this is a funny, heartwarming, and sharp story about how to overcome expectations set by those around you but also by yourself.

Domenic, while dealing with his own failed engagement, has to put on a happy face for his two best friends and make through their separate bachelor/bachelorette weekends. except kate wants him to spy on the boys, and patrick wants him to keep secrets from the girls, oh and of course there’s this hot golf player who keeps giving him eyes all weekend. sounds easy enough, right?

what unfolds is a series of hysterical disasters one after the other. character development and plot are all about conflict and that’s exactly what this is. Dom is one big gay disaster and it’s hilarious.

but the book offers a lot of thoughtful commentary on the Gay Best Friend trope and how queer people are more than that but can also allow themselves to fall in to it as well. and how we don’t have to compare ourselves to our straight counterparts to be seen as successful.

it plays out like the best rom-com you’ve ever seen. really funny, lots of heart, and a romance to swoon over.

i know exactly the kind of book this wanted to be and it excels. loved every single page.

The Gay Best Friend was a really fun, enjoyable read. With the lovely cover I think it would make a great summer beach read as well. I enjoyed the story and was engaged throughout. I am grateful to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this refreshing book.

Dom’s childhood best friend is getting married. And he’s the best man. And he’s in charge of the bachelor party. And Dom’s other best friend is getting married. And he’s invited to the bachelorette party. Oh, and his best friends are marrying each other. Oh, and his fiancé just recently broke up with him and called off their wedding. If this sounds like the makings of a drama of epic proportions, you’re right.

I loved this. It’s hilarious. At times, it has the feel of one of those guilty pleasure tv shows where ALL the drama happens. It’s also sweet and romantic. It has all the feels.

Read this if you like romantic comedy. You won’t regret it.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

A good easy read but just not one that blew me away.
Was nice to see a focus on the challenges and ups and downs of friendship as well as having a romance story line.

I didn’t really like this one. I thought the writing was bad. I wasn’t really invested in the characters, and I just did not care for this one.

I was in the mood for a fun and heartwarming romcom and this book definitely delivered!

Dom is the token “gay best friend” to his friends Patrick and Kate. He’s used to code-switching to fit in with both of their worlds. But now he has to navigate his loyalties to both sides in the lead up to Patrick and Kate’s wedding while attending both of their bachelor and bachelorette parties. Along the way, Dom learns to shift his focus away from people-pleasing and focus on himself.

This book captured me right from the very beginning! I loved Dom and found his relationships with Patrick and Kate so endearing (albeit at times a little toxic, though they all redeemed themselves in the end). It was also so fun to have the setting be in Mystic, CT and I loved all the nods to places in the town as someone who grew up in that area. I could’ve used just a touch more chemistry between Dom and the love interest in the beginning but ultimately was rooting for them to end up together! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC of The Gay Best Friend via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I really appreciated the opportunity to read this one!

Domenic Marino’s two best friends are getting married to each other, and both the bachelor and bachelorette parties now rest in his unsteady hands. His childhood best friend Patrick wants to have one last wild weekend to let loose with his frat buddies before tying the knot. Patrick’s soon-to-be-bride Kate wants Dom to keep an eye on things and report back anything that should make her reconsider getting married. Caught between both of his friends, Dom attempts to throw the celebrations they deserve while ensuring the wedding happens without a hitch, and he still has both of his best friends at the end of it.

The Gay Best Friend is the perfect summer beach read. Both wedding parties end up at Patrick’s family beach out for their prospective gatherings, a place filled with history and special significance for Dom. I really felt bonded with Dom and the bombardment of emotional entanglements he ran into. For Patrick, he has to lean masculine and hang with the boys, taking in stride comments and jokes about his sexuality. Kate’s wedding party consists of the wives or girlfriends of most of the previous group, sticking Dom with the difficult job of keeping and managing other people’s secrets. Flipping back and forth between more masculine and feminine sides of himself, Dom changes and twists in every situation to try to be what other people need in the moment. It doesn’t help that he’s reeling from his own recent heartbreak and canceled wedding.

It’s very difficult to keep friendships close as you get older, as people change, as situations change. A relationship’s history has a strong grip, but ultimately isn’t enough to sustain longevity on its own. Dom and Patrick’s relationship was the most interesting to me, as Dom’s sexuality left something unsaid between them, an unresolved tension. Dom’s discomfort as he moved through the world felt immediately relatable. One of the unfortunate truths of being queer is often presenting yourself the way you believe others will accept you, regardless of how real it is. Sometimes you get so used to presenting something, you forget who you really are. I felt seen by this book. It was romantic, light and charming, easy to read and fun. It was also incredibly touching, providing a sense of closure for something familiar and something shared in all of us. The relationship between Dom and Bucky was electricity on the page, both a fantasy come true and a reality check. You never really know what someone else is going through, but at the same time, our ability to empathize and find common ground is our humanity in action, is our basic reason for existing.

I’ll admit this book caught me by surprise. I got everything I expected, but I got so much more. It’s an ode to friendship, to flaws and mistakes and regrets, to the lowest of the lows - and for the people who choose to be with us along the way, knowing we’re all perfect in our imperfection, that despite our differences when we hold up our hands and our hearts, they look very much the same.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC- all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Meet Dom: Token ‘gay best friend’ to both Kate and Patrick. Patrick and Dom have been friends since childhood- long before Patrick had the courage to come out to family and friends. Dom and Kate are also best friends, who met as a result of Patrick and Kate’s relationship. Dom has spent most of his adult years code-switching back and forth between the Dom he is with Patrick and the heterosexual ‘frat boy’ groomsmen and the Dom he is with Kate- ultra feminine wine drinker who binge watches SATC. When Kate’s fears and insecurities around the upcoming bachelor party put Dom in a tough position, tensions mount and Dom is forced to figure out who he is as an individual.

This book started rough for me- but hear me out. I disliked Dom- I couldn’t get a read on who he was, I struggled to connect with him or relate to his experience. I thought Kate’s reaction to her fiance’s bachelor party plans were petty and childish and she was insecure and severely overstepped in asking Dom to ‘spy’ on the guys and report back to her. I did not care for Patrick’s behavior at his bachelor party, but I did like his relationship with Dom and how he was always there to defend Dom and encouraged him to be himself. HOWEVER- by the end of the book, I feel differently. I hope it was intentional, but I feel like I did exactly what the author set out for me to do.

Dom also didn’t like himself at the beginning of the novel, but rather than have the author state that outright, he shows you, through Dom. In the first chapter we learn that Dom has just been dumped, a few months before his own wedding was set to take place. He is bitter. He is upset. He is angry. But instead of saying that, he projects a lot of his own insecurities on his friends- Kate and Patrick. Regardless of who you are, it would be incredibly difficult to be happy and supportive and not feel any resentment or ‘yucky feelings’ towards your friends who are moving forward with their wedding plans, when your own life is not going to plan.

SPOILER ALERT: Stop reading now if you don't want more of the storyline revealed!

What I really appreciated about the storyline was Bucky’s experience. Through Bucky and Dom’s exchanges and the relationship that grows between them, the reader gets insights into the emotions and feelings that come with having to deny a part of who you are; hide; or to feel ashamed. As a heterosexual female, I felt like I had an opportunity to walk around in someone else’s shoes and see just a glimpse of what someone else’s struggles feel like. While I didn’t always ‘like’ Dom, I think that was because I couldn’t relate to his experience, but I did love that he was an authentic, messy human. That is relatable to us all.

This is one of those stories that while I was reading it, I didn’t feel all that invested, but now that the book is finished and I reflect on it, it had a lot more depth than I initially thought.

Not earth-shattering, but a fun beach read. It feels like a long episode of Normal Gossip — lots of juicy interpersonal drama where people are shitty to each other in relatively low-stakes ways. It starts off stronger and then lags a bit in the middle, but there are parts that made me genuinely laugh. I also liked that, although there is definitely a romance arc, the (messy) friendships are at least as much of a focus as the romance.

If you dislike stories where the romantic conflict comes from one person being out and one person being closeted, this book may not be for you. That said, I generally dislike such stories and I still enjoyed this book overall.

I was very excited to read this book. Thank you for the ARC. I devoured this book. I instantly connected with the main character Dom. I loved seeing his relationship with both the bride and the groom and the challenges he faced with his own romantic relationship.
When we first met Dom he is fresh off a broken engagement, but still trying to be there as the best man to his childhood friend Patrick, and a best friend to the bride. There's a lot of bad communication and toxic expectations in these relationships, but how each of the characters work through it gives this book a lot of heart.
I absolutely could not put this book down and definitely recommend it!
Really my only critique is the use of the word "spastic" to describe a way to dance. Please consider changing this word as many in the disability community see this word as a slur. If Lizzo can change this lyric in one of her songs, everyone should be able to remove it from their general vocabulary as well.

A well written, easy going book about a bride, a groom and the gay best friend to both of them. You know the bachelor party weekend won't end well when the bride expects him to spy for her. Dominic got himself into so many unnecessary situations, told lies (or omitted the truth) and made poor choices, making everyone's life a misery and it got a bit frustrating. He doesn't deserve the friendship from them because he's quite selfish and has a big mouth. Like, shut up dude! But I also enjoyed the self discovery for all of them along the way - that redeemed the story.

I did love the gazillions of tv/movie references (ahh, Mystic Pizza ❤️) as that reminds me of my own life. My favourite character was Kitty the stripper. I'd like to read a spin-off book about her.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm so torn on this book- I loved the writing style and snarky dialogue and it was a pretty fast read but in reality, it just wasn't filled with much substance. Most of it is SO negative and depressing and casts such a bad light on relationships- TOXIC traits, personalities, cheating, lying, etc. Somewhat redemptive at the end, but not enough to make it worthwhile in my opinion. I don't think I liked one single character, even our MC. There were some really unique and funny parts that I was laughing and looking over my shoulder to see if anyone knew what I was reading- SPICY- but overall my vibe after reading it was just 'meh'. I wish I loved it more, it didn't take a while to read, so I can't say I regret it and some may love it. I was just left wanting more I guess.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
🌶️🌶️/5

This book was honestly kinda roller coaster. The first half I was so confused and was super bored because Dom had nothing super positive going, and everyone just didn’t seem good.

However, the second half of the book was really good. Even though a lot happened, it was still interesting and made me more engaged into the story.

This story really showcased its mental health & how toxic people can be sometimes. I do recommend this book, but I’d be a little cautious. Check the TW’s before reading, so you know what to be prepared for.


Thank you NetGalley for sending me an eARC copy of this book.

The Gay Best Friend provides sassy quips, hard truths, and heartwarming moments. This book offers a unique perspective of what a balancing act being viewed as the token gay bestie really is.

Domenic (Dom) is newly single, canceling his wedding, and the best man to his frat-bro childhood best friend Patrick, and his fiance, the Vogue beauty guru Kate. Caught in a tough situation – promising Kate that nothing will happen at Patrick’s bachelor party, and promising Patrick that he won’t tell Kate anything that does happen at the bachelor party is the perfect recipe for a boiling pot of tea, and no one to spill it with.

I think this book is the perfect bundle of the straight-gay best friend dynamic, drama, some self-realization type of moments, character growth, and romance (thank you for the tropes). I laughed at some moments and slammed the cover of my kindle shut at others. I truly think this book has a scenario for every reader to connect with.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an advance copy of this book for me to enjoy. As always, this book was read and reviewed voluntarily, and the above opinions are entirely my own.

dear god this was so sweet. i am not a fan of romance, not even a little, but this novel was everything. domenic marino is the gay best friend & the gay best man at his best friends’ wedding. during the bachelors party, bucky graham, pro-golfer, shows up late and surrounded by scandal. all southern charm and sculpted muscles, he’s undeniably attractive. after a big mishap at the party, dom has to keep a secret from his best friend kate about what her future husband got up to, and also what he got up to with bucky.

a phenomenal story that subverts the “gay best friend” trope in modern media, nicolas didomizio writes compelling characters that take your breath away. the love story is absolutely adorable, but it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. dom reminds me of myself, constantly surrounded by straight people and their nonsense. this novel is so cute, so well written, and the first romance novel i’ve ever actually enjoyed.

thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed The Gay Best Friend. I enjoyed Dominic’s character. There was a lot of discussion about how he acts differently with Patrick than with Kate, but I felt that was relatable. He may still be himself but certain aspects come out more with different people. I liked the relationship between Dom and Bucky and seeing Bucky come to terms with his true feelings. I did find Kate very annoying the first half of the book, the way she insisted on asking Dom to keep an eye on her fiancé and tell her what happened. If she trusted him that little, why was she marrying him? But I like that they eventually discussed that they started going to therapy and working out their issues before they did get married. Overall this was a cute and fun story! Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an advanced copy of the book. All opinions are my own.

Absolutely loved this story! We all have that “gay best friend” and this story really dives into that character and shows the complications that the title can bring to those that own it or put it on others! The characters were so relatable and I felt like they were my own best friends.. I was sad to part ways with them! Such a quick, fun read! Five stars from me! I love a good queer rom-com.

This will certainly find its audience amongst women who love Christina Lauren, Ali Hazelwood, etc. I thought it felt a little pander-y to straight women, and I truly wasn't rooting for any of the friendships or romantic relationships, but it was cute at times!

The Gay Best Friend has hints from The Charm Offensive and Red White and Royal Blue, but the book that comes to mind the most is First Time for Everything.

Recently single, thirty-year-old gay Domenic (Dom) is an anxious mess and stuck between his best friends, the hypermasculine Patrick and his fiancé, the ultrafeminine Kate. When Kate asks Dom to protect Patrick from doing stupid things at his bachelor party, and Dom arrives at Kate’s bachelorette party with a bunch of secrets, his life is spiraling out of control.

The Gay Best Friend is incredibly heartwarming, captivating, and witty. Funny and almost cringe-worthy moments alternate with wonderful conversations, especially between Dom and Bucky. Because of this, the story is far more layered than you’d assume when you start reading the book. Even though Dom feels trapped, his friendship to both Patrick and Kate is so precious and this story is Dom’s personal journey to his true self. Throughout the story, I wanted to tell him desperately that he should start loving himself and doesn’t have to feel less than Patrick. I simply loved the book and Dom. In the end, I was surprised that I even liked Ted and fully agreed with the message he gave Dom. I can’t wait to read more by Nicolas Didomizio!

This was a really enjoyable read! It was full of the kind of characters that I like best in this kind of fiction - the people who are essentially good, but also messy, flawed and with plenty of mistakes between them. There were a lot of moments where I screeched 'oh noooooo', plenty of others where I laughed, and others where I just wanted to hug everyone. I also found myself wanting to read more about Ted at the end, he intrigued me! I just really enjoyed almost every part of it!

The only negative thing for me was in the use of the ableist language of "sp*zzing" and "dancing sp*stically" I thought there had been enough discussion recently about the use of that word so I shocked to see it. Hopefully as this is an ARC then it will be edited before release.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC*