Read if you: Want some thought-provoking essays about being Filipino-American, an immigrant, and gay.

Matt Ortile's essays run the gamut from immigrating to the US from the Philippines, growing up in Las Vegas, attending Vassar, his early career in New York, and dating. The dark and troublesome colonial history of the Philippines and their later period of dictatorships is also an important theme throughout the book; quite an eye-opener if you're not familiar with it.

Librarians and booksellers: Purchase if essay collections, especially those dealing with intersectionality, are popular.

Many thanks to Perseus Books/PublicAffairs and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

"The Groom Will Keep His Name" by Matt Ortile is a truly fantastic book. The general description is that this a book about a gay Filipino man's experiences moving to America, being raised in Las Vegas, moving to New York state for college, and his post-grad life in NYC, but it is so much more than that, It expertly weaves in Filipino history and culture, LGBT+ history, social justice, current events/politics, immigrant experiences, family history, and the oft overlooked experiences of people of color in America. Also, I love reading about Ortile's relationship with his mother who was his ally at every step of his life. I am looking forward to future publications by this author.

I expected to like this book more than I did. The author is definitely intelligent and the book is definitely worth a read.

What an incredible debut for Matt Ortile. The Groom Will Keep His Name will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think. I love every second of it.

Through its pages, Ortile's work unpacks what it means to be part of intersecting—and sometimes conflicting—identities and communities and the struggle to find oneself in the midst of them. All of his essays were strong, but two of my favorites were those on his construction of the Vassar Girl and his complicated, evolving views on marriage. And while Ortile is obviously speaking to his own experiences, his work is as much about coming of age in this particular era and not really knowing what you're doing in the process.

Such a beautiful book.

An excellent memoir. Ortile tells his story in a way that makes him feel like you're friends. Especially appreciated his pieces on the marriage industrial complex.