A Massive Thank You to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book prior to its release date.

What a wonderfully heartfelt, beautifully written story!

In Where We Go From Here, we follow the intersecting lives of three young gay men living in Brazil. One of them has just been diagnosed with HIV; another, has lived with his diagnosis for a few years; and the third has just found out the guy he’s seeing is HIV-positive.

The story switches perspectives between the three characters, each one having their own distinct voice. It was so good to see the difficult moments they face from their different perspectives, tensions sometimes running high as they worked through it together. With the disclaimer that I was at Pride less than 24 hours ago and so emotions are already running high, I felt choked up at the end with - no spoilers - a glorious moment of solidarity and acceptance.

It would have been so easy for this book to just become a public health announcement, or an overly-simplified message of support, but Rocha captured so many nuances in what these characters are going through. From the first page he had me 100% emotionally involved with these characters. There are ups and downs, and it’s not all sunshine and rainbows by the final chapter, but the optimistic ending perfectly ties up the book.

I received a free copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Where We Go From Here by Lucas Rocha follows three young gay men—Ian, Victor, and Henrique. While Henrique has had HIV for three years, Ian and Victor meet at a testing clinic when they suspect they may have contracted the virus themselves. The story follows the repercussions of their respective results and the attitudes towards having HIV while persuing romantic relationships.

I think this is an important book as, unfortunately, HIV is still sigmatised, both within and outside the gay community. However, I think it could have been written better. I found the writing slightly juvenile at times, with simplistic and occasionally bizarre choices of description—for example, two separate characters are described as weighing 150lbs. What are the chances that they would weigh the same exact amount? It's a small thing but it took me out of the story.

In terms of narrative, Rocha chose to alternate chapters from the perspective of the three characters, which helps us to see how each of them feel as the story unfolds. However, this choice fell flat for me because there is little distinction in their narrative voices, except for Victor's judgemental thoughts about HIV. He in particular was a frustrating character due to this attitude and I didn't really know what Henrique saw in him. As a result, I couldn't buy into their romance or care if they got together or not. Perhaps I would have been more invested if the story had started earlier in their relationship. I also didn't feel like the stakes were raised high enough in terms of conflict, resulting in the confrontations that we did have feeling a bit melodramatic.

Having said all that, this was an easy read about a subject matter that isn't so easy to talk about. This is the first YA story I've read about HIV so it's not one you come across often. While it may not be a groundbreaking story, I'm glad this book exists and can imagine it helping people dealing with HIV.

Many thanks to David Fickling Books and NetGalley for providing me with a Digital Review Copy.

This book was so incredibly insightful, emotional and educational. I feel like I've learned so much about HIV, especially how it is treated in the healthcare system in Brazil, something I never would've thought to research without this book. Truly a beautiful book, the connections between the main characters were so sweet and I would definitely recommend this.

This book isn't an easy read, it's hard hitting and considers many very important issues. The focus of the book on HIV and AIDs is hugely important as even now, these issues are not discussed enough.

The plotline is easy to follow, and the three POVs ensured that I was invested in the storylines of all characters. I think it was a fantastic, informative book.

I was talking to a friend the other day about the fact that queer representation and the dialogues around it have improved so much in recent times, "these are the books we needed growing up". We may not have had them but I am so happy the future generations will have these stories to help them manoeuvre the world of sexuality and gender. Where We Go From Here is exactly this book, it is endearing and educating and heart-wrenching. I cannot recommend enough.

I loved this so much. The topic of HIV is not talked about nearly enough, and this was done perfectly. I loved the characters, and how they all intertwined together but each went through their own situation with HIV. It was eye opening and beautifully done.

I don’t remember if I’ve ever read a book which featured HIV as a main topic, but I’ve watched plenty of movies and listened to a lot of people talking about it and how they deal with it on a daily basis. My knowledge is still limited, and I would highly recommend look up reviews written by people who know more about the topic than me.
Aside from this, I really enjoyed the exploration of the HIV diagnosis from three different points of view. It was interesting to see how different people react in different ways and I think it is important to show the differences, while underlining that there’s no right or wrong way to take in the news. I also appreciated the fact that the author wanted to demonstrate how — while we have taken big steps — ignorance and prejudice is still going strong.
I am not sure the three points of view were handled as best as they could have, though. I mean, I understand why they were necessary that each of the characters had their chapters, but I feel like their voices were not as distinct as I would have liked, which is mostly why I am not giving this book 4 stars and I am settling on 3. 
As far as the plot is concerned, I would have loved if the book was a bit longer. I liked how prominent the HIV discourse was, and I am not saying it needed more “story” or something different, but I do believe that some things that happen towards the end would have benefitted from a more thorough exploration, because they felt a bit rushed. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I am just going to say that it read a bit like a fanfiction where the author got tired by the end and decided to rush all their ideas and condense them in a few pages. This is a debut novel, so I am still interested to see what this author does next, because I think there’s a lot of potential in this book and I hope it’s going to be exploited at its fullest.
The thing I liked the most, anyways, was how setting-less this book was. What I mean by this is that I was curious to read a book set in Brazil, because I’ve read very few of them; while I was reading, however, I began thinking that it didn’t feel like this book was closely linked to any place in particular. It could have taken place in Rio de Janeiro or in Los Angeles and it wouldn’t have changed anything. Which is cool, in my opinion, because HIV is a global topic. Sure, in some countries hospitals are not as advanced as others and doctors can be pretty close minded, but the setting-lessness made the story more universal, for me.
So, I would really recommend this book, especially to young adults who still know little about what HIV is and how it is treated. I would also recommend it to everyone who has conscious or unconscious prejudice when it comes to HIV. I was already familiar with the diagnosis, treatment and bias, but I still learned something new from this book.

This is a fairly hard-hitting book. It discusses a lot of very important issues and prejudices and is incredibly informative about a lot of things, particularly the still prevalent stigma surrounding HIV and aids.

The story is very easy to follow and all three POVs are interesting and engaging. I loved all three of the main characters (and the side characters) and was invested in all of the mingling storylines. It was a solid way of seeing the main 'plot' from a variety of very different perspectives and stages. My biggest gripe with this novel is that the ending felt incredibly rushed and really should have been inserted earlier I think because it kind of felt tacked on (same with the epilogue really).

Overall I really enjoyed this though and think it's a great and informative novel.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this in exchange for a review.

This book had some very important conversations and information within it's story. The problem is that at times that information made it read a little bit like a textbook. I found it very hard to connect to the characters until the final few chapters of the book as it felt like they were more case studies than people. I'm happy that the book exists to give more information on the topic of HIV but I just think it could have been handled slightly differently and less clinically.

This book had some very important conversations and information within it's story. The problem is that at times that information made it read a little bit like a textbook. I found it very hard to connect to the characters until the final few chapters of the book as it felt like they were more case studies than people. I'm happy that the book exists to give more information on the topic of HIV but I just think it could have been handled slightly differently and less clinically.

CW: homophobia, stigma surrounding HIV, cyberbullying, negative religious people, threatening.

*I received an eArc of this book in exchange for my honest review*

“The big problem with fear, my friend, is that while it helps to keep us from getting screwed, it’s also the enemy of happiness.”

This was a really wonderful book trying together three different people with the topic of HIV.

I highly recommend this book as it breaks the stigma that is normally associated with HIV/AIDS and offers insight into the lives of three different fictional people and what they face on a daily.

I adored all the characters and especially loved the drag queens that are friends with Henrique!

Sometimes I did get confused on the switching between characters and who's POV I was reading and I did kind of dislike the continuous toxicity of some of the relationships.

I think this book will be very helpful in educating others on HIV/AIDS and help to break any stigma that still surrounds it.

The only thing I disliked with this book is the brief mention of Harry Potter. I'm hoping that maybe this gets taken out in the published version so I guess we'll see!

If it wasn't such a good book I would be marking it lower just for that mention because seriously, it's 2022, get over the HP references.

Where We Go From Here is an impressive debut Novel by Lucas Rocha and it delves into the lives of three Brazilian men whose lives are irrevocably changed and intertwined by HIV. This is such a powerful and beautiful read and I know it will stay with me for a long time. Giving the subject matter I had braced myself for an upsetting read and of course it is! It's devastating that people have become victims to this virus. However I found this to be a inspirational story about three courageous young men who each find themselves on a life affirming journey of love, friendship, support and the strength to carry on even in our darkest days. This shines introspective light on how far we have come since the 80's HIV crisis and the stigma attached to it and homophobia. I can not express enough how much Where Do We Go From Here has opened my heart up! This such a brave, unflinching message that should be spoken about more often.

Great book, I loved this read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Ian is just finding out that he has HIV, from a lady who resists compassion like it speeds up the aging process. Two times, two guys, without protection, and one of them gave him the virus. And no, he can't tell them to get tested. They didn't exactly keep in touch with each other

Victor is just finding out, from the same lady, that he doesn't have HIV; that the guy who told him after they had sex that he does but is undetectable, probably wasn't lying. The lady tells him the guy only has the option, not an obligation to reveal this to a sexual partner. Victor disagrees.

At the bus stop outside the health clinic, they start talking.

Henrique is the guy who Victor had sex with. He wasn't lying about being undetectable, it's just that nobody seems to be able to get past those three letters that come before it. He's a pessimist at heart, and needs his best friend Eric to balance him out.

And from there, their lives and the people in them begin to collide and intertwine.

The characters are young - 18-21 - so HIV being a lifetime deal is, well, a huge deal. Whether having it, or being in a relationship with it, the virus brings baggage that no amount of doctorly reassurance can stamp out. Life is different, even for the undetectable, and it's different because of more than just the taking of a daily pill.

Henrique does a great job of explaining it to Ian early on. How the knowledge and the fears live in you, and that becomes manageable most of the time. But you're taking daily meds which can mess with your moods, and it's hard to spot that at times. And the rejection and fear and all the other things you have to hold onto and somehow find a place for that's not in the middle of your daily life, they take a toll.

The characters are usually emotional, often selfish, often frustrating, but always in a way which appeals. They're good people, trying to navigate youth, hormones, and a terrifying virus that touches everything. They screw up, they try to do better, they screw up again...but at their core, they really do try to figure out the best way to be.

It's easy to fall into their emotions as you follow them around, with each of the 3 different narrators giving you slices of their inner thoughts, in their distinct ways.

Unlike oh so many books with heavy topics, the weight, though there in the characters, isn't crammed in until you can barely lift a page. Rocha does a great job of showing the reality - good and bad - without lecturing. That makes this a great book.

Just have a tissue or two handy when you read.

-wHAT I LIKE-

✔Ya novel sets in Brazil
✔Found Family
✔“Slow Burn”
✔ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN PORTUGUESE

🧬 learned a lot about this themes; about how support is provided, about the GOOD brazilian medical system for HIV treatment (let's give them several points for that).

🧬I appreciate and enjoy that at the end of the book they used "that graffiti" to expose the HIV diagnosis whistleblower on social media. He deserved it, and so much more.
🧬an air of acceptance, community and support for the three protagonists through their conversations.


-wHAT I DIDN'T LIKE-

🧬-Even when they change their life views, when they essentially do some growing up, it doesn’t seem like they become more fleshed out

🧬why was it necessary for the story to make the guys three years apart? Why couldn’t it have been just a single year? At that tender age of slowly exiting teenagehood, three years actually are a huge amount of time.

🧬I'm sick of idealizing (too much) toxic M/M couples; little seriousness to toxic dynamics from "having the happily ever after" in exchange for dealing with toxic couple dynamics, "I'm nothing without him" (like Henrique & Victor).

Henrique keeps self-flagellating (THIS IS NOT A LITTLE LIFE; THE BAD REPRESENTATION IS REPEATED) almost ruining the plot, he keeps sinking into the spiral of guilt to the point that he was tying Ian acting annoying, irritating and obnoxious to a fault.

While the play is set in Brazil (THANKFULLY), I see white supremacy in the queer community being maintained. I am not saying it is bad to emigrate being QPOC, I would be legalistic to deny it although I am concerned seeing that the only way to be happy being QPOC is to go to some "white country". I think several countries need to be supported in collective marches to avoid the white migrant savior complex as a trope to these identities. When Queer Joy should also be written.

I would actually like to give this a 4.5 star review, but unfortunately am limited by my ability to only give full stars.

'Where We Go From Here', by Lucas Rocha (translation by Larissa Helena) is a novel about three young Brazilian men whose lives have recently been impacted by HIV. Henrique has been living with HIV for three years; Victor has recently received a negative result; and Ian has just received a positive result. They meet each other, and go on a journey of growth, acceptance, and colour, underpinned by a blasting soundtrack (and some drag queen shows to boot).

It is, in short, an excellent novel that I would highly recommend. Interesting, well-researched, by turns funny and touching, it is clearly a book written with care and attention, that avoids victimising its characters through their diagnosis, as well as educating the reader about how HIV is treated. The book also displays a deep understanding of and appreciation for LGBTQ+ culture, and the distinct voice of Henrique in particular is an impressive thing for Rocha to have captured. The plot is engaging, and keeps you on your toes - one moment hoping for one outcome, only to have it change under you with revelations and interpersonal explosions.

In terms of what I liked less, sometimes Victor and Ian merge into one character, and it is also strangely difficult at points to identify exactly who is speaking in a scene, especially where they appear together. With all the other characters having very distinct identities, it is a shame that these two seem fuzzier. Also, there is some very childish secret-keeping in part of the book, which I won't spoil here, but does approach being irritating and far too much like a high school drama for me to be happy.

On balance, however, the book is very recommendable and commendable in its treatment of the subject matter - my only wish is that there was more to compare it to positively. A highly compelling read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy they provided to me for this review.

Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded down to 4 for a whole star rating).
Content warnings: Homophobia (including slurs), outing, prejudice against HIV, family conflict, online harassment.

'Where We Go From Here' is a well-written, interesting book set in Brazil, following the lives of young gay men, two of whom are HIV+. The book was simple to engage with in terms of language and a relatively short length. Even though the author uses three different narrators, the storyline is still easy to follow, and it's never too long in one-plot line to loose track of or intensely wish to get back to a different element of the story. The book is powerful, educational, and platforms stories and discusses stigma about topics often absent in other fiction books, and I have already recommended it to other readers.

This book manages heavy and emotionally challenging content incredibly well, and strikes an excellence balance of education, heartbreak, and humour. Several jokes are associated with LGBTQ+ culture, and being a member of this community, I understood the references and felt this made characters particularly vivid. I am not sure if every joke would be entertaining to a reader who is not LGBTQ+ and unfamiliar with LGBTQ+ culture, but the book is well worth the read even if the odd joke does not translate to every reader.

Some elements of the book are very 'teen'/YA literature, despite the characters being 18+/early 20s, with some relationship immaturity and the odd cliche action. I feel one particular instance of this particularly drew away from the overall quality of the book - but can't specify much more without including a spoiler.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The characters are interesting and the plot keeps you invested. One minute I was keeping my fingers crossed for a particular outcome, and just a few chapters later I was hoping for a different ending. Well worth the read for an easy to engage with teen/YA book with good representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced reader copy for review.

This thoughtful book was an involved but also easy read, that I enjoyed especially for its strong messages of hope and support. The narrative wore its research on its sleeve, but gave the story depth through the use of the multiple narrators. By using three people in different circumstances and stages of encountering HIV, the story was able to cover a range of attitudes, expectations, and experiences, allowing the negativity and fear to meet with the acceptance and hopefulness, and creating a heartfelt and delightful novel. I really enjoyed it!

*I received a free ARC and I have chosen to leave a review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the review copy*

HENRIQUE has had HIV for three years.

IAN has just tested positive.

VICTOR got with Henrique last night and thinks he might have caught it.



Through wild nights of dancing, music, joy, tears and pain, the three young men find moments of understanding that will change all their lives - forever.