, it makes their work to fix the problems inside so very much harder. And that stops them not at all, doesn't even slow them down much, as they fight and fuck and work themselves up to fever pitch. These men, messy lives and sad hearts and powerful spirits in them all, make every day count. They don't, by the end of the story, waste what they've got anymre in wanting what they can't have.
But that does not mean they take second best. Not for long, anyway. It makes them great companions for a summer laze on the beach.
Just...maybe skip ahead over the smexytimes. Until you get home, anyway.
February 17, 2022
I am so looking forward to the physical copy of this book! I just love the cover. I love the humour. I love the writing. I adore the way the characters are as they are.
Thank you Belt Publishing for the advance reading copy.
This is just the book I knew I would need when I need to read a queer fun story which would make me laugh and smirk at the same time.
It's just not the women who are looked upon with judgemental eyes when we hit a certain age. It's more so for queer men as is experienced by our main character here. Their voice speaks of the many experiences they go through amidst various circumstances where they feel things they feel they should and shouldn't; like they act like they should and shouldn't and think like they should and shouldn't.
You will know what I am talking about when you read this book.
While it may be true or written in relation to the story or the characters involved, the parts which repetitively mention "white gay men/boys" have it easy or something in the same vein are somehow not appropriate or necessary enough to make such comparisons. Give me a better plot or character stories or events or anything in the plot that would absolutely need such statements or comparisons.
The story ends well. Such a good read over-all.
Thank you Belt Publishing for the advance reading copy.
This is just the book I knew I would need when I need to read a queer fun story which would make me laugh and smirk at the same time.
It's just not the women who are looked upon with judgemental eyes when we hit a certain age. It's more so for queer men as is experienced by our main character here. Their voice speaks of the many experiences they go through amidst various circumstances where they feel things they feel they should and shouldn't; like they act like they should and shouldn't and think like they should and shouldn't.
You will know what I am talking about when you read this book.
While it may be true or written in relation to the story or the characters involved, the parts which repetitively mention "white gay men/boys" have it easy or something in the same vein are somehow not appropriate or necessary enough to make such comparisons. Give me a better plot or character stories or events or anything in the plot that would absolutely need such statements or comparisons.
The story ends well. Such a good read over-all.
Read
July 16, 2022Novel covering the thirtysomething struggles of three Black gay men in Detroit: work, dating, friendship, struggling with racism and homophobia and family. Very much a character piece, with tons of detail but not a great deal of plot or resolution. A huge amount on Detroit (it does not come as a surprise that the author wrote a guidebook). It's a profoundly convincing "slice of life" read, even if it didn't wholly satisfy as a novel (but I am a heavily plot driven reader so YMMV).
March 1, 2022
➳ 4.25 stars
"Boys Come First" is an inspiring and hilarious debut novel written by Aaron Foley. The book follows three Black, gay millennial men searching for love, friendship and professional success in the Motor city - Detroit.
Aaron Foley is a talented writer. His writing is very accessible and easy to follow through. The prose is exquisite. I personally didn't come across to a single dull moment while reading this book. The story, the setting, the dialogues, the communications between the characters - everything felt very real. It's also hilarious and very funny. I loved the humour in this book.
Dominick, Troy and Remy are wonderful characters. They aren't perfect. They are faulty; even frustrating at times. But I still couldn't stop myself from loving them because their voices are so raw that I could actually feel their pain as my own.
The pacing of the story is steady and flows smoothly. The author takes time to get us accustomed to the situation and to know the characters well. I never liked too much of the back-stories of the characters. I always felt they make a story unnecessarily long. But Aaron Foley proved me wrong. I loved to get to know Dom, Troy and Remy. The author doesn't shy away from letting us see how imperfect the characters are. The men- all three of them - makes irritating and horrible mistakes. The mistakes are such that I wanted to slap them. But soon after, they realizes their misdeeds and come into their senses. The characterization is so perfect that I was in awe. It truly couldn't have been better.
The voices of the characters are raw and unfiltered. They are infuriated and angry all the times. And I could actually feel their angry through the amazing narration. Sometimes, the comments they make, seemed too harsh. They are e way too much judgemental at times. I was hesitant about what to make of those parts. It felt the characters were venting their frustration on every white poeple out there. But soon enough, I understood, that is exact the point. Dom, Troy and Remy are angry and they are showing their anger. They are venting. Yes, they are harsh and judgemental, but you are bound to be that way at times when you have been wronged for too long -of course unless you are a SAINT. I have personally been in their shoes. I have first hand experience of racism. I had been criticised for my dark skin in the past. I still do get such comments from now and then. I know how angry it makes you. So, it is understandable that the three men are angry to see their town being taken over by the White minority. Though I was okay with the characters' behaviour in this book, I want to say that This is NOT right. You can't judge everyone under the same light, you shouldn't. If we end up hating all the white poeple because of the wrong deeds of some, it would raise the concern of White Fragility. So, Dom, Troy and Remy is not your perfect example. Be aware of that. It's okay to be angry but it's not ideal to act on it. That's all I have to say. Not going to go in deep because I don't think I'm learned enough to talk about these kind of sensitive topics.
Another thing I noticed while reading this book is that the voices of our protagonists are not unique or distinct. It is hard to identify them as individuals. All felt the same to me. I felt a little irritated at first. But when I looked closely I found it a praiseworthy thing. The characters aren't special as individuals. But when they came together; started nworking together - their voices turned into a powerful force. Together, they became a fire that would be extremely hard to extinguish.
I also want to mention something personal. Troy is half-Bangladeshi. I, myself as a Bangladeshi, am very proud to be represented. The small cultural things the author mentioned are correct. Whenever Troy cooked something of our cuisine, I found myself bouncing around with joy. It was a wonderful experience. Many many thanks to the author.
AND the opening line is - "I better not get my Black ass pulled over in hoe-ass, bitch-ass Pennsylvania...."
______◇______☆______◇_______
☆ Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me the arc in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
"Boys Come First" is an inspiring and hilarious debut novel written by Aaron Foley. The book follows three Black, gay millennial men searching for love, friendship and professional success in the Motor city - Detroit.
"When you're gay and Black at the same time, you just have to be extra, extra careful about the gay part."
Aaron Foley is a talented writer. His writing is very accessible and easy to follow through. The prose is exquisite. I personally didn't come across to a single dull moment while reading this book. The story, the setting, the dialogues, the communications between the characters - everything felt very real. It's also hilarious and very funny. I loved the humour in this book.
Dominick, Troy and Remy are wonderful characters. They aren't perfect. They are faulty; even frustrating at times. But I still couldn't stop myself from loving them because their voices are so raw that I could actually feel their pain as my own.
The pacing of the story is steady and flows smoothly. The author takes time to get us accustomed to the situation and to know the characters well. I never liked too much of the back-stories of the characters. I always felt they make a story unnecessarily long. But Aaron Foley proved me wrong. I loved to get to know Dom, Troy and Remy. The author doesn't shy away from letting us see how imperfect the characters are. The men- all three of them - makes irritating and horrible mistakes. The mistakes are such that I wanted to slap them. But soon after, they realizes their misdeeds and come into their senses. The characterization is so perfect that I was in awe. It truly couldn't have been better.
The voices of the characters are raw and unfiltered. They are infuriated and angry all the times. And I could actually feel their angry through the amazing narration. Sometimes, the comments they make, seemed too harsh. They are e way too much judgemental at times. I was hesitant about what to make of those parts. It felt the characters were venting their frustration on every white poeple out there. But soon enough, I understood, that is exact the point. Dom, Troy and Remy are angry and they are showing their anger. They are venting. Yes, they are harsh and judgemental, but you are bound to be that way at times when you have been wronged for too long -of course unless you are a SAINT. I have personally been in their shoes. I have first hand experience of racism. I had been criticised for my dark skin in the past. I still do get such comments from now and then. I know how angry it makes you. So, it is understandable that the three men are angry to see their town being taken over by the White minority. Though I was okay with the characters' behaviour in this book, I want to say that This is NOT right. You can't judge everyone under the same light, you shouldn't. If we end up hating all the white poeple because of the wrong deeds of some, it would raise the concern of White Fragility. So, Dom, Troy and Remy is not your perfect example. Be aware of that. It's okay to be angry but it's not ideal to act on it. That's all I have to say. Not going to go in deep because I don't think I'm learned enough to talk about these kind of sensitive topics.
Another thing I noticed while reading this book is that the voices of our protagonists are not unique or distinct. It is hard to identify them as individuals. All felt the same to me. I felt a little irritated at first. But when I looked closely I found it a praiseworthy thing. The characters aren't special as individuals. But when they came together; started nworking together - their voices turned into a powerful force. Together, they became a fire that would be extremely hard to extinguish.
I also want to mention something personal. Troy is half-Bangladeshi. I, myself as a Bangladeshi, am very proud to be represented. The small cultural things the author mentioned are correct. Whenever Troy cooked something of our cuisine, I found myself bouncing around with joy. It was a wonderful experience. Many many thanks to the author.
AND the opening line is - "I better not get my Black ass pulled over in hoe-ass, bitch-ass Pennsylvania...."
______◇______☆______◇_______
☆ Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing me the arc in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
February 1, 2022
This is a story about three 30-something Black gay men from Detroit that just happened to be written by me, a 30-something Black gay man from Detroit. I drew inspiration from conversations with friends, as well as some of my own perspective, to tell a story about friendship and my beloved, yet sometimes beleaguered, hometown.
I was a big fan of everything three when writing this (Detroit is home to the Big Three, after all...), including listening to a lot of girl groups (specifically Detroit's own The Jones Girls and The Supremes, and Labelle) and rewatching some of my favorite films about three-person friend groups ("9 to 5," "The First Wives Club," "To Wong Foo...," "The Wood" among them). Maybe next time I'll challenge myself to do a more traditional "Waiting to Exhale"/"Golden Girls" group of four.
Above all, I wanted to contribute some grown Black adult narrative to the ever-expanding world of queer lit, as well as diversify the Detroit bookshelf a bit. Hope y'all like it. Let me know what you think.
I was a big fan of everything three when writing this (Detroit is home to the Big Three, after all...), including listening to a lot of girl groups (specifically Detroit's own The Jones Girls and The Supremes, and Labelle) and rewatching some of my favorite films about three-person friend groups ("9 to 5," "The First Wives Club," "To Wong Foo...," "The Wood" among them). Maybe next time I'll challenge myself to do a more traditional "Waiting to Exhale"/"Golden Girls" group of four.
Above all, I wanted to contribute some grown Black adult narrative to the ever-expanding world of queer lit, as well as diversify the Detroit bookshelf a bit. Hope y'all like it. Let me know what you think.
June 21, 2022
The author, Aaron Foley, reached out to me and asked me to blurb this book, which I did with enthusiasm because I really loved it and tore through it, laughing and even being quite moved, in about two nights. The shorthand is that it's Sex and the City meets Waiting to Exhale but with millennial gay Black men in a rapidly gentrifying Detroit. It's several months since I read it but I just remember finding it very sassy and witty but also moving, especially about the crucial role or ride-or-die friends in the lives of gay men. Crack it open and just enjoy yourself!
December 23, 2022
This book is fantastic, fresh, funny, ferocious and flirty. I haven’t read a book like this in forever - loved getting to know Dominick, Remy and Troy as I cheered them on page after page.
The back cover said it best: sexy, heartfelt, unapologetically queer, and deliciously funny.
Will be comparing a lot of book to “Boys Come First” for a long time.
The back cover said it best: sexy, heartfelt, unapologetically queer, and deliciously funny.
Will be comparing a lot of book to “Boys Come First” for a long time.
June 16, 2024
Actual Rating: 3.75 stars
Definitely read this book in the summer!!! As a chronically online individual who is currently homebound due to ACL surgery, it was a delight to read about three thirty-somethings who are very outside, and mostly suffering for it.
There is lots to enjoy here. Troy is adorable, Remy is hilarious, and Dominick is whiny in a way I firmly relate to. The combination of these three worked really well for a friend group and main cast of characters, in my opinion. Their narration includes lots of relatable musings on aging, being afraid of aging, and struggling to figure out who is going to do life alongside you. I wish there was a bit earlier of a realization of how their friendship was just as important as the mostly failed situationships these characters kept chasing. However, I respect the author’s seeming decision to have this be a last-minute epiphany for our friend group—people should have room to evolve!
Funniest book I’ve read in 2024
This book will keep you laughing, even when you’re not exactly sure what is happening!! As soon as I surrendered to the fact that I would be here for a good time, and not a particularly clear time, I had a ball. Aaron Foley has a knack for describing even the most serious issues in a lighthearted way that feels very similar to how the characters would actually deal with these topics. Foley delivers his characters’ complaints in a tone that keeps you enjoying items that would feel like TMI in the hands of a more stoic author: the lactose intolerance that eventually plagues us all as Black people; the brittle bones Remy, Dominick, and Troy seem to have developed as they get further from their youth; or the bodily mishaps that can accompany anal sex. Foley’s takes on pop culture had me on the floor, including a not-too-far-fetched description of dishes at a restaurant clearly taken over by these social media chefs: “parsley butter parm calamari, Crown Royal-infused sweet potato fries, stuffed mushrooms, two orders of Patron-lime crab cakes.” (99) When describing the limited representation for Black gay men can find in modern media, he notes that “all they got was barely two seasons of Noah’s Arc and Chiron crying about a handjob on the beach. Any other lessons were in heteronormativity.” (136) LIKE PLEASE!!!!!!!
I also was cracking up about how Foley chose to lay out the organizer/political drama because it’s soooo common. Like the characters note, as a Black gay person with a conscience, you’re frequently stuck between dirty white anarchists who think being queer and a “leftist” absolves them of everything, or homophobic Black hoteps who actually are just posturing about their politics! Seeing the characters encounter both groups, and struggle to “take their best pick”, is something many of us can relate to. While this topic can often feel super disheartening, I think Foley mostly keeps it lighthearted even while being very honest about the issues. Roderick/Kiburi going back into the closet to be a part of the anti-gentrification Black consciousness cult was too funny!!
I will say that if you are my age (born in 1998 or later), you will be able to tell that the author is older than us. At one point in the story, he talks about the huge difference between Millennials born in the 1980s and those born in the 1990s. We can really tell…and not always in a good way. While I found Foley to be a genuinely amusing author, there are many sections where the jokes don’t land well on the page, and age him in ways I didn’t enjoy. Millennials just have a particularly corny type of internet humor that you can tell came from the blog era, where (from what I can tell) brevity was not a prerequisite for humor. Some of the monologues start off funny and go on for just a bit too long to ultimately land well. It’s a humor most appreciated with a group of people who have more patience than I do, and I respect that! However, for others in my age group, I might recommend seeing if there’s an audiobook for this one—I think some of the jokes would land better verbally.
Finally, a setting that actually matters!
Place is huge here, and I imagine will be super fun for anyone with ties to Detroit. Even as someone who has barely left the East Coast, I loved how Aaron Foley describes Detroit’s cultural impact on the rest of the world, and its particularities as a city. When he’s talking about how all Detroit rap music sounds like a haunted house soundtrack, it set off lightbulbs in my head!! Like I would’ve never put that together, but after thinking about it, realized that every song I’ve heard from a Detroit rapper really does sound like it’s set in Gotham. These fun, lived-in impressions of Detroit culture are matched by a number of reflections on Detroit migration trends. Very rarely can someone do both—not just rattle off neighborhood names, but actually talk about the personality types of people who lived in a certain neighborhood, or graduated from a specific high school. This combination of the character traits and geographic descriptions are what many modern books that seek to be “super grounded” in a setting are missing. Again, this is the beauty of authors writing about their actual hometowns, instead of setting their novels in the cities they’ve only lived in for six years!!
In terms of our main characters, I also thought that Foley used the character’s childhood neighborhoods, career locations, and homeownership aspirations to help flesh out their narration. We clearly understand where Troy, Remy, and Dominick are coming from and seeking to go based on how they describe their communities. Furthermore, one of the major friend conflicts in this book hinges on Remy and Troy’s positions on opposite sides of a development project that would contribute to gentrification in the Islandview neighborhood.
As a planner, my standard for people writing about this stuff is high, and I do get upset when someone has clearly underresearched how development actually works, but this is a lighthearted book so I tried to just engage those sections in a lighthearted way. The incorrect details are also certainly understandable—the real estate state is intentionally nebulous. However, as an author, I think solid research of even fictional plot points should be the goal.
My only real concerns
Again, I’m trying to appreciate this book for what it did instead of criticizing what it didn’t. However, you won’t find much continuity in the plot here. Foley seems to move his characters quickly through emotional ranges and relationship conflicts, which leads to a lot of confusion about what’s going on when. In one chapter, I felt like Troy was mad at his partner, and then the next time we went back to his chapter, it was all about his lack of family. Books with ensemble casts either require really strong characterization to keep us clear on who’s who, or it requires a common throughline between the individual POV chapters. While Boys Come First certainly has the format for that throughline, the friend group meetup scenes mostly fail to deliver on providing us with the narrative clarification we needed. I also wished these group scenes could have involved more processing and discussion of some of the ideas we’d then hear the characters discuss in their inner monologues. Remy and Troy in particular have these really complicated thoughts about upward mobility versus community building, and they barely get to hash them out. Dominick also had so many enjoyable reflections about relationships, but few of them were discussed in-depth with his friends. Again, just a bit more of this would have helped the story feel a bit more grounded, and probably resulted in keeping the plot a bit more on track!
Final Thoughts
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking to laugh, as well as to anyone who loves books with really strong groundings in place (particularly the Black Midwest.) As long as you don’t take it too seriously, Boys Come First will be a fun time that is a welcomed contribution to modern Black queer fiction. I will be looking forward to Aaron Foley’s future work!
Definitely read this book in the summer!!! As a chronically online individual who is currently homebound due to ACL surgery, it was a delight to read about three thirty-somethings who are very outside, and mostly suffering for it.
There is lots to enjoy here. Troy is adorable, Remy is hilarious, and Dominick is whiny in a way I firmly relate to. The combination of these three worked really well for a friend group and main cast of characters, in my opinion. Their narration includes lots of relatable musings on aging, being afraid of aging, and struggling to figure out who is going to do life alongside you. I wish there was a bit earlier of a realization of how their friendship was just as important as the mostly failed situationships these characters kept chasing. However, I respect the author’s seeming decision to have this be a last-minute epiphany for our friend group—people should have room to evolve!
Funniest book I’ve read in 2024
This book will keep you laughing, even when you’re not exactly sure what is happening!! As soon as I surrendered to the fact that I would be here for a good time, and not a particularly clear time, I had a ball. Aaron Foley has a knack for describing even the most serious issues in a lighthearted way that feels very similar to how the characters would actually deal with these topics. Foley delivers his characters’ complaints in a tone that keeps you enjoying items that would feel like TMI in the hands of a more stoic author: the lactose intolerance that eventually plagues us all as Black people; the brittle bones Remy, Dominick, and Troy seem to have developed as they get further from their youth; or the bodily mishaps that can accompany anal sex. Foley’s takes on pop culture had me on the floor, including a not-too-far-fetched description of dishes at a restaurant clearly taken over by these social media chefs: “parsley butter parm calamari, Crown Royal-infused sweet potato fries, stuffed mushrooms, two orders of Patron-lime crab cakes.” (99) When describing the limited representation for Black gay men can find in modern media, he notes that “all they got was barely two seasons of Noah’s Arc and Chiron crying about a handjob on the beach. Any other lessons were in heteronormativity.” (136) LIKE PLEASE!!!!!!!
I also was cracking up about how Foley chose to lay out the organizer/political drama because it’s soooo common. Like the characters note, as a Black gay person with a conscience, you’re frequently stuck between dirty white anarchists who think being queer and a “leftist” absolves them of everything, or homophobic Black hoteps who actually are just posturing about their politics! Seeing the characters encounter both groups, and struggle to “take their best pick”, is something many of us can relate to. While this topic can often feel super disheartening, I think Foley mostly keeps it lighthearted even while being very honest about the issues. Roderick/Kiburi going back into the closet to be a part of the anti-gentrification Black consciousness cult was too funny!!
I will say that if you are my age (born in 1998 or later), you will be able to tell that the author is older than us. At one point in the story, he talks about the huge difference between Millennials born in the 1980s and those born in the 1990s. We can really tell…and not always in a good way. While I found Foley to be a genuinely amusing author, there are many sections where the jokes don’t land well on the page, and age him in ways I didn’t enjoy. Millennials just have a particularly corny type of internet humor that you can tell came from the blog era, where (from what I can tell) brevity was not a prerequisite for humor. Some of the monologues start off funny and go on for just a bit too long to ultimately land well. It’s a humor most appreciated with a group of people who have more patience than I do, and I respect that! However, for others in my age group, I might recommend seeing if there’s an audiobook for this one—I think some of the jokes would land better verbally.
Finally, a setting that actually matters!
Place is huge here, and I imagine will be super fun for anyone with ties to Detroit. Even as someone who has barely left the East Coast, I loved how Aaron Foley describes Detroit’s cultural impact on the rest of the world, and its particularities as a city. When he’s talking about how all Detroit rap music sounds like a haunted house soundtrack, it set off lightbulbs in my head!! Like I would’ve never put that together, but after thinking about it, realized that every song I’ve heard from a Detroit rapper really does sound like it’s set in Gotham. These fun, lived-in impressions of Detroit culture are matched by a number of reflections on Detroit migration trends. Very rarely can someone do both—not just rattle off neighborhood names, but actually talk about the personality types of people who lived in a certain neighborhood, or graduated from a specific high school. This combination of the character traits and geographic descriptions are what many modern books that seek to be “super grounded” in a setting are missing. Again, this is the beauty of authors writing about their actual hometowns, instead of setting their novels in the cities they’ve only lived in for six years!!
In terms of our main characters, I also thought that Foley used the character’s childhood neighborhoods, career locations, and homeownership aspirations to help flesh out their narration. We clearly understand where Troy, Remy, and Dominick are coming from and seeking to go based on how they describe their communities. Furthermore, one of the major friend conflicts in this book hinges on Remy and Troy’s positions on opposite sides of a development project that would contribute to gentrification in the Islandview neighborhood.
As a planner, my standard for people writing about this stuff is high, and I do get upset when someone has clearly underresearched how development actually works, but this is a lighthearted book so I tried to just engage those sections in a lighthearted way. The incorrect details are also certainly understandable—the real estate state is intentionally nebulous. However, as an author, I think solid research of even fictional plot points should be the goal.
My only real concerns
Again, I’m trying to appreciate this book for what it did instead of criticizing what it didn’t. However, you won’t find much continuity in the plot here. Foley seems to move his characters quickly through emotional ranges and relationship conflicts, which leads to a lot of confusion about what’s going on when. In one chapter, I felt like Troy was mad at his partner, and then the next time we went back to his chapter, it was all about his lack of family. Books with ensemble casts either require really strong characterization to keep us clear on who’s who, or it requires a common throughline between the individual POV chapters. While Boys Come First certainly has the format for that throughline, the friend group meetup scenes mostly fail to deliver on providing us with the narrative clarification we needed. I also wished these group scenes could have involved more processing and discussion of some of the ideas we’d then hear the characters discuss in their inner monologues. Remy and Troy in particular have these really complicated thoughts about upward mobility versus community building, and they barely get to hash them out. Dominick also had so many enjoyable reflections about relationships, but few of them were discussed in-depth with his friends. Again, just a bit more of this would have helped the story feel a bit more grounded, and probably resulted in keeping the plot a bit more on track!
Final Thoughts
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who’s looking to laugh, as well as to anyone who loves books with really strong groundings in place (particularly the Black Midwest.) As long as you don’t take it too seriously, Boys Come First will be a fun time that is a welcomed contribution to modern Black queer fiction. I will be looking forward to Aaron Foley’s future work!
November 13, 2022
Boys Come First was a joy to read. I rarely see the platonic relationships between Black queer men written this way. Full of all of the complications, insecurities, and fallouts. But, also, the love and care we put into these intimate relationships. And you can't forget about the hilarious, blunt, and open conversations friends share about love, sex, and all of the things that make navigating this life thrilling, uncertain, and sometimes outright terrifying- but nevertheless we survive and stride into another day.
May 13, 2023
This was my Red White and Royal Blue. Queer romcom that's also political and about friendship.
"And then you wonder how, exactly, you got to where you are now. And then, maybe, you begin to find your way out
"And then you wonder how, exactly, you got to where you are now. And then, maybe, you begin to find your way out
June 5, 2022
Maaaan I was so looking forward to this book and unfortunately, it fell really flat for me.
This novel suffered from the complete absence of an overarching plot, and the minuscule plot lines we got were irrelevant and boring. I didn't care for pretty much anything that happened within these 300 pages. I wanted to get to know these characters in depth, but all I got was extremely detailed looks into their sex life. Not, don't get me wrong: I actually appreciated how sex-positive this book was, especially for a somewhat mainstream gay novel.
Another thing that I struggled with was the writing style. We're following three perspectives, and for no apparent reason, 2 of those perspectives are written in 3rd person whereas the last one's written in 1st person? This completely took me out of the story whenever I started a new chapter because my brain had to refocus on a different writing style. Also, the writing itself often felt clunky (much like this review of mine) and somewhat tedious to read.
I'm definitely excited to see what Aaron Foley comes up with next as I definitely see potential in his stories, this one sadly just didn't work.
This novel suffered from the complete absence of an overarching plot, and the minuscule plot lines we got were irrelevant and boring. I didn't care for pretty much anything that happened within these 300 pages. I wanted to get to know these characters in depth, but all I got was extremely detailed looks into their sex life. Not, don't get me wrong: I actually appreciated how sex-positive this book was, especially for a somewhat mainstream gay novel.
Another thing that I struggled with was the writing style. We're following three perspectives, and for no apparent reason, 2 of those perspectives are written in 3rd person whereas the last one's written in 1st person? This completely took me out of the story whenever I started a new chapter because my brain had to refocus on a different writing style. Also, the writing itself often felt clunky (much like this review of mine) and somewhat tedious to read.
I'm definitely excited to see what Aaron Foley comes up with next as I definitely see potential in his stories, this one sadly just didn't work.
May 18, 2023
Read it read it read it!
This was so many things, most of all really fun. But there's also a serious aspect to it as well, and somehow for such a short book it managed to strike the balance between plot and character development really well.
Also it didn't actually take me four months to read. I picked it up way back in September, put it down because I wasn't in the right place to read it at that time, then picked it up at the start of January and read it in a couple of days.
This was so many things, most of all really fun. But there's also a serious aspect to it as well, and somehow for such a short book it managed to strike the balance between plot and character development really well.
Also it didn't actually take me four months to read. I picked it up way back in September, put it down because I wasn't in the right place to read it at that time, then picked it up at the start of January and read it in a couple of days.
February 8, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC!
You know a book is good when you forget to highlight and annotate after a certain point. But seriously you guys, if this doesn't blow the fuck up on release, I'm gonna start blowing things up.
Boys Come First follows three men from and in Detroit as they navigate the gentrification of their hometown, the falling apart and coming together of relationships, and how being Black and gay factors into their individual experiences with it all.
I think most, if not all, people start with a very white (among other things) foundation in literature. Regardless of genre, you get used to reading certain experiences, certain viewpoints, certain cultural cues—I'm an Indian who has never stepped foot into America, but I know I can write a book from a white male American's perspective. Isn't that saying something?
That is to say, this book is a breath of fresh air. I have an annotation that just goes "It's just really nice not reading white people" and it really is! Like man, I'm not saying white people can't and don't experience intersectionality but there's just something so messed up about being queer and POC. So to be able to read about the (pretty specific) experience of being a Black gay man, that too from the perspective of three different Black gay men? I feel like a Victorian child who's just discovered Baja Blast.
The three main characters—Dominick, Remy, and Troy—are extremely endearing and easy to root for, or at least that's how I felt about them. They're all struggling in the romance department, but in different ways. You could say the same thing about every other department actually. As mentioned before, the book also delves into the gentrification of Black spaces and each character interacts with it in a different way, so you get to see what happens when these differences rub against each other in the wrong way.
I wanted these men to be happy so bad. As you can see from the previous quote, one thing that kept coming up in all three POVs was the layers of difficulty there are to trying to be successful while being Black and gay. Which, I suppose could be depressing to read, but personally I'm just glad to have the truth out there. Obviously, I'm not a Black gay man but I can't remember the last time I read a book where characters get to be honest about how much it fucking sucks to be who they are in the world that we live in.
AND THEN TO SEE THEM SUCCEEEEEEEED yes it's a happy ending, is it a perfect ending? No. But does the book end with all three of them having stronger relationships (romantic, platonic, and familial) and a healthier, hopeful outlook? Do you leave the book feeling good, feeling hopeful about your own future? Yes. And that's the happiest ending I could ever fucking ask for.
Trigger warnings for parental death, an abusive relationship, and attempted rape. All three were dealt with sensitively—hey, isn't it fucked that I even have to say that because Some people want to capitalise off of tragedy that isn't theirs? Anyway, please read this book.
You know a book is good when you forget to highlight and annotate after a certain point. But seriously you guys, if this doesn't blow the fuck up on release, I'm gonna start blowing things up.
Boys Come First follows three men from and in Detroit as they navigate the gentrification of their hometown, the falling apart and coming together of relationships, and how being Black and gay factors into their individual experiences with it all.
"Because even after all this, there was still no clear playbook for young, Black gay men coming up in this world [...] All they got was barely two seasons of Noah's Arc and Chiron crying about a hand job on the beach. Any other lessons were in heteronormativity."
I think most, if not all, people start with a very white (among other things) foundation in literature. Regardless of genre, you get used to reading certain experiences, certain viewpoints, certain cultural cues—I'm an Indian who has never stepped foot into America, but I know I can write a book from a white male American's perspective. Isn't that saying something?
That is to say, this book is a breath of fresh air. I have an annotation that just goes "It's just really nice not reading white people" and it really is! Like man, I'm not saying white people can't and don't experience intersectionality but there's just something so messed up about being queer and POC. So to be able to read about the (pretty specific) experience of being a Black gay man, that too from the perspective of three different Black gay men? I feel like a Victorian child who's just discovered Baja Blast.
"A white therapist will blame it on me being Black, and a Black therapist will blame it on me being gay [...] The moment I slow down is the moment I lose. And as a Black man in America, I can't lose."
The three main characters—Dominick, Remy, and Troy—are extremely endearing and easy to root for, or at least that's how I felt about them. They're all struggling in the romance department, but in different ways. You could say the same thing about every other department actually. As mentioned before, the book also delves into the gentrification of Black spaces and each character interacts with it in a different way, so you get to see what happens when these differences rub against each other in the wrong way.
I wanted these men to be happy so bad. As you can see from the previous quote, one thing that kept coming up in all three POVs was the layers of difficulty there are to trying to be successful while being Black and gay. Which, I suppose could be depressing to read, but personally I'm just glad to have the truth out there. Obviously, I'm not a Black gay man but I can't remember the last time I read a book where characters get to be honest about how much it fucking sucks to be who they are in the world that we live in.
AND THEN TO SEE THEM SUCCEEEEEEEED yes it's a happy ending, is it a perfect ending? No. But does the book end with all three of them having stronger relationships (romantic, platonic, and familial) and a healthier, hopeful outlook? Do you leave the book feeling good, feeling hopeful about your own future? Yes. And that's the happiest ending I could ever fucking ask for.
Trigger warnings for parental death, an abusive relationship, and attempted rape. All three were dealt with sensitively—hey, isn't it fucked that I even have to say that because Some people want to capitalise off of tragedy that isn't theirs? Anyway, please read this book.
January 2, 2023
More of a 4.5 bc I felt like the very tail end of the book felt a bit rushed and in less than 50 pages way too much happened but...
Omg I **loved** this book and if my only "complaint" was that I wanted more that's a pretty great complaint.
This book was some of the most fun I've had this year. Funny, fast SEXY (like so so sexy!) And still manages to leave you with many points to mull over (Gentrification, Racism, politics)There are some books that draw you in with prose, others with form, but when a book gets you like this one does, with characters who you instantly fall for and you just dive into their story and could spend hours with them? Ahhh that's gold. The three guys and their dramas and thoughts and fears really drive the book along and as I said, I could've stayed with them for much much longer.
Omg I **loved** this book and if my only "complaint" was that I wanted more that's a pretty great complaint.
This book was some of the most fun I've had this year. Funny, fast SEXY (like so so sexy!) And still manages to leave you with many points to mull over (Gentrification, Racism, politics)There are some books that draw you in with prose, others with form, but when a book gets you like this one does, with characters who you instantly fall for and you just dive into their story and could spend hours with them? Ahhh that's gold. The three guys and their dramas and thoughts and fears really drive the book along and as I said, I could've stayed with them for much much longer.
April 17, 2023
A beautifully written rom com about queerness, blackness, and what it means to have deep friendships in adulthood.
August 25, 2022
I loved this so much - I've loved Aaron's other non-fiction books, his work for the city, his twitter feed, his journalism, etc for about a million reasons, but probably the main one is that I finally have been able to read about Detroit from a writer that's not a boomer, and/or not writing from some white/nostalgia prospective, or just... I don't know - he's just been able to capture a lot of things about the city that I relate to and have felt very personal and I'm just so appreciative of that.
August 3, 2022
Boys Come First centers around three Black gay friends living in Detroit. Foley writes a solid image of the city and their history with it, as well as the unique intersectionality of the main characters' identities and how they navigate those together. I'm usually a fan of character-driven novels, but this time I really just wanted a stronger plot to last through the whole story, even though I did enjoy following their friendship, relationships, and lives. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
May 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this book especially as a native Detroiter from the east side of Detroit and being familiar with all the streets and landmarks that were named. I loved the friendship between the fellas and the realness the author tapped into about dating, navigating your career as you transition into your 30’s and start feeling like time is getting away from you.
I will be checking out more from this author. Great book!
I will be checking out more from this author. Great book!
June 30, 2023
I’m closing out pride month with a book about queer men and queer male friendship and relationships. This book was so fun. I laughed. I gasped. I was shocked at the casual coke usage. I really enjoyed reading this. I didn’t know that Detroit was being gentrified like that.
I have mixed feelings about the characters. But in the end they were all lovable. It really showed that everyone is human and wants to be loved.
I have mixed feelings about the characters. But in the end they were all lovable. It really showed that everyone is human and wants to be loved.
January 25, 2023
I’ve never in my life finished a book so quickly. I love how each chapter is told from a different character’s perspective yet flows so well. Definitely a riveting story that you can tell came from the heart! Tough times don’t last but tough people do. Highly recommend (especially for black gay men).
April 29, 2023
Thoroughly Enjoyed It!
As a Black queer person, this book was everything. I laughed out loud so many times. I saw myself and my friends in Dominick, Remy & Troy. Aaron Foley is an excellent writer. I can’t wait to see what Foley releases next.
As a Black queer person, this book was everything. I laughed out loud so many times. I saw myself and my friends in Dominick, Remy & Troy. Aaron Foley is an excellent writer. I can’t wait to see what Foley releases next.
January 5, 2023
A really fun and thoughtful slice of life novel about 3 Black gay men in Detroit.
February 12, 2023
***Rounded up to 3.85***
May 27, 2024
I really enjoyed this. Loved the three different perspectives of the friends. (I wish there was more variety, but nonetheless I enjoyed them each). It gave Noah’s Arc (IYKYK). This was highkey an erotic novel. Ha, which I wasn’t expecting but quite enjoyed.
As someone also in their 30s trying to figure out life, this book resonated with me greatly and provided me with some insight and new perspectives on things.
As someone also in their 30s trying to figure out life, this book resonated with me greatly and provided me with some insight and new perspectives on things.
January 26, 2023
I very much enjoyed my time reading this book; I thought it was entertaining and fun to read. However, it also opened my eyes to some experiences that Black (and) gay men go through often that aren’t part of my lived in experience. So I’m glad I read the book in that regard. On top of that, I’ve also learned a lot about the city of Detroit.
I loved how flawed and real each character was; and it made me feel connected to them all in some way or another. Also, their friendship dynamic felt natural and I liked reading about their conversations; they were extremely entertaining.
I will say going into this, I was expecting it to be more of a romance, but in the end, I’m glad this focused on each man’s individual journeys and their failed relationships. We got to see different types of relationships in this, like “situation-ships” and domestic abuse (I’m not making light of this, but it does play a significant role in one character’s storyline, so I thought it was worth mentioning).
My only technical issue with this was that, I wasn’t a fan of the perspective switches between first and third person. It did take me out of the story a bit in between POV changes.
Overall, this was such a great book and I hope to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
I loved how flawed and real each character was; and it made me feel connected to them all in some way or another. Also, their friendship dynamic felt natural and I liked reading about their conversations; they were extremely entertaining.
I will say going into this, I was expecting it to be more of a romance, but in the end, I’m glad this focused on each man’s individual journeys and their failed relationships. We got to see different types of relationships in this, like “situation-ships” and domestic abuse (I’m not making light of this, but it does play a significant role in one character’s storyline, so I thought it was worth mentioning).
My only technical issue with this was that, I wasn’t a fan of the perspective switches between first and third person. It did take me out of the story a bit in between POV changes.
Overall, this was such a great book and I hope to read more from this author in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
February 4, 2023
Described on the dustjacket as “a Sex and the City meets Waiting to Exhale about Millennial gay Black men,” this was the perfect mix of humor, romance and social commentary, which gave it an edge but never made things too serious.
Aaron Foley, a journalist making his literary debut, wrote an unabashedly gay story about three early 30s friends - Dominick (the Carrie), Remy (the Samantha) and Troy (the Charlotte) who are trying to find where they belong in an evolving Detroit.
The characters and city were written with reverence. Sure, there’s some madcap fun, dating hijinks and convenient conflict, but Foley eschewed lazy tropes and instead grounded the story in a level of realism that’s highly relatable for gay men of a certain age.
The novel started so strong that when it began to fall apart near the end I was crushed. It appears Foley didn’t really know how to wrap things up. The last 100-pages is a blur of subplots, tidy resolutions and throw away characters. It really began to feel like I was watching an episodic television series versus a contained story (unsurprisingly, the rights were recently optioned by Amazon Prime Video).
Criticisms aside, this is 100 percent worth the read if you’re looking for a palate cleanser, or are seeking perspectives of urban gay Black life outside of the coasts.
Aaron Foley, a journalist making his literary debut, wrote an unabashedly gay story about three early 30s friends - Dominick (the Carrie), Remy (the Samantha) and Troy (the Charlotte) who are trying to find where they belong in an evolving Detroit.
The characters and city were written with reverence. Sure, there’s some madcap fun, dating hijinks and convenient conflict, but Foley eschewed lazy tropes and instead grounded the story in a level of realism that’s highly relatable for gay men of a certain age.
The novel started so strong that when it began to fall apart near the end I was crushed. It appears Foley didn’t really know how to wrap things up. The last 100-pages is a blur of subplots, tidy resolutions and throw away characters. It really began to feel like I was watching an episodic television series versus a contained story (unsurprisingly, the rights were recently optioned by Amazon Prime Video).
Criticisms aside, this is 100 percent worth the read if you’re looking for a palate cleanser, or are seeking perspectives of urban gay Black life outside of the coasts.
May 30, 2022
5 Stars!
I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review!
Y’all I truly vibed with this read. This is a novel exploring the individual lives of three queer black friends from their love lives, their work lives, and their relationship with the city of Detroit. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was full of more close-to-home references. So many things that the characters thought and did felt like they really would act in real life. I had to remind myself this was fiction. There’s commentary on life as a Black person in a predominately white workspace, gentrification, the everyday struggles of being both black and queer, and so much more. It was all written with so much humor that I couldn’t help but croak laughing multiple times throughout. Mr. Aaron Foley hit this out the park for me!
I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review!
Y’all I truly vibed with this read. This is a novel exploring the individual lives of three queer black friends from their love lives, their work lives, and their relationship with the city of Detroit. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that was full of more close-to-home references. So many things that the characters thought and did felt like they really would act in real life. I had to remind myself this was fiction. There’s commentary on life as a Black person in a predominately white workspace, gentrification, the everyday struggles of being both black and queer, and so much more. It was all written with so much humor that I couldn’t help but croak laughing multiple times throughout. Mr. Aaron Foley hit this out the park for me!
October 30, 2024
I know a young woman, who I won’t name here, who reads 100+ fantasy romance novels on her phone per year. I always wondered how this was possible - and what purpose these books served within her life. reading this book finally allowed me to feel what she feels - to have empathy, as all good literature moves us to do. I’ve never read a book that so throughly regulated my nervous system. sure, none of the characters grew whatsoever in the first 280/300 pages, and when they did, it made no sense. yes, the strongest scenes were so raunchy that I cannot detail them here. is it absolutely true that the “romance” the main characters find in the end is ultimately with deadbeats they knew from high school? yes. but in its spectacular simulation of my perception of reality, this book made me feel so held, and for that, there’s nothing left to say besides thank you.
October 3, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. It was super fun and witty. The dialogue between these group of friends is what truly makes the story. I loved how the main characters, Remy, Dominick and Troy were all on a exploration of love, happiness and plain ol' living life. I was somewhat taken aback and pleased to know that men, like women, have trouble finding and keeping a good man! So this is proof that men can be ... (you fill in the blank) and that me, as a woman, isn't crazy, as I too venture to not find, but keep that love going with a man.
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