I Have Something to Tell You – For Young Adults by Chasten Buttigieg

This young adult adaptation of Chasten Glezman Buttigieg’s memoir was such a sweet and wholesome coming of age story. Through his own words, we learn about Chasten’s teenage years growing up in a small conservative Midwestern town, his experience as an exchange student in Germany and his dawning realization that him always being seen as “special” and “unique” might have something to do with his sexual orientation and his struggle to come to terms with that.

Even though Chasten is the husband of the former Democratic presidential candidate (Peter Buttegieg) this book was not a political one, but a personal story meant to give courage and inspiration to teenagers today by sharing the good and the bad, the hardship, fear and pain, as well as the joy and the relief, on the journey of being true to yourself. And it certainly succeeded in that! I Have Something to Tell You was a truly hopeful and earnest story. I enjoyed the direct conversational writing style and how Chasten used a lot of his humor when telling it, and how he wasn’t afraid of showing his own shortcomings nor shy away from awkward situations. It was also really heartwarming to see the love for and from his family even though they all went through a bit of a rough path after he came out.

A minor thing though is that I, personally, would have liked to read more about how Chasten and his husband Peter met and fell in love, not just being told about it in such a matter-of-fact kind of way that felt different from the other parts of the story. It would have added a lot to the story if it had included more of their first meetings, letting us readers feel the attraction and butterflies, and seeing it evolve into their current HEA. I would also have liked to know more about Chasten’s experiences after coming out and learning to be comfortable as a gay man before meeting Peter. But I’m guessing that those parts were included in the full memoir for adults and had been edited away to keep this story shorter and more focused on the early ages. Which makes complete sense, and also makes me want to read the full memoir to find out!

All in all, this was a beautiful, raw and honest memoir focusing on Chasten Buttigieg’s early years, giving hope for teens struggling with the same questions, showing that they are not alone and that they deserve to be loved for exactly who they are. It’s also a wonderful resource to use for parents, teachers and others, to reflect on the way to support the LGBTQ+ community, to make this world a safe and inclusive place for everyone. I’m really glad that Chasten decided to share his experience in such a candid way, and I’m sure that this book will give courage and support to so many. Not only by the message in the book itself, but also by learning about Chasten and his husband’s groundbreaking presidential campaign and seeing in practice that there are no limits but that you can reach any goal you have while still being true to who you are.

Thank you to Pride Book Tours and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. I can’t wait for the upcoming book tour to talk about it more!

Rating:
4.5 stars rounding up to 5

Get your own copy:
Amazon
Simon & Schuster

Author info:
Chasten Glezman Buttigieg