Jay's Gay Agenda

Jason June

Jun 2021 · HarperTeen · Narrated by Mark Sanderlin

About this audiobook

From New York Times bestselling author Jason June comes a moving and hilarious sex-positive teen rom-com about the complexities of first loves, first hookups, and first heartbreaks—and how to stay true to yourself while embracing what you never saw coming, that’s perfect for fans of Sandhya Menon and Becky Albertalli. 

There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.

Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he’ll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones . . . because after all, life and love don’t always go according to plan. 

Ratings and reviews

Mark Sanderlin delivers a fantastic performance in this wonderful novel! I can't wait to see what else he's narrated. Snarky, sassy, sweet and so full of soul, Jason June’s Jay’s Gay Agenda kept me smiling from the very start! I’m thoroughly impressed by the pace this talented author keeps up as Jay takes us along for the ride of a lifetime. Growing up as the only out gay student in a very small town, Jay’s culture shock is understandable when he’s plunked down in sophisticated Seattle at the start of his Senior year in high school. In the process of crossing items off of his to-do list, Jay finds out that growing up has more to do with being human, than it does with how one identifies. Issues like loyalty, understanding, honesty, and feeling wanted and accepted, are universal. And learning how to function in society has its challenges, no matter where you call home. We all can relate to some of the things Jay faces, and just watching Jay navigate his way through them is a pleasure. A beautifully written, heartfelt story, I absolutely adored Jay’s Gay Agenda.

Audiobook Review: Overall – 5 Performance – 5 Story – 4 I enjoyed this but reader beware… The storyline contains what most will probably call cheating and I agree. Where I am a bit different is that I don’t mind cheating too much in fiction while I abhor it in real life. I know some might find this strange and I really can’t explain it to myself even. I will say that when I got to the part of the story where it was obvious that Jay wasn’t behaving in the best way, I could see that it was all going to fall apart for him. I just kept thinking he’s going to regret this; it’s going to come back and bite him in the butt. The thing is, this is a YA/NA story and young people do stupid stuff and make huge mistakes. The important thing for me was that Jay learned from his mistakes and truly regretted his actions. He also admitted that he was wrong and apologized for his actions. So, while this story might not be for everyone, I did enjoy it and finished it in one evening. I can’t forget to talk about the audiobook. It was the first one I’ve listened to performed by Mark Sanderlin and I think he did a fantastic job. His voice was perfect for the age range of the characters. He is perhaps the biggest reason I enjoyed the story so much. A great narrator makes all the difference and can often make or break a book. Mark didn’t just read this book, he truly performed it. A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request by the publisher but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator. I also received a copy of the e-book from the publisher via NetGalley.

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About the author

Jason June (it's a two-name first name, like Mary-Kate without the hyphen or the Olsen twin) is a bestselling author of young adult contemporary rom-coms that celebrate queer love and lust and chaotically gay shenanigans. His works include Jay’s Gay Agenda, Riley Weaver Needs a Date to the Gaybutante Ball, and the instant New York Times bestseller Out of the Blue. When not writing, JJ zips about Dallas, Texas, with his husband and their Pomeranian, Pom Brokaw. JJ is a tried and true Laura Dern stan, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. Find out more about JJ and his books at heyjasonjune.com.