Golden Boys by Phil Stamper

Published on June 23, 2022

Golden Boys Book Cover.jpg

Reviewed by Kerrin Graul

Golden Boys is the story of four high school boys, best friends for years, who are each traveling on a different summer adventure. With one in Europe, and three dispersed across the east coast, time zone and distance can take a toll on friends. One is overworked, two are struggling to understand their assignments, and a third is struggling to connect when worried about life back at home. When all of these struggles overlap, can the boys connect or does their friendship suffer? All four boys are gay, and two have a past relationship with one another. This is the first book in a duology planned by the author.

When I was reading Golden Boys, my first thought was that this is a male version of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. That is a good thing though. This book offers new light on a similar tale of what happens to close friends when they live their lives separated from one another for an entire summer. Each boy must traverse these new challenges alone and find people to rely on in their new environments. This book takes the friendships to a whole new level when crushes and romantic relationships are strained among the friends. Readers may find themselves connecting with the group or may find themselves in one of the characters struggles. For readers looking for a book about friendships and how they may or may not survive the test of time.

 

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