Sycamore Boy was reviewed by Kirkus Indie in October 2026. Selected excerpts:
“An exhilarating genre hybrid.”
“Brown excels at contrasting Tony’s ruthless biological kin … with the protective chosen family he gathers along the way.”
“Much of the narrative is grounded in late 20th-century LGBTQ+ history and the shadow of the AIDS epidemic.”
“The protagonist’s arc of self-determination propels the book forward with a contagious kinetic power.”
— Kirkus Reviews (verdict: Get It)
This book is what movies are made from! I was able to relate to this book because I was a young guy who came out at an early age… I read this book in three days and as my title review says – this book is what movies are made from. Read this review on Amazon
Sycamore Boy is such an emotional, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful coming-of-age story. H. Les Brown takes Tony through first love, devastating loss, survival, chosen family, and the complicated process of figuring out who you are when the life you knew is ripped away from you. I really connected with the queer coming-of-age aspect of this story. Tony’s relationship with Jake felt tender and electric, but the danger surrounding them made their love even more heartbreaking. I also appreciated how the story expands beyond that first love and becomes something much bigger—a story about survival, identity, trauma, resilience, and finding your…
The story of Tony Keating (Kit Foxx) is heartbreaking at times and uplifting at other times, but always gripping — a story that, once you get started, you struggle to put down. Each chapter builds on the last, and yes, you want to read it all, but at the same time you don’t want it to finish. Maybe it hasn’t yet — there is surely a sequel in the pipeline. If not, there should be. Enjoyed every minute, and highly recommend. Reviewed on NetGalley, September 24, 2026.