I wasn't expecting to love this so much while going into this book. Not having read the author's 1st book, I requested this book's e-ARC from Netgalley purely based on the blurb and boy did I make the right decision!

Its a story of 2 brothers- Jake and Trick D'Arcy, vastly different and yet similar. Jake is 29 and has everything one can want- a good job, beautiful girlfriend(Amelia), a quiet and mysterious personality but he is not satisfied with them. On the other hand, Trick is a 17-year-old, boisterous, confident, and has recently come out of the closet(even though almost everyone knew him to be gay).

Jake has never felt a part of his loud and dramatic family. Neither did he felt at home with most of his male friends. He has always known that he is attracted to both men and women but to avoid all that comes with it, he has repressed his feelings and his sexuality. But Trick's coming out and a few other incidents push him over the edge and he finally announces it to himself and others that he is a bisexual. We then follow Jake in his journey of reconciling with his true self and his family.

This is the 1st book I've read with a Bi main character. I absolutely loved Jake as I related so much to him, the author has done an excellent job in writing all the characters but I particularly liked Jake, Amelia, Trick, and Harry. Being the elder brother, Jake's parents had expected him to be the 'normal' one, who will further the family line. His coming out as a Bi throws them off. Each brother thinks of the other as the privileged one. Jake's problems in making his friends understand what being a Bi actually means was also painful to read about. There's homophobia, internalised homophobia, and toxic male egos at full display, and the author has successfully demolished them. Among all these dark and deep themes, the author has also provided us with much needed comic relief which I loved.

If you're looking for an emotional, deep, funny, and coming-of-age story, I recommend you read this!

Rating- 4.5/5 stars!

This book is most definitely an insightful and interesting book that follows the life of Jake. A shy 30 year old who tends to keep himself to himself - much to the opposite of his family. This follows his journey of coming out as being bisexual and you get to experience the peaks and troughs of this with him.

For me, I struggled to connect with any of the characters and if any, I’m probably most like Margo or Amelia. I think because of this lack in connection I didn’t feel the pull of the book.

Although it is expertly written and some lines had me laughing out loud it isn’t a book I’d reach for again.

Queer representation!

I was so delighted by the bisexuality representation in the book. I have found that queer representation, rare as it is, usually leans towards the gay side of the spectrum. So it felt great to read a book with pretty good bi representation. But that's not where the positives end.
The language is charming and captivating. There are some really brilliant lines, like
"Don't get me wrong, labels can be destructive and restrictive, but they also help you define yourself."

If this book is not on your list yet, add it! It deals with introspection, with unapologetic queerness.It examines familial bonds and how they shape our worlds. It's more than just a simple coming out story :)

This is a brilliant fun, fast paced and ultimately uplifting story about two brothers. When Jakes brother comes out as gay to a very warm and enthusiastic welcome, Jake is left questioning his own sexuality and life choices. The warmth radiates off the page in this book. I loved the family dynamic and the relationship between the brothers felt real. A great read.

This was an interesting, sweet, well written late coming of age story of 29 year old Jake, who realises that he is bisexual. It's also the story of his relationship with Trick, his sixteen year old brother, who comes out at the beginning of the story, and how the

I liked this story. I thought it was sweet, insightful, funny and populated with mostly well rounded, likeable diverse characters. It was a subtle exploration of masculinity, privilege and different experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. I found the second half of the novel a bit meandering, and Jake was also someone who regressed and progressed as a character, but I suppose that's realistic. I'll be on the lookout for Justin Myers' next book.

I received an ARC of this book via Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Description

At twenty-nine, Jake D’Arcy has finally got his life just right. Job with prospects: check. Steady girlfriend: check. Keeping his exhausting, boisterous family at bay: check. So why isn’t he happier?

When his confident, much-adored younger brother Trick comes out as gay to a rapturous response, Jake realises he has questions about his own repressed bisexuality, and that he can’t wait any longer to find his answers.

As Trick begins to struggle with navigating the murky waters of adult relationships, Jake must confront himself and those closest to him. He’s beginning to believe his own life could be magnificent, if he can be brave enough to make it happen . . .

My thoughts

After finishing Meddling Kids , admittedly, I found myself in a bit of a reading rut. Not quite a reading slump, as I still find the time to read whatever possible in between working from home (even if it’s the TV guide or a Sunday magazine), but a rut that comes with having so many brilliant books to read (both from NetGalley and from the ever-growing collection of books I’ve bought on my Kindle since normal life – and my ability to wait a while until I buy another book – went out the window…cheers COVID-19!). Luckily, Justin Myer’s The Magnificent Sons was just the book to get me out of my rut.

Pride Month has been plastered all over social media and it made me realise – as a straight, white female – my knowledge of the LGBTQ+ community (and the struggles they face) is very limited. Though there’s no doubt a lot of the books I read are good (and some not so good), the books I’ve been exposed to and the books I pick up time after time are very much straight and white. Myers offers a contrast to this, through two brothers Trick and Jake, who are navigating their sexuality and themselves amongst a backdrop of exciting, quirky characters.

I liked the way the book drifted from present to past, illustrating the brothers journey to finding out who they are.

I also liked that we had two brothers at very different stages in their lives who still struggled with the same emotions, Trick’s announcement sets in motion Jake’s journey to self discovery and Jake’s revelation has Trick thinking about himself and his sexuality, too.

The one thing I wasn’t keen on was Trick’s character. I wasn’t as interested in his narrative and his journey, though I think it’s good that Myers includes characters who vary in ages – so readers have someone to relate to. Trick was funny and flamboyant but I just couldn’t get passed him being the stereotypical Gen-Z kid – I really wanted to like him but I couldn’t help but feel annoyed by him.

Saying that, I’m thankful Myers opened my eyes to a different kind of character- as well as a different kind of narrative – and I will definitely be picking up his previous book and whatever he writes next.

The Magnificent Sons will be published on 6th August 2020

About: Jake is bisexual and struggling with his identity and sexuality. He is in a loving relationship with Amelia, but wants to explore his own identity. This novel is about Jake’s journey, love and friendships.

Likes: Jake was a likeable character and I enjoyed that the book came from a bisexual viewpoint. It dealt with the issues well and how it can impact on others, such as Amelia.

Dislikes: the book itself was fantastic, but there was quite a few spelling and writing errors. Also, sometimes it would move to another character’s viewpoint without much clarity.

Summary: overall I would recommend this book as I could relate to the characters. The book stirred a lot of emotion and dealt well with sensitive issues

Magnificent Sons follows Jake as he discovers his bisexuality in the wake of his brother, Trick, coming out as gay. This book largely focuses on Jake's journey to be comfortable within himself and also pays special attention to the relationship with his family and friends, and specifically his tense relationship with his brother.

Overall I found Magnificent Sons to be a really engaging story, that had me rooting for Jake and Trick, and kept me entertained while also covering some really difficult topics including the representation of bisexuality and how it can be sometimes considered less valid than being gay or straight. The ending left me satisfied with an excellent resolution which didn't place the blame on any of the characters but didn't exactly absolve them of any blame either.

The reason this book didn't rate higher for me was that I found reading the first half to be somewhat of a chore, it wasn't until the 50% mark that I cared where the story was going, and it wasn't until that point that I felt anything towards our characters. The one thing this book can be applauded for is the excellent character growth it delivers, but unfortunately, I found both Trick and Jake to be rather self-involved and somewhat unlikeable in the first half and that meant I wasn't super excited to read about them.

However this book finished so much stronger than it began and after it took me three days to read the first 40%, I finished the rest of in a day. I think this book struck just the right balance between lightness and more serious topics, and the way it delivered these more intense conversations felt pitch-perfect. The characters were also certainly unique from anything I've read before and I think this is an experience that isn't often conveyed in literature, the middle-aged man getting a chance to explore his sexuality for pretty much the same time.

I'm interested in picking up something else from Justin Myers, I just feel part of this one missed the mark for me but the writing shows a lot of promise.

This review will be posted to the Goodreads link provided on the books publication date.

I enjoyed Justin Myers' debut The Last Romeo, so when I got my hands on his second novel I was very excited and honestly also a bit hesitant. I wanted so much from this book, and surely I was going to end up disappointed? Au contraire, mon frère! I was glued to this story from start to finish, and I'm sure it'll be on my mind for a long while.

Jake is 29 and "the boring one" in a family of big loud personalities. He has never really fit in, and despite inklings that he might not be straight, he has always repressed those feelings and done his best to be as "normal" as possible, ending up with a group of laddish friends and the perfect long-term girlfriend. When younger brother Trick comes out on his 17th birthday, Jake is surprised: surely everyone already knew his flamboyant brother was gay? Trick's announcement sets in motion a journey of (re)discovery for Jake, who realises he's bi. He breaks up with his girlfriend, because he no longer wants to hide himself in a failing relationship and he comes out to his family and friends. But unlike the joyful exuberant reaction to Trick's announcement, Jake is faced with shocked faces, misunderstandings, and (accidental) bigotry from those closest to him. The brothers' relationship was already strained, but the turmoil following Jake's coming-out might break their bond forever.

Jake's story honestly made my heart ache. I truly felt his struggle, and his disconnect from both the straight and the gay world felt incredibly real. And despite the heavy topics, there was plenty of humour. Jake has quite a judgemental inner monologue, laced with biting sarcasm. Pretty much every character felt like someone you could walk past on the street, and there are no real villains in this story, just characters with good and bad sides who make good and bad decisions. The only character who tested my patience was Trick, who was often an unnecessarily mean prick, but then I remembered that he was only 17 and honestly, aren't all 17-year-olds mean pricks? Thank god most of them grow out of it.

I like that we didn't just get Jake and Trick's perspectives, but also other characters'. Especially Amelia, Jake's ex-girlfriend, whose perspective really hit home the consequences of Jake's behaviour. It would've been so easy to write this story and make Amelia or Jake's friends or his family into villainous characters, but it is to Myers' credit that he kept the humanity, the decency of his characters mostly intact. The majority of people aren't evil, most of us are good, but we sometimes make mistakes. That honesty, that realness, is what makes these characters so believable. And it's ultimately also what makes their story so moving.

I am going to be transparent here: I didn't really enjoy the book. It just wasn't my cup of tea. I understand that the book is about Jake coming terms with his sexuality after his brother’s coming out changed everything. I personally found both of the brother insufferably annoying, one who is a mess with loads of thoughts pent up and the other who is frankly just bitter and jealous. Yes, the book had a lot of raw emotions and thoughts but I found it very hard to connect with the characters cause they’re literal dicks towards each other and also kinda petty especially Trick.

I also didn't enjoy the fact that the POV changes very often between paragraphs; one moment we could be reading about Jake and the next paragraph would be Trick and then we are back to Jake again. Another thing that I found kind of annoying was the endless narration. Reading the book felt more like I was reading someone complaining and being whiny about themselves & other people.

However, I love that the D’Arcy’s family are so supportive towards Trick but I won’t lie, it was hard to understand how the dad accepted that Trick’s sexuality but couldn’t fathom the thought of Jake being bisexual. It’s like his braincells are not connecting at all.

Jake is pushing thirty and is bisexual, but he doesn't know it yet. He is the quiet sensitive one in a family of show-offs, and he's never felt happy in his own skin. He loves his girlfriend, mostly. But he struggles with his same sex attraction and he knows he's not happy. It all kicks off when his younger brother Trick (short for Patrick) comes out extravagantly at his 17th birthday party, and Jake does not handle it well. There's a generation gap, and a personality gap, and that whole brother thing. Same sex adventures come his way (your girlfriend's brother's boyfriend in a toilet, really?) and suddenly it becomes urgent that Jake decides who he is and who he wants to sleep with.
His coming out, again and again, is done sensitively. His parents can't handle the bi thing. Words are said. Jake finds his tribe on the gay scene, but the 'fancying women too' aspect doesn't always help there either. He drifts apart from the people who love him, his straight friends, his best friend. His, I can only call it envy, towards his brother who seems to be having an easy time, causes upset and angst in his family.
This feels a true picture of a difficult situation. Coming out 'later' in life (the grand old age of 30), as a bisexual ('are you bi-first-gay-later?'), to people who think they know who you are, feels hard. This is marketed as lightweight commercial fiction, but it's not always easy to read, because Jake doesn't always act with the maturity you know he has. This feels real, too. The conflict between coming out when young ('we always knew') vs older, the generation gap (I was fascinated by the teenagers who just don't get the internalised homophobia that Jake clearly feels, because they've grown up in a different world, albeit only a decade apart), the additional stigma of bisexuality which places him uncertainly in both and neither camp (as it were), all say important things about sexuality and coming out. It challenges you, and is done very well.
I just hope Jake finds his happy ending.

Brilliantly written, each character is brought to life. Keeps you guessing about the outcome right to the end.

A life-affirming book with a heart of gold -the trials and tribulations of Jake as he tries to navigate life after coming out as bisexual. What makes this book so enjoyable is the “likeabilty “ of the characters - even Jake who at times tests the patience of all around -all navigating life and trying to make sense of each other. The path leading to the reconciliation or recognition of one another between brothers ,Jake and Trick, is beautifully handled . A book with warmth that deserves a wide readership of people - and with no spoiler gave me the ending that I hoped for. Justin Myers has written another winner

ARC provided by Little Brown Book Group UK via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Magnificent Sons by Justin Myers is an amazing novel about introspection, family bonds and friendship with great bisexual representation — in my opinion, which may be erroneous, in that case I’ll stand corrected. And moreover, I think it’s the first time I read a book with a bisexual main character. In all the books I read, bisexuality only figured, if represented, in a secondary character. Such novelty wasn’t obviously the lone factor that contributed to this magnificent work. The self-examination, the unapologetic queerness and the loving, yet difficult, relationships among the characters were what made it excellent.

A story of two brothers, ten years apart, who both come out, one as gay and the other as bi. Trick is 17, fabulous and confident who seemingly has an easy journey coming out whereas Jake, the older brother, struggles as he breaks up his engagement and enters the LGBT world.
I didn’t connect with Jake who is really the main character although the story jumps between different perspectives. For the most part I didn’t understand his motives and found many of his actions going against what he was thinking.
Although, not as enjoyable as Myers first book it shares the same level of humour and sentimentality. His writing is so rich and filled with so many witty one-liners that it makes for a fun read.

Justin Myers is wonderful. There, I’ve said it. If his writing is anything to go by he won’t like that, as his style is so grounded and self deprecating.

Much like his title character, Jake, Myers power comes in not showing his strengths in a knowing cocky way. The humour is kind, even when the characters are mean. The world he creates is gently accepting, and the humanity of his sentiment shines through the situations the character end up in.

This is the story of Jake who despite having girlfriends suspects there is more about his sexuality and his younger brother Trick who, on the surface, is confident and unapologetic about who he is, we discover both men have much to learn, and room to grow.

The supporting cast just sparkle off the page, with too many memorable ones to mention. Except Hannah. And Jakes glorious mother.

Either way, as contemporary fiction with an LGBT twist this is an absolute treat. Marian Keyes watch out, Justin Myers is on your tail!

The Magnificent Sons is a smart, thoughtful and very funny exploration of sexuality and identity, told through the perspective of the D’Arcy family, and most significantly Jake and Trick. More than a decade apart in age, the two brothers have never really seen eye-to-eye, but when flamboyant Trick uses his 17th birthday party as an opportunity to come out as gay, it forces Jake to finally confront his bisexuality. Bisexual narratives are still woefully underrepresented in literature, and it’s refreshing to see bisexuality explored so well, and in such a readable, funny book. Myers occasionally seems to lean in to bisexual stereotypes, before cleverly reframing the discussion and tackling them with aplomb. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed The Magnificent Sons, as a fresh, witty coming-of-age novel and an interesting exploration of identity and bisexuality in the modern day. Highly recommended.

‘The Magnificent Sons’ is funny, moving and thought provoking.

I was excited to read this book and it didn’t let me down! There are so many things I loved about the novel: the flawed but vibrant characters, the humour, the dysfunctional family dynamic, the awkward moments...
I particularly enjoyed how the book flipped between different characters’ perspectives. It was really interesting and thought provoking to see a certain situation or conflict from each side. I also really loved that characters weren't sidelined after the main character was more or less finished with them - the consequences were played out with uncomfortable but necessary realism.
The only negative was that the main protagonist was slightly unlikeable, which made it hard to read in some places. However, this did add to the realism, perhaps making it more of a positive than a negative. I also think this made his character growth all the more profound, leading to a satisfying end.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a 'coming of age' novel; but for a young man who "Wants" to be straight, and suppresses his real self. We see him realise he has feelings for men; break up his long term relationship with his lovely girlfriend Amelia. But more than this, he has a younger brother, who is a glamorous young man; who is also gay. Part of the story is about them both coming to terms with the fact they are BOTH gay and how they can love and support each other.
This was quite a moving story, although I felt there were far too many characters and subplots, resulting in a less than coherent plot. However, I enjoyed it and for the right reader it would be perfect.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a free ARC of this ebook.
I love Justin Myers writing,, his first novel was a joy and his blog is always fabulous. This book is all I hoped, it would be. It's so well written, with a cast of unforgettable characters. There are some of best one liners I've ever read, and whilst it's not a story that has you constantly creased up laughing, it certainly has its moments. The diversity of the characters is so welcome, even though some are stunningly annoying (Hannah), savagely unkind (Trick) and whiney (Jake), the rest are a mixed bag of lovely warm folk.
I highly recommend this book it's fab.