I think I wasn't the right audience for this book. I was drawn to the cover art and title and curious to learn more about polyamory. This is my second book on polyamory and I think it's just not for me. The writing was one-sided and I am thinking that if I could have had more perspective from other characters I might have liked this more.

Thanks for the advanced reader copy Netgalley.

Middle Spoon did not catch my attention. I struggled getting into it and ended up not finishing it completely. I'm not sure what about it didn't catch my attention, so I apologize that this feedback may be vague. I might pick it up another time and give it another try in the future. Thank you for approving this ARC for me to check out. It was much appreciated.

The writing is smart, energetic, modern and at first I really loved the epistolary style, but over time it became quite tedious and I struggled with how one sided the entire story was I wanted some contrast or opposition and it never came so it got a bit exhausting being in only one person pain on one side of a relationship.

★★★★ A tender, messy, beautifully honest read

I really liked this one. Middle Spoon is funny, sad, and full of sharp observations about relationships, queerness, and the weirdness of modern life. The whole thing is written as a series of unsent emails from a man reflecting on a past relationship, and while that format might sound limiting, it actually works really well. It feels intimate—like you’re reading someone’s diary, but with better jokes.

Varela’s writing is smart and warm, and he doesn’t shy away from the complicated stuff: love, grief, parenting, polyamory, identity. The narrator is flawed and self-aware, and I appreciated how honest he was about his mistakes. Some parts dragged a little for me, and I occasionally wished for more structure, but overall, I found it moving and thought-provoking.

If you’re into character-driven stories that explore love in all its messy forms, this one’s worth picking up.

This epistolary novel was especially intriguing to me as I am the "Ben" in my family. I was at times taken out of the story by the narrator's hot takes and diatribes on society (graphic novels aren't really reading? Mmk) but over all I really enjoyed this story cleverly laid out in breakup letters and anecdotes. This relationship structure isn't widely represented, and in the few times it is, it's not done respectfully or authentically. This novel is the exception that I hope becomes the rule in the future. Thank you to Alejandro Varela for the beautiful representation of modern life in a messy yet heartfelt relationships.

The synopsis was very misleading. This novel is structured in email form. I feel like that particular format ruined my reading enjoyment for me. I was expecting dialogue and a tighter composition. I like novels that have a classic and timeless feel and this one certainly did not. I couldn’t immerse myself in the story because there isn’t one. The emails were grating and tiresome. I pretty skimmed the last half. Not my cup of tea. Very disappointing and not marketed properly.

This book had a really interesting format that I wasn’t sure how I was going to like, but after some time with it, the letters became comforting and made it easy to connect with the narrator. This story made for a thoughtful experience on grief, polyamory, and queer identity. I loved it so much and would definitely read this author again!

This was hard for me to get through unfortunately because the main character was insufferable, but it wasn't poorly written by any means. The format being emails he's written and basically just his internal monologue with no dialogue or perspective from other characters amplified my issues with him. While I didn't disagree with his side tangents about NYC rent or equity issues, I don't think they added to the story and came off as pretentious, especially from his current position. And the letters to the Oscars, DSNY!!!, etc were unnecessary. He would also call his friends to talk about his breakup constantly and ignored their actual issues and somehow made it about his self-pity every time (friend in the hospital? Wrongly targeted by police?)

If this was intentional to make you dislike the main character then it would've done a great job, but I don't think that was the intent of the book and it was at odds with having readers consider polyamory and queering relationships in a sympathetic light. The aspects about polyamory with "coming out" and logistics were more interesting but it would've been a better balance for me to see the perspective from his husband, kids, and Ben. I just don't think Ben is poly and that's fine, but the main character claims Ben needs him to be happy, so also yikes.

I kept comparing this in my mind to Good Material which also had a self-absorbed man dealing with a breakup but he was still sympathetic at moments, and the book had enough flashbacks, dialogue with other characters, and some of the ex's perspective to create a balance that didn't make me dread picking it up.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was quite compelling. Written entirely in letters, Middle Spoon follows a narrator who is grappling at once with the absence of and the discomfort of their polyamorous third. In a lot of ways the narrator reminded me of that of All Fours with their heightened emotions and perpetual dissatisfaction. I found the story both engrossing and frustrating, much like the experiences of the characters. I would love to know what happens longterm to this triad.

Thank you for this early copy!

I wish the description had mentioned that this was an epistolary story. That took me out of it at the beginning of the book, but I quickly fell into rhythm with the narrator. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's sharp, witty, and has a lot of smart and interesting things to say about modern dating dynamics, especially in queer spaces. I did, however, think the social and political tangents weren't propelling the story forward. While I was agreeing with pretty much everything that our narrator was commenting on, I didn't feel it was necessary for the book and felt out of place amidst the very vulnerable emails he was writing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for the advanced reader copy.

Alejandro Varela's novel sounded right up my alley, but this was one I couldn't get through. Epistolary novels are very hard to pull off, which was something already working against this book, but the voice of the main narrator was overwhelming and beyond pretentious. I struggled to get through the first quarter of the book and tried to finish, since I was given the opportunity to review an ARC, but there are too many books out there for me to slog through one that wasn't for me.

Did not finish book. Stopped at 10%.
I was intrigued by the structure of the book being in letters but unfortunately it's just not working for me. I keep being reminded that I'm reading a book and can't get absorbed into it since way too much of the letters is only there for the reader and doesn't feel natural at all for the narrator to include.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

Our unnamed narrator is reeling from a breakup. To process this loss, he writes Ben, the younger boyfriend that dumped him, dozens of emails chronicling his days and his feelings. Our narrator seems to have it all—a loving husband and children, home in NYC, fulfilling job—and it still isn’t enough. His petty thoughts and preoccupations made me giggle. I enjoyed this for the most part, though I did think it went on for a little too long. There is a lighthearted, hopeful tone throughout even though many of the emails cover serious topics. I would have liked a different ending and, overall, I had a good time reading this.

Thank you to Viking and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

This book is hilarious with such a warm, beating heart. The narrator is messy but lovable, and as he spirals you can't help but root for him to come through the other side unscathed.

Middle Spoon is a beautifully layered exploration of queer identity, grief, and emotional restraint. Told through unsent emails, Varela crafts an intimate portrait of a man who’s learning how to confront vulnerability without apology. The narrative structure feels both confessional and controlled—like reading someone’s diary with their reluctant permission.

Varela writes with sharp social insight, especially when tackling class dynamics, polyamory, and the cultural expectations that shape love and family. At times, the book feels like it’s whispering secrets only meant for those who know how to listen. It’s not flashy, but it cuts deep.

This is for readers who enjoy slow-burn literary fiction, character-driven storytelling, and quiet emotional revelations. A thoughtful and rewarding read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was a most enjoyable read and I was actually laughing at many parts. There are some heart wrenching moments too but I must say the plot is genius either way. A man has a husband, kids, but also a younger boyfriend. When he’s dumped he absolutely spirals and basically what reads as letters to his ex, provide us a look into his mindset. There are many relatable tidbits in this book which makes it such an endearing read.

I really enjoyed the parts of this book that were about polyamory and how it fits into modern society. Where it fell short for me were the exhausting rants about subjects such as equality and equity, the Oscars, public health, and the New York City rental market. These tangents didn’t really propel the story forward and made me wonder why anyone would be in a relationship with a man as neurotic and unhinged as the narrator. Whenever we got back to the main character’s relationship with his husband, his children, and Ben, I was engrossed and interested in what I assumed to be the main theme of the book.

Thank you to Viking Penguin and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An epistolary (do we have a word for this yet if it's emails and texts?) novel of a married gay man pining away for his lover after a particularly nasty breakup. A very modern poly LGBTQIA+ story. While I absolutely fell in love with the anxious, heartbroken narrator, after a while, it got just too internal for me. I have tons of my own anxieties, I don't know how much time I want to spend swirling around in the head of someone even more neurotic. But the feelings conjured here are very, very real and thought-provoking.

I was excited to read this because I loved the author’s previous book, The Town of Babylon. Middle Spoon was not at all what I expected and is written entirely in drafted emails. Nearly all of the emails are to the narrator’s significantly younger ex-boyfriend. He has a currently husband and family, and seems to be largely ignoring them while he writes fake emails. We’re led to believe he has written hundreds of pages in the days/weeks after the breakup, many of which he is explaining events that happened between him and the ex, to the ex. The narrator’s thoughts are insufferable to follow, wallowing in self-pity, and going off into rambling tangents of his thoughts on pop music, who should’ve won what Oscar, etc. This was a chore for me to finish and I wouldn’t recommend.