6-Stars | Top Rec

With an honest and unafraid portrayal of the obstacles a relationship can face when homosexuality and religion are the main components, Autoboyography excelled at capturing an inspiring coming-of-age love story. Top-notch writing and storytelling from this duo further allowed for this story and its characters to feel completely relatable, to open that door to show that anyone from any spectrum can find a piece of themselves in Tanner or Sebastian.

Its lack of bias or agenda and instead its true focus on these characters as real teens, real young men struggling with the pressures of sexuality, beliefs, societal pressures, and familial belonging, was a truly powerful element. In reading this story, it’s incredibly obvious that Christina Lauren took the time to accurately research and portray both a faith and sexual orientation that many readers will have no understanding of. With Tanner’s non-LDS status, his lack of knowledge and stereotypical beliefs of the Mormon faith will connect with many readers, but his journey to researching and understanding it on his own and through Sebastian was both very educational and key in understanding the main conflict of a relationship between the two.

Autoboyography read like a biopic of first-love with teenage awkwardness, exploration of self, and the pressures of society or religion to be like everyone else. Tanner felt far older than his age, confirming that hiding oneself in a crucial time of growth in ones’ life can force a maturity that wouldn’t possibly be there otherwise. But oh the big heart he had to opening himself up to the very real chance his feelings wouldn’t be returned was starkly vivid on the page. The supporting players were truly figures to emulate, all fully accepting and caring and the kind of cast that each teen in this world truly need surrounding them.

Christina Lauren tackled two sensitive subjects with grace and heart and, in their unique way of telling the story, made it very easy to instantly fall into it. Autoboyography told the tale of a messy, but brutally beautiful love story, and the ride as a reader in experiencing it was wonderfully exhilarating. This is storytelling at its best, at its most unputdownable, top-of-its-game best. Every parent, every teen, every adult needs to experience the sheer beauty behind the power of love and how strength comes from opening your heart rather than closing it off.

I was much too curious about the blurb to Autoboyography to pass up the opportunity to read it. Admittedly there were aspects to it that made me nervous as to what kind of read it would be. But in all honesty after reading the first page I was instantly reassured by the style and tone of the writing.

High School can be an awkward time for most of us, and in theory none more so than for Tanner Scott. He’s an agonist, bisexual boy living in a highly conservative religious community. His family are incredibly supportive, but even as progressive as they are; they understand the importance of Tanner keeping his sexuality hidden.

Although not currently able to live the open life he has in the past, it hasn’t held Tanner back from making the most of his High School experience in Utah. He has friends, he has a social life, and best of all a personality I couldn’t help but fall in love with. Bullied Coerced by his best friend to take part his school’s prestigious writing Seminar is not how he hoped to spend his last semester, but he’s never been one to turn down a dare.

Tanner is fully prepared to coast the course, but once he sets his eyes on class alumni and mentor Sebastian Brother, his whole world is about to be shaken up.

I can’t tell you the range of emotions I went through reading this novel. It was brilliantly awkward at times to the point of laughing out loud, but there was also the angst that felt heightened due its star crossed nature. It’s a coming of age story that focuses on self-acceptance and tolerance, but most importantly it’s a sweet story of first love.

My 4 star review is posted on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2102876245?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1. It will be posted on blog and social media upon release and links will be updated. . UPDATED 9/12/17

4 stars

Tanner is self described as a "half-Jewish queer kid" who has now been displaced from California to live in Mormon/LDS populated Provo, Utah. Being bisexual, his progressive parents have warned him of the danger of trusting people there with this knowledge, so he has stepped back into the closet. He is easy-going, smart, and funny. He has a best friend, Autumn, who he loves but is not in love with, and no one has really had a significant effect on him until they end up taking a writing Seminar class.

Sebastian Brother is a writing prodigy from the last semester and is publishing his book, so he is acting as the class TA. He is a Bishop's son from a devout Mormon family with many expectations placed on him. He is a young man of faith and that shapes all of his choices. But he also has his own secrets, confusion, and fear.

When their eyes meet they have a strong reaction. But this is foreign territory for them both. An unexpected crush. Tentative friendship. Forbidden attraction. Stolen moments. Tanner is not sure how to stop wanting to be around Sebastian. And Sebastian does not like labels, and has serious struggles with his own identity.

This is a story within a story. It is a poignant YA coming of age, M/M, first love story dealing with sexual identity and acceptance in the restrictions of religious and family expectations. It's about firsts, friendship, love, self awareness, faith, religious beliefs, trust, and acceptance. It stirs up so many negative feelings of confusion, doubt, fear, disappointment, pressure, anger, frustration, loss, and heartbreak. But also some sweet notions of love, hope, acceptance, support, and humor. The stolen moments where they could just be Tanner and Sebastian without interference warmed my heart. There are many ups and downs, and serious disappointments. They will be forced to face challenges, navigate forbidden feelings, make difficult choices, and determine their own paths.

My heart was hurting, feeling their pain and disappointment, and seeing no easy solution. Sebastian was truly bound to his personal faith, religion, God, duty, and family. While Tanner just wanted to be chosen and loved, and had a family that just did not want to see him get hurt. There are internal struggles, emotional situations, external pressures and expectations that kept robbing them of hope. It is not an easy story to read and makes you feel the emotional turmoil of the characters.

Can love be enough to go against everything you have ever believed in? And if someone truly loved you would they ask you to?

This was told predominantly in Tanner's point of view as he lived and wrote his story, but it also provides some chapters in Sebastian's. It started out a bit slow for me, but these two gradually wormed their way into my heart and I found myself invested and staying up to finish it. This is totally different than any other Christina Lauren book I have read. But it still has some of that underlying humor and emotion I have come to expect from them. But this has so many important messages that need to be expressed and issues that need to be challenged. It gives enough of a resolved ending, but these characters are still young and I wonder if we might ever see a follow up story.

When you are an openly bi high schooler moving from liberal, open California, to conservative, highly religious Utah, things change for reasons that aren’t always comfortable. Tanner hides his true feelings in order to blend in better in a town where he already stands out, as he is not a member of the LDS church. When he meets the TA in his senior writing seminar, his carefully hidden secret is in danger of being revealed. But there is no way the strict Mormon former student at his high school would be interested in him.

Tanner knows himself, even if he keeps his true self quiet in his new conservative hometown. He is pretty sure his close friends wouldn’t care if he came out as bi, but he also knows his best friend would be hurt. She might be harboring secret feelings for him. I really liked the friendship between Tanner and Autumn. It was real. It was everything a friendship between a boy and a girl faces during high school.

Sebastian faces some of the biggest self-questioning and reflection of any of the characters in this book. I hurt from the beginning watching this relationship blossom, as the biggest conflict was one I could see from a mile away.

The allies developed in so many of the side characters gave hope to what would otherwise feel like an impossible relationship. Tanner and Sebastian find allies all around them, in places they would never have imagined. But even having allies around, there is a lot for Sebastian to have to figure out to decide if he can even have a relationship with Tanner.

Some of the religious focus felt heavy handed, but to someone not familiar with the LDS church it is necessary to set the scenes the characters face. Having grown up in an area with a large LDS population, most of the religious aspects were very familiar to me and grew tedious.

But that being said, religion and the views of religious bodies is a huge plot point in this story, and the way Tanner and Sebastian face their roadblocks are understandable from both of their perspectives.

This was not an easy read by any sense of the word, and there were times I wished it moved faster because it was so heavy. But it was also worth the pain in the way it made me think about stereotypes, religious communities, and family loyalty.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved everything Lo and C put out, but I was exceptionally excited for this book.

I loved loved loved Tanner and his family. His parents are so delightful, adorable, and supportive. I loved seeing their openness and the bickering with Hailey. It made them feel real to me. Sebastian was sweet and unsure and it really worked. And because it's a CLo book, you could cut the UST with a knife.

Plot wise, it was exactly what I was expecting. This story is filled with sweet moments and secrets and heartbreak and several pages of WITAF and above all, hopefulness. I struggled to get to the end only because I didn't ever want it to end, but it unfolded in the most delicious slow burn.

Every kid, no matter of their sexuality or identity, should have the experience of growing up with the bumper stickers, aprons, and open, accepting talks Tanner does. Sadly, I know this often doesn't happen and I hope hope hope that those who seek solace and need reassurance will be able to find it. Perhaps in this story.

**Huge thanks to Simon and Schuster BFYR for providing the arc free of charge**

I’ll start this review off with a little bit of unnecessary knowledge about myself. So, as a matter of fact, I don’t like surprises. Or at least mostly, I don’t. Could be because I’m a control-freak or simply because I’m afraid of changes and surprises normally entail those. But every once in a while a book manages to surprise me. “Autoboyography” is definitely one of those surprises. And what a beautiful one it was!

When I started my advanced copy of this gem, I honestly had no clue as what to anticipate. Yes, I could totally picture Christina Lauren being able to write MM-romance. But I’ve seen a couple of times when MF-authors ventured into MM territory and simply couldn’t manage the right vibe. MM-romance is a very complicated sub-genre. Often, the books are very angsty and deeply emotional because questioning your own sexuality and identity is a huge deal. In “Autoboyography”, this issue is even paired with the fact that the MC’s are only in their late teens/early twenties, so this whole story had a lot of the YA-vibe going on.

When I normally open a Christina Lauren book, I know I can look forward to fast-paced romance, lots of sexy times and funny banter. What I got when I opened “Autoboyography”: A highly emotional, mostly serious, slow paced and clean story of two boys who struggled not only with who they truly were but also with their life situations. And you know what? It totally worked. I can’t even begin to describe the new kind of respect I have for the amazing author-duet that is Christina Lauren. I’m a huge fan as it is and that only intensified after meeting them in Berlin this June – but for them to be able to do a 180 and write something so completely different from their ‘normal’ works? Wow, this just struck me speechless. I bow down to both of you, ladies!!!

The only aspect of story I had my personal issues with was the religious parts. I’m not a religious person myself, I do believe in something higher than humans but not ultimately in one particular God. So all this talk about church, about the restrictions the church community put on their parishioners and all the negative outcomes of all those restrictions – and how it even influenced the people who weren’t part of the community – gave me the jeevi-heevies. And made me raging mad at times. And it intensified my own peace in not believing in God. Because what God would want to see his parishioners unhappy and miserable? So yes, this whole religious aspect overshadowed my otherwise positive feelings for this story and I really thought that from time to time, the focus has been a bit too much on all that. But that is a rather personal complaint.

Even days after finishing “Autoboyography” I still can’t get Caleb and Sebastian off my mind and think they‘ll stay with me for a while to come. I give this amazingly beautiful and tender story 4,5 stars and can recommend it to everyone. And I mean EVERYONE. Even the ones who normally don’t read MM – this book is not only about the D and curious guys getting it on to see if they really crave dudes now. No, this book holds a really important message – you have to find out who you truly are, even if it’s a tough journey. Because at the end of the day, you can only be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. The only reason why I can’t give “Atutoboyography” the full 5 stars is that I normally don’t do slow paced, clean and religion. I really hope that Christina Lauren will do more of this new side of theirs in the future. So beautiful!

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Review to be posted on the release day

Christina Lauren are a wildly popular duo in the romance community, and with Autoboyography, no doubt the YA community will also go wild for this talented pair. Autoboyography is a lovely, heart-felt book about sexual identity, religion, love and family that teens and adults alike will fall in love with. 

Tanner and Sebastian could not be more different from each other, but somehow the two meet, and fall in love with each other. The book is predominantly told through the voice of Tanner, a proud bisexual boy who is only out to his family in his new Utah town. He is a total sweetheart, who captured my heart with his easy-going personality and kind soul. He is outgoing, smart, level-headed, and loves like nobody's business. Sebastian on the other hand is more quiet, and very devoted to his Mormon religion. Tanner and Sebastian meet in Tanner's seminar class where Sebastian is the teaching assistant. Somehow the book that they have to write in the class turns out to be an autobiographical love declaration for Tanner. The two start a super sweet romance that will absolute charm readers with the shyness, the stolen glances and the blushes. Their relationship had me squealing in happiness, and had my heart swelling because I was filled  with so much joy while reading their interactions. Of course, there are obstacles that abound, largely due to Sebastian's Mormonism, a religion that's not accepting of same sex relationships. The secrecy of their relationship will bring about feelings of melancholy occasionally, but the innocence and the absolute pure love between them keep you on cloud nine. When reality does catch up to them, it's heartbreaking, and Christina Lauren make you feel all the emotions they experience, so much so that I shed a tear here and there. 

Autoboyography not only explores sexuality, but it also tackles themes of family, friendship and acceptance. Tanner's beautifully supportive family will have you sobbing silently. His mom, in particular, a former LDS who left the church after the way they treated her gay sister, was amazing. She is loving, supportive and cares so deeply for her son. Their bond is the sweetest, and I loved watching them interact. Though his parents are wary of the relationship between Tanner and Sebastian, because they fear it will end in heartbreak for Tanner, they are nothing but supportive of him. Their priority is at all times Tanner's happiness. It's refreshing to finally see parents who are deeply involved in the lives of their children in YA. Tanner's relationship with his best friend, Autumn, who also happens to have a crush on her, is also explored with a lot of nuance. It's not a straightforward friendship, and the authors do a great job at showing all the complexities of that relationship. Christina Lauren also makes Autoboyography a knowledgeable book through the depiction of Mormonism here. Tackling religion is always a hard task for a writer, in my opinion, because it needs to be done with a lot of respect, which is exactly what Christina Lauren did here.  They give you a peek at the lifestyle and beliefs of Mormons, and though the religion is an obvious deterrent to the romance, it's not portrayed as evil or cultist, which I very much appreciated.

Autoboyography feels like the apple of Christina Lauren's eyes, and I urge you to check out this sweet book that's more than just a romance. It will make you laugh, cry and in the end, smile.

Wow!! I am not only a huge fan of Christina Lauren's but I am also a massive fan of M/M. So when I found out that one of my favorite writing duos was writing this book, I was beyond excited. Excited to see if they could wow me in this genre as well and they did. In a magnificent way. It was everything and more than I expected.

Four months. It seems like a long time but when you are writing a book and falling in love with a Mormon prodigy, it goes by in an instant. Even though there are moments when time stands still. And then there are moments when you wish time would fast-forward. This is exactly how Tanner felt his last semester at Provo High. He didn't know that on his first day back after winter break that his life would change forever. Then, he saw him. Sebastian Brother. The local celebrity in the Mormon community. The sexiest man he had ever seen in real life. The man that could change everything. The man he could easily fall in love with. But the only man that could break his heart. But, what are the chances of Sebastian being interested in a man like him? Or any man for that matter.

Four months. He knew it was going to go in a flash. He had his classes at BYU. His services for church. His writing. And now he was a TA for the Seminar. The class that he wrote his book in. And in four months, he will be leaving for a press tour for that exact book then he will be leaving for two years on his mission. Yes. These next four months are going to fly by. He was happy about that until he saw him. A man that he never really saw before. Tanner. He knew from the moment that he locked eyes with him that he was forever changed. He never saw it coming. He never saw him coming. It wasn't something he wanted. He had his plan. Tour. Mission. Find a nice Mormon girl and marry her. But in the next four months, he will have to figure out if what he wanted was what he truly needed to make him happy. But what if what makes him happy is wrong in a Mormon's eye?

I loved this story!! Everything about it was addicting. Their beautiful, heartbreaking, and amazing story. The book that Tanner was writing. The friendships. The family. I am not a religious person so I didn't know if I was going to understand that part of the story but I soon found that I don't need to be. I thought Christina and Lauren did great in that aspect. I could tell a lot of research went into it. I could also tell that they poured their hearts into this story. It's nothing like their previous books and that shows me how even more amazing they are. It's definitely one of my favorite books written by them. It gave me all of the feels. It's not just a beautiful story but an inspiring one as well.

Overall...It's everything and more. It's a young adult novel that is about love, religion, family, community and finding yourself.

Quotes:

His smile ruins me.

“I can’t tell if this feels good or terrible.”

“A God worthy of your eternal love wouldn’t judge you for who you love while you’re here.”

➳A story line that will have you hooked with not only the religious aspects of an individual with very little opportunities in expansion, but also with the knowledge of knowing what strengthens him and the ones he cares...

➳This was my very first M-M contemporary romance, and I am beyond glad I read it from one of my two favorite duet authors, Christina Lauren since these two ladies never seem to disappoint when it comes down to a good, down to earth book that will have you craving more and more through every page. As a person whom has had difficulties in life when it comes down to family restrictions, I understand where Tanner (the main male) comes from when being surrounded by the religious aspects of his society. Being a mormon in his world is something that appealed to me the most because it is a religion that you don't see being preached very often, therefore, finding a unique aspect to this story is what Christina Lauren have brought to the table.

➳The story has plots and twists that for some odd reason, I was not expecting at all. Even though the struggles are there for both Tanner, and later on Sebastian, they both learn to conquer them together, in a way that has you revolting for more characters that have this kind of chemistry. Though this book being contemporary, CLO have found a way to add the appropriate romance idealism to the mix, something that I truly enjoyed reading more than what I was expecting.

➳Overall, this was such a sweet and enticing love story that I am sure I will read again in the future. I hope CLO keeps writing M-M romances, because, this being their first, was just too good for my taste buds to not have more!

This is by far my fav YA read of the year.
I loved it...I loved that it was sort of a coming of age story. I loved that it was two men learning to navigate feelings. I loved it ALL. Tanner was such a strong individual and a great example of how to rise above. Sebastian may have needed some help in in a few areas of his life, but Tanner was good for him. My heart broke for them on so many levels. I will never be able to understand the depths of what they went through or the challenges they will continue to go through. I enjoyed every aspect of this story and I would love love love a follow up :)
This is the must read YA book of the year!

With their last book, [book:Dating You / Hating You|32620304], Christina Lauren entered a new phase in their writing, melding a rom-com with a bigger message. Autoboyography continues that trajectory, bringing along the familiar humor and memorable main characters their books are known for, as well as a more diverse supporting cast (one of the teachers is Japanese; one of the friends, Tongan). It all adds up to a book that offers a more inclusive, modern look at relationships. I'm so glad it exists.