I liked this book. The characters are interesting and amusing. Some of them are stereotypes, especially one of the mothers, but she was also funny.
Basically this is a story about a woman accepting that her son is gay and he is marrying another man. The story was told with a sense of humor but also described serious turning points for the family, particularly an incident of bigotry and vandalism. I found the mother's reactions to the church very interesting and well-written.
This book would make an good selection for an adult book club. There are plenty of topics to spark a lively discussion.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful look at coming out, being out, and dealing with family that needs to get out. Barnett and Ezra are fabulous, and their families encompass so much of what makes us love and hate family, all while struggling to balance love and loyalty. A true exploration of walls keeping people out, and boundaries showing people how to find the door.

This is a fantastic story, written in a style that wasn’t my cup of tea. I wanted to like it so much more than I did, but it just dragged on too long. I struggled with the awkward third-person present tense, making what should have been a quick read, a bit of a slog, but I laughed out loud and carried on.

A son living in LA, his ‘Being Gay for Dummies’ book burned by his dad in junior year. A mom who’s never acknowledged her son’s sexuality, hoping the same son will return home. Forever. Then the son announces he’s getting married. To a man.

Big Gay Wedding is a story you start reading and don’t really know what to expect. Will it be absurd and almost over the top? Will it be heartfelt? Will it be gayer than gay? Well, let me tell you that the writing felt a little like Anxious People by Fredrik Backman meets The Guncle by Steven Rowley. The latter might not be accidental because Byron Lane and Steven Rowley are a couple. And just like The Guncle, this book has hilarious moments. Tear-streaked ones. And, of course, all layered with rainbow glitter.

I loved the mom-son relationship, the way Chrissy slowly acknowledges that Barnett is gay and starts supporting him unconditionally, no matter what. I cherished Paw-Paw’s comparison of squirrels (celebrated) and rats (shunned) to heterosexual and gay people. I liked that the book (written in third person present tense) focuses more on Chrissy than on Barnett. I simply adored sweet cinnamon roll Ezra. And that wedding ceremony was magical. So many times, a smile danced on my face, and at other times I laughed out loud.

But I have to be honest. There were things I liked a little less. Sometimes the story was a bit too much for me. And now I’m in doubt. Do I rate this book four stars because I think the current average on Goodreads is way too low? Or do I rate the story three stars because it was a bit over the top?

Well, the decision is made, I’m going for the first and give this book a glorious four stars because I actually enjoyed reading it, and that smile just won’t leave my face, even with the occasional lump in my throat.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for this copy of Big Gay Wedding. Having fallen madly in love with Byron Lane’s hilarious and heartfelt debut novel A Star is Bored, Big Gay Wedding immediately became one of my most anticipated reads of 2023. It not only lived up to my expectations, but caught me off guard in unexpected ways.

BGW centers around Barnett Durang returning home to visit his mother Chrissy and the farm where he grew up. His childhood is examined and unraveled over time in memories both good and bad. Barnett is gay and although he is out to his mother, it’s not something they talk about openly or often. Chrissy is nothing if not a mama from the south - polite above anything else, planning to enjoy Barnett’s visit without much fanfare and hoping she can talk him into making the move permanent. There’s just a few problems: Barnett is really visiting because he’s getting married to a man and he wants to have the wedding at Polite Society Ranch.

As Barnett’s groom, relatives and friends descend upon the small Louisiana town, Chrissy is put between some unpainted rocks and a hard place - the near impossible task to change her mind and expand her heart, or risk losing her son altogether. The narrative zips around to a myriad of characters, but mostly stays rooted to both Chrissy and Barnett as they negotiate the next step of their relationship amidst the chaos of a surprise wedding.

Much of the plot is light and fluffy, occasionally drifting into silliness, but finding its strong footing in the quiet and the poignant moments between mother and son. Byron Lane has such a point of view and the entertaining cast of characters seem at times like they conga-lined right out of the party in his mind onto the page. The novel is split up into seven parts, all opened with amusing passages from Mrs. Jeannie Laffite’s Undisputed Guide to Respectable Southern Nuptials. In the end I found myself reminded that the things that connect us and bring us together are stronger than what divides us, that time is the ultimate facilitator of growth (it sure does go by too fast) and of course – that every wedding should be at least a little bit GAY.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.

Big Gay Wedding is a total comedy for me. The writing style is very expressive, adding more drama to the story. I mean who doesn.t enjoy drama. Can't wait to see the cover for this book.

Recieved this as a netgalley arc and honestly i expected to like this a little more? I was thinking hijinks and comedy-centric drama, kinda like my big fat greek wedding? But? That was not here. Granted this was about a big gay wedding, it had alot of moments of bonding but like? the entire thing with the moms just kept dragging on and on.
All in all, not awful <3