Title: Jay’s Gay Agenda
Author: Jason June
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication date: June 1, 2021
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org | Book Depository | Goodreads | StoryGraph
Summary
As the only out gay kid in his small Washington town, Jay feels kind of lonely. Statistically, he knows that there should at least be one other out person somewhere in his high school. But no dice. When his parents announce that they’re moving to Seattle, he’s over the moon. He’ll finally get to connect with other LGBTQ+ people and feel like he’s a part of a community.
Before he moves, Jay makes a list of romance firsts he wants to have when he’s in Seattle. However, as he starts crossing things off his list, things start to get complicated. He’ll have to make decisions between his hormones and his heart. And hope that he makes the right choice in the end.
Review: Jay’s Gay Agenda
Thanks to HarperTeen and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this to review! I was looking for something fun to read to ring in June, and this was the perfect thing. A sex-positive gay rom-com perfect to kick off your Pride reading lists!
What I liked about this is the way that you can feel Jay’s emotions throughout this book. June does a great job writing his emotions and the way he reacts to everything. It feels real and authentic and I think it will resonate with a lot of teens. Jay fumbles his way through a lot of romantic firsts in a very teenage way.
The supporting characters also take the show in this book, especially Max. There’s a lot of diverse representation throughout, and there’s just as much emphasis on platonic relationships as there is romantic. There’s so much to love about the ways these characters interact.
The main reason this didn’t get five stars is because the book gets a bit repetitive at times, with the lists. COVID is also mentioned once, so it’s not really clear if that’s going on here? Maybe it will be taken out in the final copy.
All in all, if you’re looking for a funny, light-hearted gay summer romance, definitely check out this book!
4/5 stars
[…] In Jay’s Gay Agenda, Jay finally gets the chance to interact with other people from the LGBTQ+ community when his family moves to Seattle. But soon he’ll have to choose between his heart and his hormones. While the main character isn’t trans in this, the author is! And there are secondary characters that are, too. […]