This was a wonderful experience. I was pleasantly surprised by the humour alongside the seriousness of the matter at hand. I absolutely loved what i read. It was funny, powerful, poignant, eye opening, heart-wrenching, heart warming, hilarious, wonderfully crafted...... I am so short of adjectives right now. I am in awe. This book will be a keystone in the conversations around gender, sex and desire for so so many decades to come. Good Luck to the author for publication.

Written with such humour but recounting such obvious difficult times for anyone for any age to deal with. Holly/Steve navigates through childhood and beyond with no real certainty of where she stands in life! A really interesting read and an insight into something I would have never otherwise even began to understood.
"Is a caterpillar something that has to change to become a butterfly? Or is a caterpillar aways a butterfly that just hasn't grown into it yet"

The only reason for 4 stars rather than 5 is the layout of the document as it was received by Kindle. I am sure this will be fixed by the time of publication though. Lorka, you are a Handsome genius and I am so proud of your accomplish you magnificent butterfly.

"Handsome" is a lively collection of essays from Holly Lorka, ranging from incredibly poignant to laugh out loud funny (which is quite the balance to strike!). From an early age, she felt like something was missing- namely a penis. She was attracted to girls, but wanted to be a boy with them. She chronicles her journey to self-acceptance, highlighting relationships and experiences she's had along the way. With essays that can be about a rather serious topic, she will drop a one-liner, that is just perfect and hilarious. I also appreciated her clear enjoyment with being a nurse: how challenging, but rewarding the profession can be. The standout essay of "Handsome" is a transcript of her talk at "Bedpost Confessions" where she calls the baggage she carries through her life as loose change- something you would not think about all the time, but it is always there. One can imagine why she received a standing ovation after reading it. Highly recommend this joyous and moving essay collection.

Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing me with an advance reader copy for review.

Disclaimer - This book is geared more toward an older audience. But the topics discussed are the most important thing by far.
Firstly I'm.thankfuk to be able to receive this advanced copy. I love a good memoir especially when they can make me laugh and this one did exactly that. It was like a coaster ride or watching a movie. One moment I was laughing close to tears and next I was crying because of how sad it was. Then next I'm clapping because of the things Holly accomplished. This book shows a understanding of the true self, accepting who you are not what other want you to be. And doing your best at life.

An incredibly funny and heartfelt book that prioritises honesty above everything else, this is a look at growing up queer in an environment where the rules for identity were arbitrary and frustrating, and there was so much to be done in terms of LGBT+ rights. I appreciate that the author doesn't necessarily feel they need to be shoehorned into one particular form of identity, and that the boundaries of queerness are left blurry (as they should be!) in this book. There's a lot of laughs in here as well, and some cringy moments- especially to do with life-size Barbie dolls and bathroom doors. T

This read was a delight, and I'd love to see more from the author as time goes by. There's a wonderful voice here, and things that a lot of queer kids can relate to and appreciate. These sorts of narratives are exactly the kind that I love to see, and they're so important to get out there. I really liked that there weren't arbitrary sections dedicated to growing up in sequential order- jumping around kept it fresh and interesting. The author doesn't shy away from self-deprecation, and their voice is a wonderfully authentic one. Well worth the read- an absolute cracker of an autobiography.

First off, thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this book. While I’m not a part of the LGBTQ community I am an ally, and I love reading books by authors who are. This is no exception, to read the story of Holly, a women trapped in the wrong body and how her life was, the relationship with herself, with her mother and with George Michael. Many won’t understand what it’s like to know you’re in the wrong body the human in you will undoubtedly how compassion for Holly. If you enjoy reading books that might be out of your comfort zone, books by strong, funny LGBTQ authors I definitely reconnect.

Without a doubt one of the best books I have read this year. Thank you so much for the advanced copy.

Such a beautifully written and honest book. Laughed a lot and read this in one sitting. Will definitely purchase this and have highly recommended it to others.

Thank you #Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Holly Lorka is hilarious as she shared her journey through life being in a women's body but feeling trapped and that she was really meant to be a man. Though when the opportunity presents itself later in life to correct this, she opts not too. As she is the way she is for a reason and has gone through life/experiences that have made her the confident person she is. Loved hearing her childhood stories, the photos, family dynamics and her many interesting relationships and visits to sex shops. So funny and honest!

Wow I read this book in a day and its one of the best books I have read this Year , I have recommended this book to everyone I know to read.

I loved all the following in this book, 1. The dedication to George Michael this dedication on its own made me laugh.

2. All the amazing topics this book covers including , The Description of dry humping the Hamburger pillow, I won't be able to look at a Hamburger pillow again without thinking of dry humping lol
coming out as a Lesbian , the amazing stories of Holly life

The Book made me howl with laughter and also cry with the stories in it as its amazing

I would like to thank NetGalley & She Writes Press for the arc of this book in exchange for this honest review

This book is utterly hilarious. Some stories I found myself telling to my LGBTQ friends as we laughed in commiseration. The story of Holly's life, not understanding exactly how she was different from others and then eventually trying to live her truth, is both humorous and deep. This one gets you with laughter and tears, and Lorka's dry wit and sarcasm draw you in to her incredible writing. This is an important and valuable memoir in the vein of Sissy and Fun Home. A wonderful addition to the LGBTQ literature shelf.

"I'd shown these strangers all the scary and shameful parts of me, and they loved me for it."

This book is honest and funny. Holly explains what it's like to grow up in a body that doesn't feel right, and the journey to accepting that body. This book is raw and explains Holly's vulnerability, while also including life experiences that are funny and relatable.

This book made me laugh and cry, which is rare in a book. This book is so important for all people to read and to help them understand others. It is a true glimpse into gender, and so timely in the world we live in.