Book Review: Two Truths and a Guy

Two Truths and a Guy by Jeannine Henvey was on my list of recommendations featuring LGBTQ characters.

The novel is told from a dual pov and alternates in chapters from the perspectives of Stella and Peter. Stella and Peter are 16-year-old twins who recently moved to California from Pennsylvania. They are preparing for a new school year in a new town and hoping to make this a good year. But family is also trying to keep a secret. Peter was born Petra.

I really enjoyed the novel and it was interesting to see how both Peter and Stella were dealing with all the changes in their lives. Peter is in the middle of his transition and hoping no one will guess his history and give him a hard time. While dealing with that stressful situation, he’s also so happy to finally be living his truth as a boy.

Stella is protective of Peter and wants to make this new school a positive experience for her brother. But she misses her sister and the closeness they shared their whole lives.

As if that wasn’t enough, throw in new friends, parents who are supportive but dealing with the changes in their own ways as well, and some potential love interests and Stella and Peter are in for an interesting year.

I saw some critiques on Goodreads where people were upset that Peter’s dead name (Petra) was brought up to often or characters kept referring to Peter as Petra at times. But in a way I think that’s what made the novel more realistic. I understand how it can be seen as offensive that the dead name was brought up, but I think that’s something that would probably happen during this time for the family. They are trying to remember that it’s Peter now because they say “she” or “Petra” out of habit. And while Peter and Petra are the same on the inside with the same soul, they are still grieving for the loss of their daughter while celebrating Peter being his authentic self. I’m sure it’s very complicated.

There were a couple little plot holes or things that I felt weren’t really explained, but all in all, I really enjoyed the novel.