Following a messy and way-too-public breakup with his ex-boyfriend, pop star Hunter and his group Kiss & Tell are making their way around the US and Canada, playing arenas and meeting fans. All Hunter wants is to focus on the band and start working on their next album, but unfortunately he can't escape the press that's dogging his heels--and as the only gay member of the group, he finds himself held to way higher standards than the other, straighter members of the group.

This leaves Hunter basically on his own as he tries to navigate what it means to be the perfect queer idol, whether that's blindly following the expectations of his label (even down to what he eats and how he dresses) or getting involved with the drummer for Kiss & Tell's tour opener. Wait a second, that last one might turn out not to be the best idea Hunter's ever had...

It's refreshing to read a book that approaches topics around queerness and particularly young queer sexuality with so much... frankness. Like, the reality is that teenage queers send spicy but ill-advised texts and have messy, awkward sex and-- critically for this book--don't always make fully logical, cool-headed decisions when under a lot of pressure. At times while reading I would think to myself "just fucking communicate!!!" and then I would remember myself at 17 and how I thought I had it so together but was actually thoroughly incapable of articulating my feelings and needs, and would then think "ah... nevermind."

Because I read and loved Khorram's previous Darius the Great series this came as no surprise, but I think that this book does a great job of exploring the weird little nuances of a bunch of young people who have had fame thrust upon them trying to navigate their interpersonal relationships and the challenges and intersections of their respective identities, and it does it all with such a wry and heartfelt narrative voice. Hunter is charming, he's funny, and he's definitely in a little bit over his head but trying to make the best of it, and as a former queer teenager myself that was relatable as hell.

If I were to pick one, my only gripe is that I feel like we didn't get quite enough time spent with our main couple at the end of the story--but then again, it's not like the romantic relationship was entirely the point, so that's easily forgivable for me.

Rating: ★★★☆☆ - I enjoyed the read and would recommend it to people who enjoy this genre and subject, but at this time I feel I'm not likely to re-read.