I read this because I grew up in the time period and wanted to see how the author managed to capture it. With the inclusion of references to music of the time and plenty of descriptions of fashion, they made the 1980s come to life. I really enjoyed this trip back in time, recognising it is not designed to be an account of the times but of one person’s experience of it - don’t be looking for a massive social commentary. It’s a fun read with the odd heart-string tugging moment. I think the author did an amazing job of capturing convincing dialogue, which really made it easy to engage with.

I am not sure how well I can convey what an absolute delight this book is and how much fun it was to read.

Perhaps I am slightly biased. This book is set in the early part of 1986, where our main protagonist, Avery "Ace" Craig is days away from his 16th birthday. I also turned 16 in 1986 which makes me the same age as Avery and reading his adventures unlocked some happy and maybe some not so happy memories of my teen years. Every song, every event mentioned in this book I lived through and the songs were the soundtrack from my life even though I lived in a WASPy community in Toronto, these characters were the people I spent all my days with.

I love that this book is written from a male's perspective. And this is a coming of age novel but not YA lit, It's not going to be a starry eyed love story for the ages - this is how it was in real life, the confusion, the exploration, the time we were no longer kids but not adults. This is the secret life of teenagers, at least how I experienced it. My daughter is 16 and her world is very different.

Orcutt has been able to capture not only the music and dress and technology but the rituals and interpersonal relationships that we engaged in. Note passing was a big part of our culture. Phone conversations late at night under the covers so your parents don't hear you. Mail that included letters from friends that were just outside of your travel zone. The cigarette smoke. The left over 70s decor. The older generation that we've all lost now. The independence of teens of the times - Gen X is not kidding when we say were on our own unlike generations before or after us.

But to get a real feel for my love for this book is this reaction I shared with a discord server of well read ladies, of various ages and diverse backgrounds:

so, Avery, our 16yr old protagonist has just had an overnight glow up and is being noticed by all the girls. He has his eye on a cute, but shy girl and is talking to her, but she has a "bestie from elementary" with her who also thinks Avery is hot. She is also insanely jealous (inferred to the reader, Avery is clueless) She is "experience" and wears provocative clothing and every time he makes a move on her friend, she doubles down and pushes herself on Avery, like insisting she sit beside him at McDonalds, then proceeds to squeeze his thigh under the table. When he says "that was not cool" she says, oh, you just passed the test, I wanted to see if you'd cheat on my friend.
Now, Avery has just kissed shy girl, and it was her first kiss ever, so she goes and tells her bestie, and then bestie is cornering Avery in stairwell and grabs him and sticks her tongue down his throat and rubbing up against him, so of course he responds - he's not QUITE 16, and she says "she was doing it b/c shy girl said he was a good kisser and she's never kissed anyone before, so she had to check for herself" And then she says, I know you're into me, but I won't tell shy girl that you didn't STOP me from kissing you. But I might do it again!
Now, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT A 'FRIEND' DID TO ME TO A GUY THAT I LIKED AND IT HAPPENED ON A GRADE 10 TRIP TO NYC AND THESE KIDS ARE ON A SCHOOL TRIP AND SHE ENDED UP SLEEPING WITH THE GUY BECAUSE SHE WOULD AND I WOULDN'T.

Now I have a server full of women who are dying to read this book.

There are other quotes that i shared with my husband as well as my book girlies - things that are so real for 16 year old boys and yet we had no idea that was what was going on in their heads. (my husband confirms this was universal)

I am looking forward to reading more of Ace's adventures and how he navigates his way through the girls and upcoming adventures. it's been wonderful revisiting my own teenage memories through Ace's story.

I think the author really tapped into something that is missing from the super popular romance genre - not just a male perspective, which is always controversial because the audience does not appreciate men writing for women and the idea that a male protagonist cannot create that 'self -insert' feeling that makes romance popular. The other issue is how to write about young adults, romance and sexual that will appeal to an older audience and I think this fits well. I'm not sure if this book will find a niche in the romance genre, but gathering from the reactions from my romance reading (and writing) peer group this will be well received.

Reading Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy felt like stepping into a magical time machine—and I didn’t want to leave. The ‘80s setting is pitch-perfect, from the Walkman and mixtapes to the quiet chaos of figuring out who you are. Ace is such a lovable, messy character, and his coming-of-age story is both funny and incredibly moving.

There’s a deep nostalgia here—not just for the pop culture, but for that feeling of being on the edge of everything for the first time. It reminded me how strange, thrilling, and painful growing up can be. A heartfelt, beautifully nostalgic read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Have Pen, Will Travel for providing an eARC of Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy prior to publication.

For such an incredibly rich literary experience, Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode I: Bad Boy, reads easily and beautifully. The book isn’t just a glimpse of the 1980s; it IS the 1980s. Readers from all adult generations (Gen X, especially!) will love every word, scene, and thought.

There is something (well, many things) distinctive and remarkable about Chris Orcutt’s magnum opus. He reaches the heart and mind in a way so natural that the reading process comes off like seeing one’s own original thoughts and emotions in print—this is very rare territory. He does things with Bad Boy that I cannot recall any other author doing, or doing nearly so well. Many of the 1980s period references are presented in novel ways that both explain the referenced elements and add ultra-realistic life to the story. Orcutt’s use of music is mind-blowing. All of his techniques, and his utter mastery of imaginative writing, add a relatability and “cannot put it down” fondness to his already fantastic plot and theme.

The plot, an introduction to the life and times of young hero Avery “Ace” Craig, flows like a roller coaster with action, drama, romance, humor, suspense, thrills, and more. It is all bound together in a simply mesmerizing fashion. There is a deep philosophy at work, magnified by a grounded psychology, an understanding of how men and women relate to each other, and a resonating dose of faith. In the end, readers are left with several concurrent cliffhangers: adventurous, potentially dangerous, and frantically passionate. All of it will leave readers predicting, picking sides, hoping, fearing, laughing, and holding on tight. Hurry up, Episode II!

Bad Boy is a genuinely encompassing and immersive adventure, one that will have the mind and heart buzzing, on multiple levels, and for some time once the reading stops. The book is fun, engaging, and staggeringly impactful. I suspect it will cement Orcutt’s place in the echelons of timeless literature. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

This was such a fun look at teenage nostalgia and I enjoyed every minute of it! Highly
Enjoyed the fun look back at the 80s and a young teen on the cusp of it all