I really enjoyed how Miller complicated the story line and moved away from the HEA trope as we dive further into the conspiracies in Savannah. The character development was the most appealing as each character grew, for better or for worse. I went through a torrent of emotions as the love/war relationship with Jay and Leroy continues and new and old friends make their lives way more than it was when we first met them in Pritty.

This is the sequel to “Pritty” as a supporter of the queer community. I recommend this book for young queer folks looking for representation and relatable stories. This is basically a love letter to queer black bits wrapped in a beautiful cover and literary language. This is a story about discovering queerness and being comfortable in it-choosing to love while fighting obstacles that challenge the safety of their neighborhood and healing after trauma. You get beautiful descriptions of southern living and community that may not always be related by blood. Ther is even a little plot twis

Let me just say that I was super excited about reading this book, especially with the cliff hanger we were left on from Pritty. If you plan on reading this duology, it is imperative that you start with Pritty, as Togetha picks up right where Pritty ends. It is hard for me to explain everything I loved about this book without spoiling things that transpired in the first. After reading, I was truly invested in the story and started Togetha immediately.

One of my favorite things about Togetha is that we got the POV of Will, who is detrimental to the story as a whole. It was important to see how he was able to unpack his unresolved romantic interests with Jay, and how they were able to handle it. I think it played a significant role in the development of the characters. Along with that, we are still following Jay and Lee in their romance, and we get to see them navigate their feelings for each other, while simultaneously trying to save their community. I loved the sense of community depicted in the story, and how they all really came together as one to save what they have built.

I honestly went through every emotion you could possibly think of while reading this book, and that is a tell of a good story for me. Certainly would recommend this duology to practically anyone.

Thank you, HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley, for this ARC!

Above all, Keith F. Miller Jr. is a stunning writer. Each sentence in this book has been carefully chosen, and the workmanship between the pages is clear. The story of Jay and Leroy has captured my attention, and Togetha continues where Pritty left off. I read Pritty again to get ready because I loved it and was eager to re-enter Leroy and Jay's heads. I was ecstatic when I discovered that Will, one of my other favorite characters, also had a point of view. This was not just one of my favorite books of 2024, but I also think it will rank among my favorites of 2025. I adore how Keith was able to create each of the three guys' points of view so unique and different. I've read the story three times since getting this ARC. What draws me back is the examination of love in all its manifestations. The halting familial love in both conventional and unconventional forms, the brotherly love between friends and relatives, and the romantic love between Leroy and Jay. The "love triangle" does not exist, yet emotions are not always clear-cut and rigid. These characters feel both genuine and unreal since Jay is not above emotions. When reading about men in literature, one typically assumes that they are hypersexual and emotionless. Even though I have some issues with Jay and Will's emotions, I value their softness and complexity. The fact that some of the trauma endured by the adults in the series is discussed in greater detail here was my absolute favorite aspect. There are some concerns because it's still YA, but it's a lot more explored than Pritty. The adults have developed characters rather than serving as vehicles for the children to impose guilt and barriers, even though the children have remained the main focus.


The community in this book is incredibly strong, but the nature of communities is that they are targeted for destruction. To defend their village, Jay and Leroy participate in a resistance battle. A variety of multitudes are mixed in this book to create the most exquisite tale of love and healing.

The book's tempo was more consistent than Pritty's, and I found myself finishing it and wanting to start Pritty over right away to relive the characters' transformations and comprehend the deeper significance of their original choices. All things considered, this novel remains a classic about black love and happiness, but it does not sugarcoat life's ups and downs. I sincerely appreciate you sharing your work with me once more. I'd read your shopping lists, Keith.

SPOILER ALERT!!!

This book was part coming of age, part love story, part espionage spy novel. While Jay and Leroy are still navigating falling in love, they’re caught up in the middle of a political plot by Louis Bainbridge to ruin their whole community and bring down the Black Diamonds. Ruin the community might actually be an understatement. They’re trying to wipe it off the map completely to build a prison, a police academy, and a youth detention center (ironic how they were likely gonna use those to negatively impact the people they were trying to entice to give up their homes for the space to build). To do this, they’re offering people a lump sum of money to move into a housing development they’re building that’s so far away, buses don’t even run there. Those who don’t go willingly? Well, that’s what police brutality, false charges, bogus arrest warrants, planted evidence, and gang violence are for. Also, attempted murder and ACTUAL murder aren’t out of the question.

Jay and Lee, along with Taj, Jacob, Rouk, PYT (the hacker extraordinaire), Brown Brown, and the rest of the BDs work nonstop to uncover who murdered Faa and to stop the destruction of their community. Mind you, they’re doing all this while simultaneously exploring love and relationships. Along the way, they also make some unlikely allies. It’s a very beautiful story. I laughed and cried more reading this than I have in a long time. The ending was super satisfying for me. I almost wanna hear more about them, but it really ended in the perfect place.

Wow what a sequel!
Togetha is easily one of the best books i’ve read in 2025 already.
I really loved pritty so I had been looking forward to reading togetha and it did not disappoint.
I feel like the writing was so much more tender and vulnerable in togetha and it made me feel so attached to each one of the characters.
The mystery element was also done really well and I feel like the truth was unraveled at a really great pace!
I definitely recommend togetha for those that love coming of age stories, queer stories, and stories about community/chosen family.

Togetha by Keith F. Miller, Jr. is a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of friendship, unity, and overcoming adversity. With authentic, relatable characters and a heartfelt narrative, Miller crafts a story that celebrates the power of coming together despite challenges. A beautifully written and inspiring read that will resonate with readers seeking stories of hope and connection.

I must admit, initially, it was the cover that few my attention to this book. Then when I read the description, I knew I had to read this book. However, I didn't realize until too late that Pritty was the prequel. In spite of the latter, I continued on.
Leroy and Jay appeared to have a relationship with it's share of complexities and ups and downs. They stuck together to solve problems, yet their secrets serve to be a problem to the fostering of their love, after having reunited.
Thank you for blessing me with an ARC copy. I have ordered Pritty, and look forward to rereading Togetha, to get a better understanding.
#Netgalley #lgbtqia #bipoc #Love #Sacrifice

Unraveling the mystery was a detailed and engaging wild ride that seamlessly incorporated themes of betrayal, grief, and community. However, the main attraction was always the male vulnerability–familial, platonic, and romantic–between Jay, Leroy, and their support circle. The author infuses their dialogue and inner monologues with a level of sensitivity that doesn’t make their teen emotions feel trivial but instead feel like there’s something truly at stake. The nostalgic 2000s background and lyrical writing had me comfortably kicked back and rubbing my feet together like a cricket while reading. I liked this sequel even more than the first book.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Look at this cover! It’s just as beautiful as the one from its prequel Pritty and maybe even more beautiful. Pritty and Togetha are part of a raw duology about two soft-hearted boys falling in love with each other despite the harsh world they’re living in.

It’s difficult to say something about Togetha without spoiling anything. The story starts where Pritty ended. It took me a while to get into this sequel because I hadn’t reread Pritty and forgot all those names, so I felt a bit lost at times. But … even though Jay’s and Leroy’s romance had ups and downs, I liked those boys so much together. In Togetha, Will has his own POV, too, and I enjoyed it being in his head as well. He and Jay had some old (romantic) stuff to deal with, and I actually loved that part. What I loved the most, though, was the brotherly love between Jay and Jacob and Leroy and Taj.

Be aware that you really need to read the first book in this duology if you want to read this one. But it’s worth it, I promise!