Goodness gracious this was not what I was expecting. I went into it thinking “wedding rom-com, maybe Father of the Bride-like wedding shenanigans and hijinks.” Instead, it’s an emotional journey as a son brings his fiancé home in hopes of acceptance. But it’s also a story of grief and overcoming. It’s beautiful and sad and romantic and unique. The characters will definitely stick with me. Paw Paw is perfection.

This was a heartwarming read. We follow an array of characters as they prepare for the biggest, gayest wedding this small-town in Louisiana has ever seen. Barrnett has a secret. Well not really a secret, but it might as well be for how much his mother ignores its existence. Barrnett is gay and engaged. His mother has never understood and has spent the last 10 years believing it was 'just a phase', but when her son finally returns home with handsome fiance Ezra in tow, she is no longer able to live in blissful ignorance.

Big Gay Wedding follows a multitude of characters and is not in any one person's perspective. So we experience this event from multiple point-of-views. We see the good, the, bad and the ugly of humanity (and a couple furry creatures as well!) This was an interesting read, albeit a little confusing at times what with the constant POV shift, but an all-around enjoyable read, Great for wedding season coming up!

Big Gay Wedding lives up to its title, but it’s so much more. This a a wonderfully lyrical, funny, and tender examination of love, loss, and acceptance.
Chrissy has dealt with the loss of her beloved husband, and carried on with the family farm, making it over as an animal refuge. As the book opens, she’s waiting for her only son Barnett to arrive for a visit. But he’s brought a surprise in the form of a fiancé named Ezra.
Manners matter to Chrissy, so even though she doesn’t approve of his”Looney Toons” California lifestyle,she soon becomes hostess to Ezra and his parents in rambling city mouse/country mouse fish out of water countdown to the nuptials.
Chrissy’s slow acceptance of Barnett and Ezra unfolds naturally and her journey feels real. This “Farm Mom” loves her son dearly, you never doubt that.
Ezra’s parents are comic gold. “She’s won awards,” I loved their easy relationship with the boys.
Family is the heart of this book. Mothers and sons. Sons and fathers. Grandfather and grandson - I loved Barnett’s horn dog grampa and their judgement free relationship.
At the end, loves wins, and Chrissy has a new friend. There are moments that will make you tear up. I’ll miss Polite Society Ranch, Chrissy notebook scribbling, Barnett and Ezra, and their wonderful blended family.

I read Byron Lane’s book A Star is Bored in the past and liked it enough to read his new release, Big Gay Wedding.

Set on a farm in Louisiana, the novel opens with Barnett’s mother Chrissy’s point of view as she works on her family farm, Polite Society Ranch. Barnett and his parents were raised in a small town outside of New Orleans in a church community where it was taught that homosexuality is a sin. Barnett didn’t know anyone gay (or at least openly gay) his whole life in Louisiana. The way Barnett was treated by his father when his sexuality was discovered was traumatizing. As an adult Barnett moved to California, though his mother longs for her son to return home to take over their family farm.

The beginning of this novel holds tenderness for Barnett as he attempts to introduce his partner to his mother. Chrissy’s initial reaction is heart-breaking. As the plot continues, the characters become more over-the-top, including New Yorker Victoria who talks obsessively of wine and Nichole, whose wedding plan ideas were so outrageous that I thought she was joking, (but she wasn’t). Paw Paw’s character speaks on aging and the nursing home life with dark humor.

While told with humor and a vibrant cast of characters, the heart of this novel explores a mother’s resistance to accepting her son because of the messages she had previously heard from her community and religious leaders.

The novel lives up to this title, as the ending of this book provides quite the wedding! Like nothing I have seen before

This review is posted one IG and FB @beginandendwithbooks and on Goodreads Michelle Beginandendwithbooks

This is a summer MUST read! I thoroughly enjoyed Byron Lane's first novel, A Star is Bored so I was very excited to get an ARC of this May 30th release!

I went in expecting to be entertained, to have a smile on my face, and to meet some fun and eclectic characters - but this book surprised me and was so much more than that. This book has so much heart! It's about acceptance, forgiveness, family, grief, and one of my favorite themes - the bond between humans and animals.

This cast of characters just stole my heart - from Chrissy ("Farmer Mom") and her son Barnett along with his loveable grandpa Paw-Paw (oh I just wanted to hug him!) to Ezra and his zany alcoholic mom Victoria & hilarious sister Nichole, to all the side characters that made an impact on the story.

And then Elaine - oh Elaine - who knew that a farm animal would make me have tears streaming down my face at one point! I knew the scene with a boy and his dog would make me cry but I didn't expect the waterworks that came from falling in love with Elaine. She is the epitome of what the friendship and love between a human and animal can look like - Byron you killed me with this beautiful character and representation of how all animals SHOULD be treated!

Overall this was a super fun read with so much heart - if you love Schitt's Creek like I do, I think you will love this book with it's hilarious cast of characters and the dynamics of the small town locals mixing with the big city outsiders.

So excited for readers to get their hands on Byron Lane's book - as well as his hubby Steven Rowley's gorgeous book The Celebrants - which serendipitously launches on the same day! What a literary power couple!

Side note - I would love to someday be able to attend a dinner party with these two - just throwing that out into the universe! After reading their entire bodies of work - their love for animals and life and each other just oozes from the pages of their books!

Thank you to Netgalley & Henry Holt & Co. for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book surprised me in all the best ways! Based purely on the title and cover I thought this was going to be a total romp and pure fun— and it was that— but it was also very deep and thoughtful and heartwarming.

This ‘Big Gay Wedding’ is taking place in rural Louisiana on a farm where the groom’s mother has denied, and ignored, her child’s sexuality his whole life. Let the drama, ensue.

Byron Lane wrote this with such tenderness and I feel like he really took care of all the characters involved. It’s witty, and fun and deeply touching at the same time. I really enjoyed it!

I am so disappointed that I couldn't go further than chapter 3 of this book. It started off great with the main setting being in country Lousiana, where I am from. Unfortunately it quickly turned itchy as I kept meeting all these super stereotypical characters: the conservative mom, the cool and understanding paw-paw, the out-of-the-closet son, his NYC boho fiance and the over-the-top crazy future mother-in-law.. I mean, come on! Writers need to make an effort writing about unique stories and avoid cliches at all costs. Cliches are not cute. This is such a disappointment after having recently read A Star Is Bored, which I loved!

Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange of my honest opinion.

Usual gay wedding stories involved the grooms, a romance, or the best friend - but 𝘽𝙞𝙜 𝙂𝙖𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 is not like typical stories. This story is mainly about the mother of the groom, her only son, and her journey of acceptance. The mother-son relationship, that she still clings to her ideal version of her boy vs accepting the man he has become… but she does come around.

While it’s a hopeful story, with happy ending, some of the realities of homophobia in a small town are a bit heartbreaking and hard to read. Even though there is plenty of comedic relief, mainly in the form of Ezra and his parents - parts were a bit over the top for me and became a little cringe.

In the end, the love really does shine through in this story.
Barrett is a sweet-as-pie and the love he and Ezra share is unique. Chrissy’s character also goes through quite the journey, from barely acknowledging Barrett is gay, to acceptance, defender, and fully embracing her new son-in-law and larger family.

𝘽𝙞𝙜 𝙂𝙖𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 by Byron Lane ★★★.5
Out May 30th.

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for a chance to early review this story in exchange for an honest review.

⭐ Rating: 3.75

From the Publisher: An unashamedly proud, loud, and hilarious novel about a small town that’s forever changed by a big gay wedding.

My Thoughts: A Star is Bored was one of my favorite books of 2020 and some of that magic from that first book is here for sure. The overall tone and humor are similar, but this one was possibly even weirder/quirkier which I found to be a bit too much at times. This was also very different from what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be more light and fun wedding shenanigans, and while there is a little bit of that, this is MUCH more a story of a mother and son grappling with accepting each other. It should be noted that Byron Lane is 2 for 2 in making me full on cry while reading his books. He does emotional moments verrrry well.

Out 5/30. Thank you to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the advanced copy.

Two grooms. One mother of a problem. Christie Durang has lived a very fulfilling life on her animal farm in a small town in Louisiana. The only thing she’s missing is her son who moved away after revealing that he’s gay but now, after years of being gone, he’s finally coming home. Christie is sure he’ll come with good news, ready to take over the farm so she can rest her tired bones. Instead, Barnard reveals a juicier secret that’s about to shake this small town to the core. He’s engaged—and wants to get married at the farm. What starts out as a simple wish to have a big gay wedding in a town that’s never seen anything like it before turns into a week no one will ever forget.

What a fun book! Lane’s voice reminded me of a fun mix between Fredrick Backman and Steven Rowley. At times, you didn’t know where a sentence or paragraph would go—would it absolutely destroy you with its ridiculously relatable commentary on life and love or would it make you laugh out loud for how over the top the characters were going to behave? Christie’s inner dialogue alone had me cracking up multiple times (while also rolling my eyes at some of the passive aggressive things she did which honestly only added to the fun of this book). Each paragraph proved to be mesmerising and for that writing talent alone, this novel is worth picking up.

The plot itself is of course as dramatic as you’d imagine with loads of big moments that make your heart hurt (and eventually heal). Lane doesn’t shy away from showing the tough truths of having to deal with your parent’s reluctant acceptance of who you are, of the sometimes long journey it takes for them to accept you for who you are. At times this novel was incredibly hard to read because you just wanted Barnard to feel loved and safe and it of course takes a while for that to come to pass. Yet each of the tougher moments is balanced well with hilarious interactions, over the top wedding plans such as Celine Dion in a dunk tank and of course the unconditional love for the animals on Christie’s farm.

While I admit that some of the things in the story didn’t work for me (I’m never a fan of someone behaving like a jerk for most of the book and them then being redeemed in what feels like a few pages just to make the ending work), I think that if you go into this knowing that it takes a while for everyone to jump on the love is love train and that growth will happen, if slowly, then you’re good to go.

Overall, if you’re looking for a drama-filled, laugh-inducing story filled with heart and characters that feel like coming home, then Big Gay Wedding needs to be on your TBR!

“I’m so desperate to be near him I forget what happiness is when we’re apart, and I miss it. I miss us when we’re not together.”

I haven’t cried over a book since You & I, Rewritten. It doesn’t happen to me often, but this book just hit me directly in the feels. This is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve read and I loved that it wasn’t at all what I was expecting.

The character growth we see from Chrissy is exceptional. She has always had a difficult time accepting “the gay thing” and it’s clear it’s put a strain on her relationship with her son, Barnett. She wishes he would return to live and work on the farm, but it turns out he’s getting married to his partner, Ezra. What unfolds is this story of growth, acceptance, perseverance, and love that I can only imagine will resonate with so many people. This story is not unique in the way that it displays the ways in which homophobia is still alive and well in our society. What this book does so well is use that to create characters and a situation that becomes loving and understanding.

At the core of this book are the relationships. Chrissy and her son, Barnett and Ezra, Ezra and his parents, and Barnett and his former classmate. We get fully fleshed out characters that are relatable, and we get to see that they’re in a completely different place by the end of the book. While there is a romantic plot between Barnett and Ezra, this book really tackles the difficulties of being gay in the south and how that impacts families and communities. The overall character growth we see is outstanding. And it’s not just one character. We see everyone have significant growth moments and everything feels inspiring.

“But the first time we don’t understand another human being, the mystery of another human being, it’s just too much to overcome?”

I don’t know the last time a book so easily made me laugh out loud one moment and cry the next. I was emotional within the first quarter of the book, and by the end I was crying. It’s a hopeful, incredible story that I could talk about for a long time.

This was fun! I do think it could have benefited from a bit more brevity, and by the end, I was exhausted by some of the characters (mostly Ezra's family). But the plot is (sadly) relevant, and it's always nice to see uplifting queer stories set in places that aren't typically thought of as safe spaces.

I was such a fan of Lane's A Star is Bored, so I went into this with high expectations. Luckily it surpassed them.

This book is genuinely one of the funniest things I've read in a long time and is also full of really moving and emotional moments. As someone who is not so secretly very soft, I loved this story of a mother and son struggling to overcome their upbringing and find their way back to each other. The author treats all of the characters with grace, even when they continually mess up. Of course, I cried a few times, but I also laughed out loud and couldn't put it down. I could go on and on about all the characters I loved and the farm full of misfit animals named after 90s sitcom characters, but I mostly just want to highly recommend that everyone read this.

Thanks so much to Henry Holt and Co. and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

.Right combination of hilariously funny but also had sad moments. I appreciated that it showed that you are never to old to grow as a person. It made my heart happy.

Thank you for an advance copy of this fun, heartwarming family story. I loved it. Chrissy is a widowed mom living on her farm in Louisiana and her loves are her animals and her son. He is gay....that's ok. Him coming home with news of getting married? Not so ok. They decide to throw the big gay wedding on her beautiful farm and lots of drama ensues. I loved the well developed characters, especially Paw Paw. His wisdom was refreshing. I empathized with Chrissy's struggles but appreciated her journey to acceptance. This is just a light, touching story of family, acceptance and love. Love is love.

So, this book made me cry, It made me cry big, stupid tears out of my own eyes.

The description of the book on NetGalley made it sound kinda streaming movie-esque. Not quite a Hallmark movie, but adjacent. Gay son comes home to tell his conservative mom he's engaged. Wedding hilarity ensues. And stuff like that happens, but I found this book to be more than that.

It's a beautiful portrait of a woman named Chrissy Durang. She's the mom in question, and she is devoted to her farm, the misfit animals she takes in, and her son. Her journey upon learning that her son is engaged to a man is the emotional core of this book. And it's beautifully described.

Big Gay Wedding is a meditation on life and, most especially, death. There are some powerful emotional moments. The ending had a lot to say about saying goodbye and change and I was there for it

This book wasn't what I expected and was all the better for it. I loved it.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This is a 3.5 star rating and not a 4 for a few reasons. One of the downfalls for me were some church scenes. Not that they were in church at services but just there.

I was so excited to win and read)this this book ever since I saw the plot. Love is love no matter gay or straight.

Barnett's mom Chrissy who was not really against her son being gay but about his upcoming wedding. Ezra was his fiance and his family was crazzzzy. Hysterical conversations from his twin sister Nichole about how the wedding should be on Chrissy's farm. Victoria, their mother was so funny and when she invited herself to the farm for the engagement party, she was not happy with the farm and one of my favorite lines of Ezra's is that his mom never had cereal in her life.

Barnett's grandfather, who lived in a nursing home was one of the many characters, a character himself.

Parts of this book dragged but kept me reading nonetheless. I liked the second half of the book much better with the wedding and all.

The ending was different that's for sure.

Byron Lane has written a wonderful book about love and family. While I found some of the story felt less than believable, I had to remind myself that fiction has no boundaries. A truly fun book that many readers will enjoy!

There isn’t a single thing I didn’t like about this book.
It made me laugh, it made me cry, but left me feeling hopeful.
If you liked Schitt’s Creek, then this book is for you.
Thank you for the advanced copy, it was truly a delight!

QUICK TAKE: it's basically SCHITT'S CREEK meets IN & OUT (hooray for an early 90s Kevin Kline movie reference), and it's adorable. Heartwarming and full of humor, I really enjoyed the read. It doesn't reinvent the wheel, and I might have found myself empathizing with the mom whose gay kid really rushes her to accept him for who he is (which is a weird side for me to be on here), but overall this is the perfect summer beach read. Easy, breezy and will leave you with all the feels.