I am already looking forward to reading this book for the second time.

No matter how awful Avra and Kieran were throughout this book, I never stopped caring about them or wanting the best for them. Bogen's eloquent writing style works in tandem with the plot of the story, carrying you along at a perfect pace through the pages. This pace also throws you right into the middle of such detailed sex scenes, you almost feel the need to look away and ask the words on the page if they need privacy.

The buildup of sexual tension in the first part of the book is done expertly, making you feel almost as frustrated as the characters with the leadup (this only makes the payoff better!) The sex scenes themselves are written with the same beautiful prose as the rest of the book, which is a refreshing contrast to other books I've read in this genre. Despite the fact that these scenes are between a man and a woman, you never once forget that these characters are queer. Their queerness is an everpresent energy when they are together, and it both fuels and complicates Avra and Kieran's interactions. Their thoughts and reasoning for making the choices they do are incredibly relatable, despite the toxicity that often results. It documents not only the very human experience of discovering one's sexuality, but how the effects of trauma can influence that experience.

With such good character development and one of the most real-life endings I have read in awhile, I am waiting with great anticipation for the second book!

Queering Him is a triumph. Bogen's work makes you feel something with every carefully chosen word. I don't think I've ever highlighted as much in a book before. The writing is lyrical, the plot breaks you and puts you back together a thousand times over. I was cheering for the characters and screaming at my Kindle in the same breath. This was heart-wrenching and joyful bi representation all in one, and I want a million more books like it. I loved it and consider myself a loyal reader of her work already.

This book is visceral. It engagingly grapples with what it means to be queer but still learning about yourself. The erotic moments are described so precisely that you can imagine Avra and Kieran sharing an electron field...a magnetic, otherworldly pull between them. It's way more than sex; it's therapy. The characters are written in the most relatable way; they are flawed, emotional, broken, but wanting to be better. Queering Him is a debut novel that hits all the right buttons, and you may find yourself devouring the words as lovers devour each other's flesh. This novel pairs very well with any wine/liquor of your choosing, soft lights, and satin sheets.

Thanks to the author and publisher for the ARC
Releases 1/13/26
4.5 stars rounded up
This book is like Sally Rooney’s Normal People but queer. I enjoyed it a lot—the writing is phenomenal. Probably the best written book I’ve read this year. I agree with other reviews that mention that Avra’s monologues on queerness can be pretentious and overwhelming, but that is very much typical for her as a character.
As others have mentioned, this is not a light hearted novel. Both partners have experienced trauma and it shows in the way the treat each other. This book is raw and lyrical and gritty and real, and an honest exploration of the queer and bisexual experience in heteronormative society.