Welcome back again! Today I’m posting my extremely late stop on the Ultimate Blog Tour, Straight Expectations by Calum McSwiggan. Thanks to the ever suffering Dave and the crew from The Write Reads for inviting me along and the publisher for the digital book.
Seventeen-year-old Max has always been out, proud and just a little spoiled. Frustrated by the lack of romantic options in his small-town high school, during an argument with his lifelong best friend Dean, Max lashes out and says he wishes he had never been born gay.
Max gets more than he bargained for when he wakes up to find his wish has come true – not only have his feelings for boys vanished, but so has Dean.
With his school life turned upside down and his relationship with his family in tatters, Max sets out on a journey of rediscovery to find a way back to the life he took for granted, and the romance he thought he’d never have.
Straight Expectations was a book I automatically knew I would love, just from the cover. It is written by an author I am unfamiliar with, Calum McSwiggan. So I just kept my mind open and dived straight in.
I had such fun reading this book. I almost read the entire book in one go! I was totally invested in Max. He made me want to give him a big hug, so cute. I found that when I finished reading it, I was still thinking about it. The fact that in a slight way Max does make me think of my son. He is Trans but at his age, he has made it clear he wants to be called a different name than his birth one. We do this if it makes him happy. What Max experiences is something I could see my son wishing. This had Max tugging on my heartstrings.
I thought his friendship with Dean was fabulous! They cracked me up all the way. The characters as a whole were a colourful mix, each vivid enough for me to picture. They were all so different and unique in their own ways, too.
Altogether a fun and relevant book. Max’s story will, I am sure, will connect with many gay children or trans children. I certainly enjoyed reading this tale of friendships and self identity and how to learn to love yourself along the way.
Links
Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ordinary-Boy-Calum-McSwiggan/dp/0241551145
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61335651-straight-expectations
Author Bio
Calum McSwiggan is a British YouTuber, blogger, and online radio presenter. Calum creates video content on LGBT+ issues, mental health, and sex and relationships. He began creating YouTube videos in 2013 and began hosting The Calum McSwiggan Show on Fubar Radio in 2017.
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