Hmm, I somewhat liked it but I never finished it, which probably means I didn't enjoy it as much. I liked the writing, although some of the descriptions of the sex scenes are not for the fainthearted. I did find the family dynamics quite interesting though. Maybe I should have tried a bit harder to finish it, but sometimes it just doesn't happen.

Wow. This was such An emotional read that will have your feelings on a roller coaster. Lawrence is a black man in his early 40 who is also gay. This book tells his story from his abuse as a child from family and the church until now. Be careful if you choose to read this book, only because it contains several triggers. There are also some life lessons that are sprinkled throughout the story.

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Is literary fiction featuring queer characters my new favorite very specific book genre? After reading this, I think so.

It’s giving me Less by Andrew Sean Greer vibes, but our main character isn’t quite so white nor quite so lucky. He’s not beautiful, and his struggles aren’t the same at all, but he’s real. You’ll just trust me on this one!

The Freed Church Boy follows Lawrence, a black gay man in his early 40s who has lost his way spiritually after enduring a childhood growing up in a homophobic Christian household. He’s unhappy and lonely and realizing that things in his life may just need changing when a tragedy brings his estranged family back into his life forcing him to really consider how his friendships, sexuality, religion, and family and how to find his happiness in all of it.

I felt for the main character as if this was my own story. The author does a fantastic job of bringing you into his character’s life- this experience isn’t my own but it was so endearingly relatable that I couldn’t put this book down once I started. My favorite books are ones that make me laugh and ones that make me feel something, and I really felt something.

Trigger Warnings: homophobic language, religious abuse, sexual assault attempt, past suicide attempt, domestic abuse (side character)