A review of GOLDEN BOYS by Phil Stamper.
Put on those sunglasses, your book future is bright. GOLDEN BOYS by Phil Stamper is radiant with sunshine, self-reflection, and friendship. Told from multiple perspectives, the book covers the stories of four queer best friends as they leave their rural Ohio town for opportunities in D.C., Boston, Paris, and Daytona Beach, the summer before their senior year. There is no more perfect pick for YA in June! GOLDEN BOYS will warm your heart with nostalgia for summer’s past and leave you glowing with hope for the future.
Gabriel, Sal, Reese, and Heath spend the summer spread out across the world. Though they remain technologically connected (interspersed FaceTime and iMessage conversations pepper the narrative), they’re also each in their own unique stories. In Boston, Gabriel volunteers for a non-profit, developing confidence and direction. On Capitol Hill, Sal interns at a busy Senator’s office, facing failure and figuring out his own true north. In Paris, Reese takes up design school, becoming brave in both his relationship with critique and some long-held romantic feelings. And way down in Daytona Beach, Heath works at his estranged aunt’s arcade, wishing for a warm family and to his surprise, finding one.
If the summer sun has you craving some sweet fiction, look no further than GOLDEN BOYS. Fall in love with each of the characters as they grow and change, finding friendship, self-assurance, and even romance. What are you waiting for? Let’s glow!
Buy it HERE.