Hola Papi is a collection of essays spurred on by advice column questions and responses. John Paul Brammer grew up in small town Oklahoma as a mixed race gay kid. He experienced his share of bullying, which caused him to change middle schools. Later he found himself working as the writer of the Hola Papi advice column for a Grindr-owned online publication. There he answers questions from gay men looking for advice about coming out or their new relationships, and more. All of this is done with a pinch of humor and self-deprecation. Brammer recounts his own awkward encounters, self-discovery, love found and lost.

I listened to the audiobook, which Brammer narrated himself and he came across as warm and approachable. I appreciated his insight into his life as a less than 100% confident gay man and his desire to help the younger generation of gay men learn from his experience.

Holy Papi! If you are looking for a biography to read ¡Hola Papi! is it!

Why? ¡Hola Papi! Tells the story of John Paul Brammer or as his readers call him Papi. Pai is a queer mixed-race Chicano who was raised in a religious home and community. He struggles with anxiety and comorbid illnesses.

Brammer covers his journey to queer awareness. He talks of his experiences with religion, racism, homophobia, and of course his love life. He tells his stories through letters to his readers. Some are funny and will have you shaking your head.

Others...I just wanted to hug him. Brammer tells one story of an incident that happens in his youth and I had to put the book down. The realism, pain, and the tears I cried for a boy who didn’t even understand what was going on. As I am writing this I still want to hug him.

Why continue reading? Brammer has more stories to tell.

Kudos to whomever did the layout of the stories because you get a chance to breathe.

Brammer’s writing style is easy and laid-back. His stories are told with humor, sensitivity, and depth. You feel as if you are walking by his side, sitting next to him getting crazy advice, or watching write this book. He takes you on his journey into the past with an openness that he realized after a bit of time needed to write with.

I love ¡Hola Papi! I am also crushing on Brammer. Let him take you on his journey, you will get to experience it all.

thank you to netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! | I’ve been a huge fan of JP Brammer’s for a few years and his book does not disappoint. “How to See a Comet in a Room Full of Strangers” is the kind of essay I want to paper my walls with. If I have one small complaint it would be that the advise column setup got a little repetitive towards the end, but also...it’s hard to think it’s repetitive when you’re wiping tears from your eyes.

I was not familiar with JP Brammer prior to reading this book of essays/advice columns but now that I am, I want to read more.
Brammer shares stories about growing up as a gay, half White/half Mexican in a small town in Oklahoma. From middle school bullying to first love to lust, he spills all. Nothing explicit - just honesty and charm.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. Based on the title, I was expecting something campy and witty, and there were certainly those moments sprinkled throughout. I was surprised though by how moving and powerful the writing was, and how much it spoke to me as another queer person. I highlighted way more than I expected, and felt so grateful to have read this incredible book. A must read for anyone who has ever felt different.

I've followed JP's Hola Papi! column on and off for some time, and have to say this book is just as delightful as the column is. As a series of essays, it's engaging and vibrant, and he definitely has a way with words. It's awesome as a biracial chicana myself to see another mexican-american writer fill up a book with his wit, insight, and life experiences that have shaped our world.

I could not have enjoyed this more; it's the very definition of heartwarming. Part queer memoir, part advice column, all relatable and funny.

This was a book where I was drawn in by the cover as I was stalking Netgalley. I expected this to be a guileless, airy, unsubstantial memoir of a Mexican-American gay man's adventures as he leaves behind rural Oklahoma for New York. I have never heard of the Hola Papi advice column, so I went into this pretty blind. It was surprisingly introspective, thoughtful, and well written. Brammer covers a slew of topics from trying to fit in as a Mexican American with little sense of heritage, to his experiences with the gay dating scene, to accepting past versions of yourself, even if they make you cringe in retrospect. I did think some of the essays were a little disjointed and a touch naïve for my taste (but that's a personal view). I thought he came across as really young and lacked a bit of gravitas I was looking for. A quick memoir that put me in mind of Matt Ortile's "The Groom Will Keep His Name."



Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

What a delight!
If you want a new BFF to meet for margs and chips and great conversation, reading this book will provide a similar experience. Bremmer's work may be marketed for niche groups of Millennials, the queer community, and/or mixed Mexican Americans. However, the honesty and humanity with which he writes will appeal to broader audiences. He tackles some serious topics- bullying, race, class, coming out- sparked from questions submitted to his advice column, and answered with touching personal experiences that really do provide wisdom that comes from living.

John Paul (JP) Brammer is an LGBTQ advice columnist and writer who becomes the Chicano Carrie Bradshaw. JP is queer, mixed race and grew up in America’s heartland where he was called Papi on Grindr multiple times by white men which launch his advice column ¡Hola Papi! In this memoir-in-essays JP shares his experiences growing up in the closet while answering some of life’s toughest question; How do I become the person I want to be? Is there such a thing as being too gay? Should I hook up with my high school bully? Plus so many other questions!

This was such a fun read! Up until this release I had never heard of John Paul and when I got the opportunity to read this I instantly connected with him. As someone who grew up having to constantly prove they are Mexican enough while struggling not to come off as too gay it was like his book was telling my story. JP is hilarious and his stories about his family up bringing are so refreshingly honest. My favorite chapter has to be How to Describe a Dick where he writes, “My grandma picked fruit so I could be this,” So relatable on so many levels. JP shares many tales that you can’t help but wonder where has this book been hiding. “There was just me: a thick, hairy man with a sweaty back in a witchy slip, playing dress-up.” And while most of his essays have laugh out loud moments he also opens up about some triggering topics like bullying, sexual assault and suicide. Topics that lots of gay men are often dealing with and often Latinx gay men are told not to discuss because it isn’t manly. I applaud John Paul Brammer for being so open and sharing his wisdom, it was like having a conversation with your best friend over cocktails. This is one memoir I highly recommend you keep on your radar during Pride month. I don’t come across many gay Mexican/Mexican-American voices so this one shines very bright for me and I think many people will be to enjoy it just as much as I did.

JP Brammer didn't set out to become an advice columnist on gay hookup site, Grindr. In fact, growing up in Oklahoma, he found his homosexuality as hard as he could, while trying to figure out who he was as a biracial young man.  The new book Hola Papi is written as a series of essays based on prompts of questions from the Gay community. How do you let go of past insecurities? Am I too gay? What do I do if others don't see my experiences the same way I do? 

Sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes hilarious, Brammer's advice is somewhat universal in a few areas. If you're interested in finding out more about the gay community, past struggles from a previous generation (if you're Gen Z, that is), or what to do when you know the situation isn't right, this book is fascinating. We find out a great deal about Brammer in the process, and how to navigate land minds he and others have encountered before. For folks looking for a lighter Dan Savage type, this is your book. 

Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons is now available from Simon and Schuster.

My thanks go to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for providing me with this advanced digital copy!

I was super excited to read this one! I have been following John Paul Brammer on Twitter for a few years now and I absolutely adore his quick wit. It was exciting to see how it would translate in long-form essays, and it did not disappoint! Not only were many of the essays funny, but they were also heartfelt.

What makes a great advice columnist is the ability to turn the personal into something relatable. Brammer has that ability in spades. He is able to articulate the emotions of his own experiences in a way that bridges the gap between his life and the lives of his readers. He did a great job choosing stories that really hit the crux of the issue readers were asking about. He does not shy away from dissecting his own memories, some of which are painful. His prose is inviting and thoughtful, which lends well to some of the serious topics he discusses, such as identity, sexuality, race, mental health, and sexual assault.

Overall, I give this book 4.5/5 stars. I highly recommend it for anyone, whether you need some advice or not.

ARC received in exchange for an Honest Review
Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley!

Hola Papi is the book you need to read ASAP, especially if you love witty writing and relatable lovable memoirs.

With the strong introspective voice of John Paul Brammer, Hola Papi works as a fresh expansion of Brammer’s advice column in order to give insight into his life, and the lessons he has learned so far. These essays cover the typical life questions any burned out young adult has asked in terms of sexuality, racial heritage, career choices, and love life. Growing up biracial and gay in rural Oklahoma, John Paul Brammer allows you to use his life experience as a learning and entertainment tool that will irrevocably touch your queer or straight soul.

The experience of reading Hola Papi can only be described as that perfect meeting with a friend over drinks or coffee, when both of you bond over traumas, ex partners, and your obsession with crime podcasts. Brammer manages to touch on important subjects with delicacy and humor, which leaves you in tears or laughing out loud.

I would recommend Hola Papi to anyone who loves reading about real people that are learning to live just like you. Brammer is the perfect companion for a lazy summer afternoon, a walk in the morning, and a sleepless night. I have the feeling that the audiobook version would be an amazing way to enjoy this story, and I am looking forward to what JP has for us in the future.

Video Book review in my youtube channel: Isabel's Digest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWOyL4BYKGY

To say this book is a delight is an understatement :)

This book is an incredible, captivating book of essays on Brammer’s life as a queer mixed race kid. After one page, I was incredibly invested in the book! I was so drawn into the storylines in all of the essays. I laughed, felt so much joy, and felt all the heart that was put into the book. Also, this book has some sad parts where I had to get tissues. Overall, the essays are short, concise, and best of all, incredibly well-written. This book has memoir, advice, love, drama, romance—all the genres and all the feelings.

I wasn’t familar with Brammer’s work before reading this (he has a famous advice column which makes SO MUCH sense given the writing style), but I am incredibly excited to read more of his work! I really loved reading this and so grateful to get an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Highly recommend this book to anyone who self identifies as queer young person!

This book is fantastic! Brammer's voice is incredibly unique. These essays are perfect to read during pride month! These essays feel like a friend is telling you a story.

This is part memoir, part essay collection, and part advice column. John Paul Brammer uses his platform- and voice- to try to do the most good he can for his community. Reading the life experiences of another gay latinx man was very refreshing and affirming, considering cis white gay men are usually the ones attempting to speak for our community. There are so many important lessons in the stories Brammer shares; I honestly believe everyone can take something away from this collection! Brammer successfully uses the right amount of personal anecdotes, humor, and intimacy for a quick engaging read. Will be buying a copy.
TWs/CWs: Suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, eating disorder, racism, sexual assault, abusive romantic relationship, bullying, Harry Potter references, Rupaul references.

I kind of went into this book blind! I have never read Brammer's advice column before, but I am now a fan! Hola Papi dives into the life of John Paul and his experiences as a gay, Mexican-American man. Each chapter is preceded by a Hola Papi write-in question which sets up the main topic he will be writing about. In this memoir, he touches upon issues such as race, forgiveness, sexuality, and relationship problems while sharing his own experiences with the reader. Overall, this is a great memoir and I highly recommend picking this one up once it is published!

Brammer was given a racial moniker "Papi" by men on dating apps, eventually he turned this into the title for his popular advice column, "Hola Papi." Now his advice column has been woven into a advice book. Brammer who grew up in a small town in Oklahoma as a mixed race gay teen struggled with bullies and depression. His advice woven through out this book is so poignant and relevant to everyday lives.

Brammer's writing is easy and fun to read. He details stories about his personal life that have had lasting impacts on his adulthood. His advice applied to things that have impacted me and certainly can be applied to anyone's struggles. He talks about mental health, coming out to his boyfriend, bullies, falling in and out of love, and finding one's identity.

This book certainly wasn't written for me, but I definitely think anyone can find help by reading this book. I often struggle with self-help books because I feel like their screaming at me to be different. But with advice books, authors relate their own struggles/stories and how they got through it or didn't. Humans relating to humans, it's really helpful. So if you're afraid of self-help books I would still gives this book a try because if anything else you'll get a little chuckle out of Brammer's stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was solidly ok. It is basically a memoir written by an advice column writer, whose audience (I believe) is predominantly gay males. He honestly just seemed like just about every guy I know and like in my own life, which is good, but at the same time there wasn't really anything Earth shattering about this.

I do really love the cover.

4/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley for providing this e-arc!

It was a fun quick, yet slow, read! Not too attached but I wouldn't mind reading more from the editors and authors similar to the original, or perhaps themselv.es