Jennifer Boylan is an expert on the effects of gender on all parts of life. She spent her first forty years as male, and the past 25 as her authentic self, female. Having written four other books dealing with her transgender journey, Cleavage addresses the frightening situations people who’d begun to relax into their authentic selves, that 2025 and the politics of the USA present.
I first encountered Jennifer Boylan’s writing with the book she co-authored with Jodi Picoult, Mad Honey, so wasn’t surprised at the warmth, compassion and humor exhibited in Cleavage. Her intelligence and positive experiences lend authenticity when she speaks with a kindness that isn’t often represented in connection with what is presented about trans people. We don’t suffer through militance, violence or even voyeurism that so often dominates the discussion of transgender rights in the news is present here. Instead, a fact based, friendly accounting of the difficulties and benefits Jennifer has faced is presented.
Jennifer was granted that basic human right of having people who love her support her along her journey, and this book presents that love and acceptance to anyone reading it. It is the kind of book that makes you want to sit down with the author and tell stories. Cleavage does one thing very well… normalizing this segment of our population in a way that is not threatening and allowing the positive contributions of people who are different than we are, to be recognized, valued, and appreciated.
As a bonus, the book had some great writing advice! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Celadon Books, for the opportunity to read Cleavage in advance. The release date is February 4, 2025.

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Finney Boylan's work, and this book impressed me as much as her others. Her voice is so crucial, and it's so heartening to read her words.

As Finney Boylan points out, the word cleavage is its own built-in contranym. By choosing to use the iconic Loren/Mansfield shot as the cover, she opens up speculation about the book's content and focus and goes in completely the opposite direction. Having grown up as a boy, she always knew she was a girl, and thanks her first memoir became a poster child for the process. Here, she generously shares her current life as well as what it has meant to experience life "from both sides now." Still married to the same woman she married as a man, who loves her essence and what makes her a human being, this is a transformative argument for accepting who you are and living a full life because of it.

It’s been a while since I read a nonfiction book but from the moment I heard about this from a friend, I knew I had to apply for the ARC. As the author points out, there are plenty of books about the initial transition phase but not many I’ve (personally) heard discuss decades after across a decent amount of time. Topics ranging from unique food combinations and eating disorders discussed in the same chapter, flow together and resonate that life is a spectrum. The ability to self reflect on one’s life is difficult as is, but the author does it with such grace, you can tell it was pondered upon. All I can really say about this book is that it’s incredibly impactful and is a necessary read. Experiencing life across both sides and understanding what that can mean to a person, leads to the destruction of societal norms. The more effort we as a society put into breaking what is deemed “normal”, the ability to create a safer space will follow.


Pub Date: Feb 04 2025

ARC provided Celadon Books and NetGalley. Thank you.

review posted to NetGalley & Goodreads

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Publishing February 2025

I thought that it was an interesting read. I will say that I wasn't the biggest fan of the emphasis right in the beginning on weight. It seemed like a weird trope for women. Like trying to prove a point or a connection? But in a very weird way.

I kind of wish that I read the first book that she wrote before I read this one. Maybe there would have been a little bit of a understanding or background if I read it. Not to say you needed to read her first book to understand this one. But it would have been nice to have both!

I feel that I wish that there would have been more chapters dealing with her daughter and her having the conversations that they did towards the end of the book. Those tidbits of information were fantastic and really really thought provoking. But it was so short that I wished I could have read more on their relationship and how it evolves. And how conversations between the two of them on this topic happen and look like.

Also, I need to know more about her wife from her wife's perspective. The little that I got was great but I need more. And maybe that was what the first book was about?!

I enjoyed reading this book. It was hard at times. And I didn't like how it started. But I was happy that I stuck through with it and read it. It offers a super interesting perspective. And one that I don't always get to listen to or read. I was excited to be picked to read this book.

I was at first interested in this book due to the co authoring with Jodi Piccault as 8 had ready Mad Honey. I did not realize the background of Ms Boulanger.
A well written book especially about her growing up feelings as a boy. It was her observations of the other boys, teenagers and college age men that I found the most interesting.
I was also intrigued with her marriage and continual relationship with her wife.
And oh boy! When her own child made their own grown up decisions.
Her explanation of the word “cleavage”, while interesting did not jive with the picture on the cover. Yes, I got it, but I don’t think the picture went with the overall tone of the book.
I am so glad I read this book

Thank you to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Jennifer Finney Boylan for providing this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The first thing that drew me into this book was admittedly the cover and title. The famous photo of Jayne Mansfield and Sophia Loren paired with “Cleavage” in bold letters - who wouldn’t be drawn to that!

But it was the stories Jennifer told that kept my interest. From tales of her childhood, shooting off rockets, to the universal female experience of despairing over pants sizes, she wove together a unique tale of coming out as a trans woman at the turn of the 21st century, and all the experiences she’s dealt with in the 25-odd years since then.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for permitting me to read this work prior to its publication date.

In a world where the mortality rate of transgender people is high than that of cisgender people, it is an honor and privilege to bear witness to a life as unique and loving as Jennifer Finney Boylan's life. This work recalls her life before, during and after transition, addressing marriage, parenting, teaching, publishing and overall living. I appreciated her observations of the way her body and relationship to everyday things (for example, food) changed as she embarked on her journey for her mind and body to reach their most idealized versions of themselves.

I enjoyed this book but felt it was very, very similar to the author's earlier book Good Boy: My Life in Seven Dogs.

Jennifer Finney Boylan shares her well-informed observations on the differences between men and women in her newest memoir Cleavage. Boylan, who has written about her transition to becoming a woman for over 20 years, moves effortlessly between humor and tragedy as she relates familiar and new stories with nuanced insight into aging, relationships, and transformations of all kinds.

This is my first time reading Jennifer Boylan’s solo writing. I had previously read Mad Honey co-authored by Jodi Picoult and Boylan.
Her style is non-linear and incredibly thought-provoking. She takes you on a journey through her boyhood experiences through her life as an older married trans woman with a family.
This is not a typical memoir nor has Boylan lived a typical life. There is a depth to Boylan’s writing that makes me want to seek out her other work.
I strongly recommend Cleavage to anyone wanting to examine and learn more about gender identity.

I started this book not knowing anything about Boylan. I read the book she co-authored with Jodi Piccoult and loved it so I decided to give this book a try. I find Boylan has a unique way of relaying her stories, weaving together past and present events so it makes for an interesting timeline. I loved how Boylan describes her relationship with her wife as well as her friends and family. I did not give this 5 stars because there is a huge chunk of this book that takes a lot of the personal aspects that I love in a memoir out. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A well written semi-memoir that explores gender and how we relate to ourselves. Boylan’s earlier work, She’s Not There, detailed her experience as a trans woman. This book details her growth as a trans woman, how it reshaped her relationships, and an honest look at how gender impacts our lives. Boylan brings intelligence, wit, and warmth to these topics. I would highly recommend for anyone looking to understand one person’s gender experience and their hope for the future.

I really enjoyed reading this book, thank you NetGalley & Celadon for the arc.

This memoir is a reflection into Boylan’s journey as an older trans woman, as well as her reflection into her life growing up while presenting as a boy. She originally came out as trans in 2000, and this book is her updated thoughts on her past, her transition and experience and the world since then and since her first book, “she’s not there”.

Her writing style is beautiful and brings you on her life’s journey with her. She gives you her thoughts and commentary along with the details of what she has lived through. Her experiences are framed with honesty and her own insights now looking back.

She also speaks on her own privilege, and gives credit to those who came before her who paved a path for her to live her life openly as a trans woman. She also speaks on the societal differences for men and women and how she was able to see that difference so dramatically post-transition.

The book is also not written chronologically and leaves time for the reader to pause and ponder about certain topics as well as her experiences. I really enjoyed this about the book, it left me thinking about certain topics even as I closed the book and went on with other things.

I loved this book. Very informative and insightful. It got me thinking and started conversations with friends.

I tried my best, but this is going to be a DNF for me. I think i need to go back and read her first novel, which can lend some prescriptive to the overall situation and then try and read this one again. i did not realize this was the second in the series. Gender identity is a very important topic, something with which I want to immerse myself and learn more about, but I need to start from the beginning in this particular instance.

Thank you NetGalley for this e-copy.

Musings of a time that has past- glimpses into Jennifer’s memories that feel fragmented, like broken glass, but when put together complete this beautiful portrait of her. I loved all the personal stories written into this book- and I loved all the side thoughts and experiences and emotions. The back and forth between her male life and her female life creates tiny threads the sew together the past and the present. And it is beautiful. To experience both lives is a privilege, but also painful. What it is to live your truth, but also sacrifice some of the freedom that came with the male life.

“Willingly diminishing yourself in order to fit some feminine ideal is a different matter, especially when that ideal has at its core the erasure of women and the foregrounding of me .”

I thought this would be more general social commentary but it's really a memoir - this seems to keep happening with my nonfiction picks lately, but I usually end up liking them anyway. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Jennifer came out as trans in 2000 and published She's Not There in 2003 about her coming out and transition. Cleavage gives us an updated look at her life and family 20 years later and reflections on her experiences from her current perspective.

I haven't read Jennifer's first memoir so it's not a prerequisite but I think it would be really interesting to read that first for more context and to compare. When my book club read Pageboy we had discussed how we would love to read an update from Elliot a few years post-transition. I'm really happy to have this memoir and read insights from a trans person who has been out for 2 decades - here's hoping for many more such stories published in the future!

I found that I had no real connection to the author, so I really struggled with this book. She also sporadically jumps between multiple stories/memories within each chapter and it was difficult to follow. Overall, it felt Jennifer Finney Boylan's stream of consciousness which wasn't exactly what I wanted out of this memoir. I wish it flowed better and had more of an overall impact/tone.

I really enjoy Jennifer Finney Boylan's writing. This latest installment is no exception, although the heavier tone this time around - which she indirectly acknowledges is a shift in her own perspective's due to aging and the changing political landscape - did make this a different reading experience.

Her subject matter is always heavy and thoughtful, but she has a marvelous facility with language and inability to draw anecdote and experience and philosophy and perspective together into a coherent whole that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. I did not mind the change in tone, and it did not affect my perception of the book as a whole, but I did feel like this one was a little more all over the place than her previous books. Again, not a problem for me, but it did make for a reading experience that was different than I expected based on her previous books. We are all getting older though, that is for certain, and I found her perspectives thought-provoking as always!

That being said, if you are not already familiar with her work and her life story, you might want to start with an earlier book and work your way to here so you can truly appreciate the perspective shifts she describes. They are thoughtful and reflective and difficult at times, but presented with a sincerity and straightforwardness that I always find refreshing and oh so rare in this modern era....