I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
This book starts with balls so if you aren't comfortable reading about sex, gay sex and STIs, then this probably isn't the book for you. If you are fine with drag queens, gender-bending, and lots of fashion, then you will enjoy this romp through Daniel's mind and journal as he tries to figure out who he is years after coming out. I see where the comparison to Bridget Jones' Diary come out with the diary/journal-keeping and the "putting their foot in their mouth" often as they veer between being the quiet, unobtrusive friend and then the loud, in your face heckler, but I think this book can stand on it's' own two feet just like Daniel in the end.

Understanding who you are and embracing how you fit in the world around you comprise two parts of the same whole, yet it may be difficult to fully unify them, as seen throughout Henry Fry’s First Time for Everything.

Danny Scudd has been living a version of a life he dreamed about when he was younger in a small town: he moved to London and became a journalist; while he’s got a career writing mostly superficial stories for a culture app and a relationship, albeit it with an aloof and pretentious man, everything is not necessarily all well. While visiting a local clinic, Danny learns that Tobbs might have been sleeping with other men throughout their relationship and when Danny musters up the courage to talk about it with him, Tobbs claims they weren’t functioning under a heteronormative paradigm in the first place. Reeling from this revelation, Danny is then hit with the news that his flatmates want him to move out so they can properly start their family. Newly single and looking for somewhere to live, with his many houseplants and Dolly Parton vinyls, Danny moves in with his best friend since childhood, Jacob, a striking nonbinary artist with incredible fashion, who lives with a group of other artistic individuals in East London. Meeting this collective, Danny begins a new journey of discovering who he is through therapy, experiences of modern queer life alongside his housemates, and new adventures in dating, but soon realizes that he really hasn’t been honest with himself about who he is and his sexuality, fracturing some friendships along the way, especially as his behavior dangerously careens from one extreme to another throughout his exploration of his authentic self.

Diving right in with a scene depicting intimate details at the clinic, a tone of blunt honesty is set for the narrative that swiftly moves through the string of messes that pop up in Danny’s life. Though the text addresses some heavier topics around identity and mental health, there are plenty of moments of humor and witty lines of dialogue in this exploration of self that is open about hardships faced while navigating and attempting to authentically participate in a world not built for you, which many readers will likely find relatable. There were many characters in Danny’s life and orbit who didn’t feel as deeply developed out as they could have been, which left them feeling a bit more stereotypical than satisfyingly nuanced, particularly in comparison with Danny and Jacob in this character-driven story. Some of Danny’s behavior felt overly performative or try-hard and was undoubtedly self-centered while he was in a rather childlike state of discovery and self-realization, which while understandable in his moment of delayed growth was frustrating as it was clear to readers how his behavior impacted those around him, even if he wasn’t able, or willing, to see it.

Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying that I think this book was well written. It was not for me, though. Danny is a gay man in London trying to make it as a journalist. His life isn't what he expected and when the straight couple he lives with get pregnant they asked him to move out. That same day he gets dumped by his boyfriend. Left with few options he moves in with his best friend Jacob. They are nongender conforming and quite extravagant. Danny feels quite unsure about moving into the house that Jacob shares with three other queer individuals.

I normally enjoy quirky characters but I didn't really like Danny. For much of the novel he was trying to hard and a times cruel as a result. Jacob is a great character but we only know him through Danny. The humor in this novel mostly didn't work for me. I think that some of this was there were just to many references I did not understand. I'm not sure if this was due to the novel being set in London and I'm in the US or more that this is not my community. Whatever the case, I just didn't really connect. I did at times like characters but I can honestly say that I wouldn't want be friends with any of these people.

I did enjoy parts of the book, and as I said it was well written. Danny goes through quite a transformation and it was interesting to see. I liked how the book didn't shy away from mental health issues and really showed how anxiety can affect someone. However, I did start to feel like everything was a little stereotyped at the midway point. What I did like about it was the character arc of our characters. I wanted to like this book but it was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A heartfelt story with a wonderful message.

This is such heartfelt story. The book starts with some laugh out loud chapters and then takes you into a three month transformational journey of a young gay man in London.

I loved the funny storytelling and cherished the deeply emotional perspective of falling in love and coping with life and family as your grow into an adult.

This story was so brave and honest and heartfelt. Such real portrayal of someone living with anxiety. It’s grabbed my heart more than I expected because I read this as a straight married mother. But I also read it thinking of my youth- an artist that grew up with gay best friends since we were young kids. I couldn’t help but want to run back to our younger years and hug my besties for their bravery and all they were going through.

Sigh— And Balls! I loved Danny and Jacob so much, I hope there’s a follow up. I learned so much from this story and feel grateful for the opportunity to hang out with this colorful rainbow bright cast of characters.

DNF: 45%

It was a difficult decision for me to DNF this novel. I was contacted by Penguin Random House’s marketing team to read this ARC novel; but, at the end of the day, I don’t think I was the right audience for this novel. Regardless of how much I read, I do have a few thoughts on what I did experience.

I will admit, there are moments in this book where the writing style and comedy truly shine. For instance, the first chapter was hilarious, and I genuinely laughed out loud (although the phrase “boggy balls” will be something I won’t forget, no matter how hard I try). Henry Fry has a great instinct for knowing when to draw out the comedy and when to back off from it, which is something to admire from a writer's perspective.

Another strength of this novel was the representation in anxiety in Danny, our main character. Mental health journeys are plots that I love to see in a book, as it can explain some character behaviors, motivations, and really steer their character development. Anxiety can alter a person’s personality negatively, which was what we saw in Danny. While I found the anxiety representation to be great, I did struggle with Danny’s characterization at the beginning because of the second-hand embarrassment I felt over his actions. While his self-centered worldview sets him up for development later in the story, his character wasn’t compelling enough for me to see his story through to the end.

I also appreciated the author tackling some difficult cultural/societal issues. That was refreshing to see, as there were actual debates about subjects in the book. All of these issues (from pronoun use, to gay rights) are topics that I am somewhat familiar with but I am by no means a scholar on the topics. It was interesting to see the different sides of the debate within the LGBTQIA+ community.

Although, I had a tough time overlooking some of my personal writing pet peeves, which made it hard for me to continue reading this book. For example, there are a few moments (mainly, in chapter two), where Danny breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to the reader. That is a narrative mode I have never enjoyed, as I prefer sinking into the character’s head and experiences. Having the main character talk directly to the reader took me out of the novel and I never found my stride after it.

I also found it difficult to bridge the sheer cultural differences from reading a British novel. While I am a fan of British pop culture, but it was difficult at times to get through some of the conversations. There was a definite disconnect between myself, as an American, and the British colloquialisms used in this text.

I would also like to note that I’m not a huge fan of character-driven plots, which this novel is. If you are also someone who struggles with character-driven plots, I’m not sure that this novel would be for you.

Overall, I do think there is an audience for this book out there. This book has great representation, humor, and a character journey that is sure to deliver. I just needed to experience a little less second-hand embarrassment and more development before the 45% mark.

TW: anxiety, homophobia

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Henry Fry's debut novel, First Time for Everything is a coming of age story centered around Danny (Daniel) Scudd, a gay male in his late 20s. Having just been dumped by who he thought was his boyfriend and on the edge of being homeless—things aren’t going to so great. This leads Danny living with his best friend, Jacob, who truly is his saving grace. However, this isn’t the end of bad news as he begins to unravel and deal with both his internalized homophobia and identity. During this time, revelations and mistakes are made and new relationships are formed and the old are stretched to their limits–all of which at times felt a bit overwhelming. Danny goes through a lot in this book and yet after finishing, I can’t bring myself to like him at all. I understand his circumstances and perspective, but still can’t quite get over some of the actions he takes throughout the story. There were so many times I couldn’t stand him at all, but I kept going because I was invested in his story and especially for Jacob. Regardless of my feelings on Danny, I think the topics and themes covered in this story are important and necessary–which made it worthwhile. First Time For Everything was surely a ride I’m not sure I would’ve picked if I knew exactly what I was getting into, but I am glad that I did. I give First Time for Everything a solid 3.5/5. I look forward to what Henry will release next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Fry for the arc.

This book has a wonderful message that is important for all of us. It was well written and has a good pace. It was a refreshing reading for me. It’s a heartfelt story that will make you laugh and cry. Easy read.

I was a bit intimidated by the beginning of this book.

Ever since watching the music video for TLC’s “Waterfalls”, I haven’t liked stories of people getting AIDS. So when I read in the description of this book that “a visit to the local clinic reveals that [the main character’s ex boyfriend] might not have been exactly faithful”, every bone in my body hoped I wasn’t walking into another story about AIDS.

That’s the first thing I want to point out in this review. At no point does the main character get HIV. In fact, most of the STD plotline of this book fades into the background early on, to the point that I kind of forgot this book started with an STD scare.

I actually really disliked the first 25% of this book. I found the characters exhausting and overdramatic, and the humor seemed like it was only funny for being unexpected. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with this main character, who I could only describe as being a “doormat” with how much he let people walk all over him.

But I can appreciate how rough the beginning of this book is, as it sets the foundation the main character grows on.

By around the 25-30% mark (which is also the beginning of part two of this book), the main character goes to therapy. This greatly improves both his character and story as he learns to focus on himself and how he wants to exist in the world, rather than how others want him to exist.

Of course, we have our asshole moment, where the main character messes up (a lot). But my favorite thing about these kinds of stories is how no matter how much the main character messes up, they still have a support system who is there to step in when needed.

I did find by the end of this book that I generally liked the characters I said I “hated” at the beginning. First Time For Everything does a good job at tearing apart the black and white to show off the shades of grey in every character’s story.

Ultimately, though, I just don’t think this story was “for me”. I like stories with this sort of plot featuring characters trying to figure out their place in society and messing up along the way, but this story was a bit too heavy for my tastes. I can understand the people who would absolutely love this book just as much as the people who absolutely hate this book, but I am left unable to think of the type of person I would recommend this book to.

Danny Scudd is having a pretty disastrous week. First he ends up at the health clinic because he's pretty darn sure he has a std or cancer or something equally as terrifying. Next his long time friend/land lord tells him he needs to find a new place to live asap and lastly not only does his boyfriend dump him but he learns this monogamous relationship was only monogamous on his side. His anxiety attacks are growing by the minute and he's feeling really lost. Luckily his long time bestie, Jacob, swoops in and lets him stay at his place, The Centerfold, "because The Commune wasn't catchy." The Centerfold is full of an amazing mix of artists who become the support system Danny didn't know he needed.

At the mandatory requirement from Jacob, Danny starts seeing a therapist. He's never given much thought to what causes his anxiety, only thats it's been happening since he was a kid after being outed at school. With the help of his therapist and new flatmates, Danny goes on quite the personal journey of figuring out who he really is vs pretending to be what he thinks others want, navigating the queer dating world, and trying to level up his career so he is no longer embarrassed of the content the company he works for creates.

First Time for Everything is a very honest and touching coming of age story about someone who is a little late to the party. The writing was sincere but also humorous and I loved all the references to some of my favorite movies/shows: Clueless, Empire Records, Buffy and I'm pretty there was a Mean Girl reference as well. I loved how different all the characters were but that they still all had heart even if it was hard to see at times. Henry Fry did such a great job on Danny's character, there was times I saw myself in him, others I wanted to smack him upside the head and ending with wishing I could give him a hug and a big ol' high five. First Time for Everything is an incredible debut novel that I would highly recommend to anyone and especially those who would like a better understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the
gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There really is a first time for everything as this is my first read on my Kindle. Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC ebook!

First Time for Everything by Henry Fry is a story of truest finding yourself and where you belong. Danny is fresh from a break up, getting evicted, and generally just lost after his world has been flipped.

I thoroughly enjoyed this ebook ARC. It was well thought out and had lots of really enjoyable moments. It is a must read for anyone who feels lost, especially in the queer community.

First Time for Everything is out on May 10, 2022!

Is it weird to DNF a book because of the second chapter starts odd and I didn't like it? A few reviewers have comped it as a gay Bridget Jones and would make that chapter 2 opening worth it if it were done in diary format.

DNF for now, maybe? This isn't a bad thing on the part of the writer, I may just not be in the mood.

The rating is only for the fact that I have to leave a star rating.

There is a reason why Bridget Jones is quoted as the epigraph on this book! If you like Bridget Jones vibes, this is an absolute must-read. FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING is a contemporary look at a reserved, inexperienced gay man's life in London as he navigates his first boyfriend, his wild best friend, his toxic workplace, and his growing anxiety. It is a raw but fun book that would be perfect for a vacation read.

Danny has finally made it out of his small town and living the dream in London, but it just doesn't feel right. First of all, his boyfriend may be cheating on him. Secondly, his journalism career isn't exactly what he envisioned. He's lucky to have a best friend in Jacob, but sometimes even that relationship has tension. As we watch Danny navigate this queer lifestyle he's always wanted, we also watch in heartbreak as we learn that not everything as is rosy as it seems. I thought this was a good read, though I wasn't always compelled to pick it up and dive back in. I felt for Danny and his band of colorful friends, but wasn't completely blown away.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballatine Books for an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel.

Danny Scudd, a 27-year-old gay man living in London, is having a life crisis. He finds out his boyfriend of a year didn't see their relationship as exclusive and he becomes homeless in the same day. Danny has spent his life uncomfortable in his own skin and dreamt of escaping his provincial town with his working class parents, who run a fish and chips shop. His lifelong friendship with childhood non-binary performance artist Jacob is put under stress as Danny tries to figure out his place in the world.

LGBTQ+ issues, power/agency in relationships, found families, and self-worth are all tackled in this interesting story. It was an easy read although sad at times. I really liked Nina, Danny's therapist, as well as Jacob, Danny's best friend. I hope this finds the audience who needs to read this.

This is a book with a wonderful message that I can easily see being important for many people. Frustratingly I am not the reader to truly appreciate it. So many people seem to find It hilarious but the humor largely escaped me and I found the characters more representations of a type then fleshed out, real seeming individuals. I liked Danny’s journey of self discovery and the book has a lot to say. I hope it finds a better audience than I turned out to be.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Danny is really fun to read about the story isn't always upbeat but eventually it does again it was really fun to read thanks

This book started out *so* promisingly, and I was sure it was going to be a new favorite. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm completely dropped off at about 25%. The writing became less impressive and fun as the plot stood at a complete standstill; I really wasn't into the way it takes 20% of the entire book just to get through abut 24 hours of the main characters day. The humor also stopped landing for me, and getting through the pages started to feel a bit tedious. I think there will be an audience that will love this book, but unfortunately it just isn't me.

In The First Time for Everything by Henry Fry, Danny Scudd is a 27 year old gay man who is going through a transitional period in his life. He is kicked out of his apartment and finds out his partner has not been monogamous on the same day. He is broken hearted and upset. His best friend Jacob, a non binary artist comes to his rescue and invites him to live in their house with an assortment of roommates. The novel covers Danny's rise from the ashes of his former life and his mental health journey as he discovers who he really is as person, as opposed to who he presents himself to be.

This was an interesting perspective on life and although I wasn't fond of Danny, Jacob was amazing, as were some of his other friends in the house. Language was a bit rough and there are many English colloquialisms that I didn't know or understand as an American. I feel this will have a very limited audience due to popular references that are already a bit out of date and the specific English idioms. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Let me start by saying that this book is really good. It was well written, the pace was good, it was witty and hilarious.

This is Danny Scudd’s story, he is a queer man in search of himself and his place in the world. He is 27 and has a boyfriend, but finds his relationship unfulfilling and finds out he hasn’t been faithful, so he becomes single and homeless; he moves with his friend Jacob and that’s when he starts his journey.

Sometimes I felt overwhelmed by the abundance of side characters and lost track of what was happening because I couldn’t pick up who was saying what.

I liked this book because it can be relatable to many people as they struggle to navigate life and learn who you are. On a personal level I could relate to some situations and couldn’t to others, I don’t typically go for this kind of books and it was really refreshing to have a change.

This is a funny and heart-warming novel. Danny's life in London is not quite what he expected, but is not bad either. When he left his small hometown, he expected to have a glamorous life, with a great boyfriend, a glamorous media job, his own apartment, and a big group of friends. Instead, Danny is dating someone who seems, at best, ambivalent about Danny and who, it turns out has not been faithful. Danny has a journalism-adjacent job. And he is living with his high school friend and her boyfriend, who are kicking him out as they are about to have a baby.

After breaking up with his boyfriend and moving in with his other high school friend in an East London commune, These prompt Danny to start reinventing his life -- re-examining his approach to love, friendship, and work, exploring new relationships, and working on his own mental health and some issues that he has not really confronted. On this journey of self-discovery, Danny realizes just how much he has to learn about himself.

This is an insightful examination of the struggles and high points about this stage of life, alternatively funny and heart-breaking. Highly recommended!