From the Publisher
Jason June, please feel free to check “conquering my heart” off your agenda, because I’m so in love with this book, it’s ridiculous. Jay’s Gay Agenda is funny, sincerely romantic, and infused with love from start to finish, starring a vividly drawn cast of characters who don’t even try to play it cool. I’m beyond charmed.” — Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda
June's debut is funny, sex-positive, and filled with a cast of complex, incredibly real characters . . . A charming, affirming coming-of-age story about friendship, relationships, and chosen family. — Booklist
"The story will amuse readers who are looking for a light read . . . Queer, fluffy fun." — Kirkus Reviews
A sweet celebration of finding love in all its forms. Recommended for fans of Phil Stamper and Leah Johnson. — School Library Journal
“Fantastically hilarious and profoundly sincere, Jay’s Gay Agenda is a can’t-miss debut. Jason June pens a flawless letter to queer teens, a reminder that they are worthy of messy friendships, clumsy firsts, complicated feelings, and cinematic happy endings like anyone else. This book sparkles from start to finish.” — Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running With Lions
"Brave, hopeful, and absolutely packed with joy, Jay’s Gay Agenda crosses every item off my list. I can't wait for readers to fall in love with this powerful and heartwarming coming of age story." — Phil Stamper, bestselling author of The Gravity of Us and As Far As You'll Take Me
"Jay’s Gay Agenda is the charming, funny, sex positive book I wish I had read growing up. Jason June does an incredible job of exploring messy teen relationships through Jay, a charming and deeply flawed protagonist. Painfully relatable and laugh-out-loud funny, Jay’s Gay Agenda is the teen romcom of your dreams." — Aiden Thomas, author of the New York Times bestseller Cemetery Boys
"Jay's journey to finding their place in the world warmed my small-town heart." — Mason Deaver, award-winning author of The Ghosts We Keep and I Wish You All the Best
"Jay's Gay Agenda is exactly the kind of funny, upbeat, queer coming of age story readers crave. Full of laughs, heartbreak, fun, and tenderness, this story is an ode to first loves, friendships, and learning to embrace yourself exactly as you are because as Jay comes to understand, who you are is exactly enough." — Kalynn Bayron, bestselling author of Cinderella Is Dead
Jay's Gay Agenda is a delightful and emotional exploration of what it means to focus so much on checking things off a list that you forget yourself along the way. Every character is complicated, messy, and loveable, and it should be on EVERYONE'S agenda to grab a copy of this wonderful book!” — Ronni Davis, author of When the Stars Lead to You
"Jay's Gay Agenda is the literal definition of a romp: It's funny, sexy, sweet and swoony in all the best ways and somehow still manages to capture the delicious, disastrous and overwhelming chaos and delight of suddenly getting caught up in a world of possibilities when there were none before. Honest and hilarious, this book should be on everyone's to-read list." — L.C. Rosen, author of Camp and Jack of Hearts (and other parts)
"What an absolute delight of a debut! Relatable, hilarious, messy, earnest, and heartfelt, just the way the best coming of age stories are. Jay's Gay Agenda tackles friendship, first love, and ~feelings~ so masterfully that readers will come back to read it time and time again." — Emma Lord, author of Tweet Cute
Kalynn Bayron
"Jay's Gay Agenda is exactly the kind of funny, upbeat, queer coming of age story readers crave. Full of laughs, heartbreak, fun, and tenderness, this story is an ode to first loves, friendships, and learning to embrace yourself exactly as you are because as Jay comes to understand, who you are is exactly enough."
Julian Winters
Fantastically hilarious and profoundly sincere, Jay’s Gay Agenda is a can’t-miss debut. Jason June pens a flawless letter to queer teens, a reminder that they are worthy of messy friendships, clumsy firsts, complicated feelings, and cinematic happy endings like anyone else. This book sparkles from start to finish.”
Mason Deaver
"Jay's journey to finding their place in the world warmed my small-town heart."
Booklist
June's debut is funny, sex-positive, and filled with a cast of complex, incredibly real characters . . . A charming, affirming coming-of-age story about friendship, relationships, and chosen family.
Becky Albertalli
Jason June, please feel free to check “conquering my heart” off your agenda, because I’m so in love with this book, it’s ridiculous. Jay’s Gay Agenda is funny, sincerely romantic, and infused with love from start to finish, starring a vividly drawn cast of characters who don’t even try to play it cool. I’m beyond charmed.
Ronni Davis
Jay's Gay Agenda is a delightful and emotional exploration of what it means to focus so much on checking things off a list that you forget yourself along the way. Every character is complicated, messy, and loveable, and it should be on EVERYONE'S agenda to grab a copy of this wonderful book!
Aiden Thomas
"Jay’s Gay Agenda is the charming, funny, sex positive book I wish I had read growing up. Jason June does an incredible job of exploring messy teen relationships through Jay, a charming and deeply flawed protagonist. Painfully relatable and laugh-out-loud funny, Jay’s Gay Agenda is the teen romcom of your dreams."
Phil Stamper
"Brave, hopeful, and absolutely packed with joy, Jay’s Gay Agenda crosses every item off my list. I can't wait for readers to fall in love with this powerful and heartwarming coming of age story."
Booklist
June's debut is funny, sex-positive, and filled with a cast of complex, incredibly real characters . . . A charming, affirming coming-of-age story about friendship, relationships, and chosen family.
Emma Lord
"What an absolute delight of a debut! Relatable, hilarious, messy, earnest, and heartfelt, just the way the best coming of age stories are. Jay's Gay Agenda tackles friendship, first love, and ~feelings~ so masterfully that readers will come back to read it time and time again."
L.C. Rosen
"Jay's Gay Agenda is the literal definition of a romp: It's funny, sexy, sweet and swoony in all the best ways and somehow still manages to capture the delicious, disastrous and overwhelming chaos and delight of suddenly getting caught up in a world of possibilities when there were none before. Honest and hilarious, this book should be on everyone's to-read list."
— Ronni Davis
Jay's Gay Agenda is a delightful and emotional exploration of what it means to focus so much on checking things off a list that you forget yourself along the way. Every character is complicated, messy, and loveable, and it should be on EVERYONE'S agenda to grab a copy of this wonderful book!”
School Library Journal
05/01/2021
Gr 9 Up—Out gay teen Jay lives in a tiny rural town where he doesn't know any other out LGBTQIA+ kids. As he watches his friends date and celebrate relationship milestones, he can't help but feel like he is missing out on life. When his mother announces that she has earned a promotion and the family will be relocating to the progressive, urban Seattle area, Jay is thrilled to start crossing items off his "gay agenda"—chief among which are his goals of finding a boyfriend and losing his virginity. All seems to be going to plan when he meets sweetly nerdy Albert, experienced Tony, and vibrant, genderqueer Max who signs on to be his "Gay Guide" through relationships. Suddenly Jay's life has endless options, but he soon finds that along come endless complications, and it's tough to celebrate his newfound happiness when his childhood best friend, Lu, has fallen on hard times. Readers will appreciate the positive, affirming setting, where there is virtually no homophobia and many diverse characters, including Albert, who is Asian, while Jay, Max, and Tony are white. Jay is a realistically flawed character who unintentionally harms friends as he throws himself into new relationships, and although his actions often seem self-absorbed, many will relate to the joy he feels to finally be freely himself. VERDICT A sweet celebration of finding love in all its forms. Recommended for fans of Phil Stamper and Leah Johnson.—Catherine Cote, John Champe H.S., Aldie, VA
Kirkus Reviews
2021-03-31
Senior year brings an entire list of changes to Jay’s life.
Jay, a gay 17-year-old, experiences a dramatic shift when his mother’s promotion to grocery store district manager transports their family from a small, not-very-diverse town in Eastern Washington to Seattle for his last year in high school. Jay will have to leave his best friend, Lu, but their friendship can survive the distance, right? It also means the chance to cross off items on Jay’s Gay Agenda, a list that ranges from finally meeting another gay boy (after being the only one who is out at his school) to, hopefully, going all the way. Things look up when Jay is taken under the wing of exuberant, genderqueer Max, a new Seattle classmate who helps him make moves toward sexy (and fun) Tony and sexy (and endearing) Albert. The story will amuse readers who are looking for a light read, although the characters at times read more like sitcom versions of teenagers than the real things. While the overall tone is more slapstick and humorous, a subplot concerning orphaned Lu’s financial problems is handled with sensitivity. The coronavirus is mentioned in a context indicating that the story is set in the near post-pandemic future, after quarantines have ended. Most main characters are implied White; Albert is Chinese American, and secondary characters in Seattle reflect the diversity of the city.
Queer, fluffy fun. (Fiction. 13-17)
