Deep House is an exploration of queer love through personal memoir mixed with a history of the fight for gay marriage. starting in ‘96, Lin takes us through his relationship with a british man, in a time of the Defense of Marriage Act and legal battles that denied gay couples their rights. lin shares intimate moments which paint the picture of a really beautiful love story.

i feel the combination of telling this love story in tandem with the history of gay marriage was very important to this book. it reminds younger generations like myself that love, and our rights, should never be taken for granted, as we didn’t always have the right to marry whomever we loved.

with this narrative choice though there were moments that felt jarring. the way the history component of this book is weaved throughout the author’s personal story, sometimes took me out of the love story for a moment. there were times where i wanted more focus on the love story for a bit longer.

overall, lin captures the resilience and spirit of queer people throughout history. this book provides a really essential perspective on the history of gay rights and those who fought for them. it’s beautifully written and a true testament to how love can thrive even in the darkest times.

thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for an ARC version of this book in exchange for an unbiased review :)

This is a really unique reflection on a relationship within the larger historical context of what was going on in terms of gay rights at the time it was taking place. It's basically a blend of autofiction and history, both personal and national, and if nothing else, if you're completely lacking empathy, now you can understand what people went through, and are scared about returning to in the wake of Trump 2.0. Absolutely worth your time this summer when it comes out.

Beautiful and provocative - especially for those of us in Lin’s generation who lived similar love stories, to see one such story juxtaposed against the framework of relentless politics that seeked to determine how that love was recognized legally (or not). All the more provocative because the realization by the end of this book is that each time legislation or court cases attempt put the period at the end of a sentence answering the question, the question doesn’t actually go away. It just returns with a new angle, a new generation, a new purpose, new set of footnotes for a chapter still to be written.

i thought i would enjoy this way more than i did! it was really good but the non fiction part felt a little boring or the tone was really hard to grasp. outside of the nonfiction part i really enjoyed it, and i really enjoyed learning about the historical stuff, i just think the tone was just so dry.

Part non-fiction recount of the history of gay marriage and part memoir, "Deep House" examines queer love (legally, culturally, personally). Starting in 1996 with the Defense of Marriage Act, the author takes us through key moments in the fight for gay marriage, reminding us how relatively recently gay marriage has been legalized and how quickly those rights could be taken away. This felt especially poignant in today's political climate.

This was a bit front-loaded on the history of gay marriage in the U..S (facts, figures, dates, politics, etc.). Personally, I prefer my dual non-fiction/memoirs to be heavier on the memoir and lighter on the non-fiction topic. I would've liked to hear more about the author's love/relationship/queerness in general and specifically during the events mentioned.

Personal preferences aside though, this was well-written with much heart and humor. I look forward to going back and reading this author's previous release Gay Bar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC.

Jeremy Atherton Lin's "DEEP HOUSE" combines a memoir of tender love with a broader narrative on queer love before gay marriage legalization. Starting in 1996 when Jeremy meets "Famous," a Brit, the story blends undocumented domestic life with courthouse battles, media spin, and political maneuvers around a key civil rights issue.

This is my first book from Lin and while I enjoyed the memoir aspects mixed with history, I would have loved to spend more time with Lin’s love story - it was exciting. That’s not to say Lin hasn’t done an incredible job with the history of love, I wanted to know more about *his* love.

This memoir arrives at a critical juncture in America's history, where rights and freedoms are on the cusp of being eroded by an administration intent on erasing significant aspects of history. This book is not just important for the LGBT community but for everyone who values the preservation of our collective past. Understanding our history is crucial to preparing for and fighting for our future. Lin does a phenomenal job of painting this tapestry, reminding us of the importance of preserving our history, even when some would rather see it obliterated. Books like this one will be vital in whatever comes next. Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the ARC.