Isaac loses his virginity through a certain dating app which having been using for what feels like his entire seventeen-year-old life time already( not to be dramatic) still akin to nothing more than performative theatre that is on par with a mixture of penance, purgatory, and repetitive strain disorder - is still a disappointing yet addictive experience - he spends his final months before taking on the next daunting life hurdle that is university escaping into a dizzying and terrifying new world. A world where casual sex with forgettable men take on a shade of the norm, ranging from someone he grows to think far too much of after a single evening in his company, to Isaac seeing his own frustration being taken out on another who is only living his own truth. This all changes however after a chance encounter with Harrison, a twenty-eight-year-old that Isaac can’t seem to get out of his head, despite the setting where they first met… Isaac is immediately and unquestionably besotted by the handsome, charismatic, aloof artist, yet as the pair grow ever closer, his sense of self becomes somewhat increasingly hazy and Isaac starts to lose interest in not only himself but those closest to him. Harrison’s demands shift and alter constantly, and after Isaac tries to prove his worthiness in any way possible all with the hopes of Harrison’s approval, he must take a hard long look at his ideas surrounding love, sex, hope, men, and most importantly his relationship with himself. But it won’t be easy as mounting pressure demands he give more and more of his own energy and soul to a person who may not share the same ideals. Heartbreaking, intimate, and raw, Isaac asks the important questions around masculinity, queerness, and the power of the digital age. Outstanding!

Isaac is a book that will sit in the front of my mind for years to come. This book is such an incredible view into a young boy (Isaac) and his growing up queer, experiencing things for the first time and the writing is so immersive that you feel as if you're going through the turmoil of learning alongside him. So many parts of this book are so gut wrenching and truly an amazing depiction of queer experiences, navigating the fears of relationships, sex, friendships, family all the while having to simply exist. The characters jump off the page creating both incredible imagery & empathy for them. I truly think that this is a must read for anyone, especially young queer folk!

This book felt touching and real. Want to hug Isaac. One of the best books I’ve read this year.

No other book I've read has managed to capture so well what it's like to come of age as a queer man in the Grindr era, trying to find community and experience intimacy through a screen. Isaac is a character so fully fleshed out, with the appropriately ambiguous morals of a teenager, that it is hard to believe he is fictional. The writing flows effortlessly, and the story takes its reader on a journey equally heartwarming and heartbreaking. If you enjoy queer fiction, you need to read this!

Set against the vibrant and ever-evolving backdrop of London, this narrative unfolds over a single, transformative summer. Isaac, a seventeen-year-old on the cusp of adulthood, embarks on a profound exploration of masculinity and queerness within the digital age. This journey offers a fresh perspective on the intricate dynamics of desire and intimacy, adolescent infatuation, and the perilous landscape of first love. After the inexperienced seventeen-year-old Isaac loses his virginity through a dating app—an experience both disappointing and strangely addictive—he spends his final months before university escaping into a dizzying new world of casual sex with forgettable men. This pattern of fleeting encounters comes to an abrupt halt when he meets the enigmatic twenty-eight-year-old artist, Harrison, at a party. Isaac is immediately infatuated with Harrison, whose handsome and charismatic presence captivates him. As their relationship deepens, Isaac finds his sense of self-becoming increasingly hazy. Harrison's demands are unpredictable and ever-changing, leaving Isaac in a constant state of uncertainty as he strives to prove his worthiness. This tumultuous dynamic forces Isaac to critically examine his ideas about love, sex, and masculinity, ultimately compelling him to reevaluate his relationship with himself. Read this if you enjoy: