Kings of B’more follows two gay best friends, Harrison and Linus, who have been inseparable since the day they met. Harrison is feeling like his adult life is just about to begin: with junior year, standardised testing and college admissions right around the corner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Thankfully, he has his best friend by his side to help him through all the anxieties of growing older. But when Linus tells him he’s moving away, the two boys are faced with a scary new reality: being apart.
Harrison is determined to make a grand gesture to show Linus how much he means to him. With the help of his friend Aparna—and a coincidental movie night choice from his dad—Harrison decides to give Linus one grand adventure day filled with tons of fun.
With Kings of B’More, what you see is what you really get. And that is a gorgeous, wholesome novel filled with queer joy and a love letter to the importance of friendships. Sure, there are some moments in the novel that are sad—from goodbyes from your best friend, the looming threat and utter relatability of growing older to not knowing who to turn to once your friend is gone—but really, at the root of it all, this is a book about friendship and the incredible power it holds. It’s such a sweet idea of Harrison to plan this entire last day filled with all the experiences he wants his best friend by his side for—there are just some things you don’t want to do alone. Harrison knows that there will be moments he won’t have Linus by his side but instead of letting that drag him down, he is wants to make sure Linus knows just how much he means to him. Reading this book will probably both make you want to have such a friend in your corner as much as it will encourage you to show your own best friend how much they mean to you.
There are also some cute moments that include the characters’ relationships with their family and friends— obviously Harrison and Linus have to keep their locations a secret during their epic day but we still get a glimpse of their family lives which adds a layer of depth to this fun-driven story. Besides that, we have Linus and Harrison trying to squeeze so much into one day that you can’t help but love being along for the ride. From a fun (and twisted version of a) car chase to a rooftop festival, following Linus and Harrison as they break all the rules to have their perfect last day together is just the goodness you need in your life sometimes. All in all, if you’re looking for a fun, queer novel about an epic friendship to accompany you this summer, this one’s perfect for you!
Kings of B’More is a celebration of queer joy and platonic love, perfect for fans of When You Get the Chance and The Summer of Everything.
Kings of B’More is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
Will you be picking up Kings of B’More? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Two Black, queer best friends face their last day together with an epic journey through Baltimore in this magnetic YA debut by celebrated cultural critic and bestselling Here For It author R. Eric Thomas.
With junior year starting in the fall, Harrison feels like he’s on the precipice of, well, everything. Standardized testing, college, and the terrifying unknowns and looming pressures of adulthood after that–it’s like the future wants to eat him alive. Which is why Harrison is grateful that he and his best friend Linus will face these things together. But at the end of a shift at their summer job, Linus invites Harrison to their special spot overlooking the city to deliver devastating news: he’s moving out of state at the end of the week.
To keep from completely losing it–and partially inspired by a cheesy movie-night pick by his Dad–Harrison plans a send-off a la Ferris Bueller’s Day Off that’s worthy of his favorite person. If they won’t be having all the life-expanding experiences they thought they would, Harrison will squeeze them all into their last day. They end up on a mini road trip, their first Pride, and a rooftop dance party, all while keeping their respective parents, who track them on a family location app, off their trail. Harrison and Linus make a pact to do all the things–big and small–they’ve been too scared to do. But nothing feels scarier than saying goodbye to someone you love.
