In Alligator Tears Gomez offers intimate stories and insightful social commentary to explore his childhood and identity in ten stunning, witty and inviting personal essays. He takes readers through his tumultuous childhood, growing up Latinx and poor with a single mother raising two kids who is just doing her damn best to get by. He writes about his queerness and love; about Florida and substance abuse; about his absent father and his fierce love for his mother; about fake friends and faker teeth; about the Pulse nightclub tragedy and the pandemic. For what seems like a lot of ground to cover in 256 pages of words, Alligator Tears never once made me feel like it was doing too much. Quite the opposite, I only found myself wanting more and more. Each essay flowed seamlessly in to the next and I couldn't wait to hear what story Gomez had to tell me next.

This collection will move readers, just like it moved me, in ways they won’t see coming. Gomez has a gift for storytelling and a narrative voice that I am excited to follow. A must-read essay collection for 2025.

thank you to netgalley, crown publishing and edgar gomez for the privilege of reading this book early in exchange for a review.
this book was great and completely engrossed me into edgar’s stories. as a floridian, and someone who grew up queer in a small town longing for more, this book felt kindred to me.
i loved hearing gomez’s stories of growing up in his culture and trying to find himself within that, being queer, appeasing his parents, amending relationships and longing for a life outside of the mundanity.
you’re not going to want to skip this one! add this to your tbr now!

Edgar Gomez offers readers a look at the struggles of a young, gay, Latin male growing up in Orlando, FL and trying to piece together his life. Gomez was raised by his mom who worked at Starbucks at the Orlando airport until COVID limited travel and other health issues impacted her ability to hold a job. Gomez had numerous low-paying retail jobs to help his mother when he was in high school and then beginning his writing career. This collection of personal essays focuses on the effort it took to publish his first book, High-Risk Homosexual. Recommended for Florida library collections because of its focus on Latin culture and the impact of the Pulse nightclub shooting.