Praise for YEAH THE BOYS

 

'A punchy, powerful and thought-provoking sequel … will leave the reader loving, laughing and crying in equal measure. The sex scenes are raw, dirty and real. If Heated Rivalry asked the question of whether or not we were ready for mainstream gay stories, sex and all, then Yeah The Boys answer it with a resounding yes.'

- Star Observer

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'Yeah the Boys is timely, punchy and gruffly entertaining, bellowing its cry for gay men to be accepted for who they are, not pigeonholed as glitter-clad Kylie fans. It celebrates a rough and ready masculinity, revelling in its sexed-up, footy-loving, bourbon-swilling, proudly bogan men. It moves like Eagles star Jack Petruccelle in open space — fast and confident.'

- ABC 

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'Gritty, tragic, heartbreaking ... Yeah the Boys truly doesn't disappoint in delivering all that and more. Sheppard's writing always instils a sense of hope ... and that is what makes his novels a tier above others. His works reminds me of the timeless classic Holding the Man by Timothy Conigrave. The Australian queer literary scene is better off with Sheppard and his contributions.' 

- Readings

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'Holden Sheppard writes luscious books. His books have filled a wide-open chasm in the Australian canon. His latest novel is a cracker: a lovely meditation on masculinity and male relationships by a local star.'

- The Australian

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'Graphic and unapologetic. An anti-assimilationist protest against the heteronormative politics of gay marriage. As Zeke puts it, "Accept us for who we really are. Horny. Dirty. Male-fucking. MEN.'"

- DNA Magazine

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'With the AFL remaining an unsafe space to support an out player at the top of the game, this turmoil is the novel’s most dramatically fulfilling aspect. Charlie’s reckoning with trauma is a reassuring reminder that we can shift even our most cherished goals without sacrificing our souls. It’s a truth this rambunctious novel wears on its dirty sleeve.'

- The Saturday Paper

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'A visceral, no-holds-barred treatise on masculinity, queerness and the innate desire for community.'

- The Justin Hamilton Podcast

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'Yeah the Boys starts off without any lube and keeps pounding your heart into oblivion in the best possible way, right up until you close the book. I absolutely devoured this book and had to physically pull myself away multiple times so that I could do the life things.'

- Danielle Hillard, Newcastle City Library

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'A triumph of a novel. Yeah the Boys is Holden Sheppard at the height of his powers. This is consummate, gripping storytelling, and not a book for the faint-hearted. It will grab you by the shoulders with its massive hairy grip and shake out any preconceptions you might have about being gay, masculine, bogan and Western Australian. But you won't forget these characters long after the last page, because you cannot help but love their vulnerability and gutsiness.'

– Alice Pung, author of Laurinda

'Yeah the Boys is everything we have come to expect from a Holden Sheppard novel – and more. It is raw, honest and utterly compelling. This is a writer at the top of his game.'

– Mark Smith, author of Three Boys Gone

'Bold, brash, ballsy. Holden delivers Aussie suburban gaydom in all its messy glory. Charlie, Zeke and Hammer are flawed and imperfect, and a long way off of having it all figured out – and that's exactly why you'll love them. A wild, eye-opening ride.'

– Allayne Webster, author of Selfie

'This is Holden Sheppard at his absolute best. What a story! Raw but endearing, in-your-face but gentle, lustful but deep. It's an extraordinary balancing act beautifully pulled off. This book is endearing, sexy and incredibly heartfelt. No-one writes like Holden does. He vividly captures the beautiful chaos of life in an utterly captivating way. This book is unputdownable. A rip-roaring page-turner with zero filler. Yew! The boys are back, baby!' – Shannon Molloy, author of Fourteen

'A shout in the night and a shot in the arm of a book. Energetic and messy, as vital as it is difficult, Yeah The Boys faces the complexities of modern gay life with an ache and an upturned chin. These boys aren't invisible anymore as Sheppard delivers another reverent depiction of gay culture, masculinity and the men that boys become, warts and all.'

– James Acker, author of The Long Run

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'Yeah the Boys is a gritty, hard-hitting story that refuses to pull any of its punches. It’s both a battle cry and a love letter, and it’s authentically, unapologetically gay. A rousing exploration of the intersection between sexuality and masculinity from one of Australia’s boldest voices in fiction.'

- Tobias Madden, author of Anything But Fine

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'This is a book written by a gay man, for gay men – I’ve never felt so represented in a work of fiction before.'

- Goodreads review

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'This book is so important. It represents a very invisible percentage of the gay men community; those of us who don't fit into the neat little stereotypes. It feels real, and deep, and incredibly hot and horny. This book is really something special, and I implore every gay man I know to read this; I'm sure you'll walk away hugging it tightly to your chest like I did.'

- Goodreads review

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'Blunt and brutal – like Invisible Boys, this book again delivers because it is so honest. Just like the first, it will stick with me.'

- Goodreads review

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'This book was hands-down amazing: I thought I felt seen by "King of Dirt", this was like being put under a microscope.'

- Goodreads review