Reviewed by Danelle Petersen for Readers' Favorite

Told humorously, Late Bloomer Baby Boomer by Steve Milliken is Steve's journey from learning about his sexuality, the struggles that came with it, and then, finally, the acceptance of it. In the 70s, being gay was taboo, and so were boys playing with Barbies, as Steve quickly found at the tender age of six. Trying hard to fit in, Steve decides to make the choice that will undoubtedly prove his heterosexuality. However, contracting crabs was not part of the plan. Ever the jokester, Steve artfully turns his most traumatic experiences into humor, including having an emotionally unavailable father, being picked last at sports, and not learning to self-pleasure until the age of twenty-four. The first time Steve actively started suppressing his sexuality was around nude male classmates. His strict Catholic upbringing made sure of that. Desperate and conflicted, Steve prayed nightly for a girlfriend throughout his teen years. In college, he would have his first homosexual encounter, which unfortunately ended up being a regrettable situation. Even more desperate to suppress his inner self, Steve seeks therapy with a psychotherapist who is intent on ridding him of his homosexuality. Steve complies, even dabbling in pseudoscience. However, when Steve does finally accept his sexuality, things are not quite as cut and dried as he’d hoped, discovering that the dating pool is, in fact, a cesspool. But ever the optimist, Steve remains hopeful.

Despite its humorous tone, Late Boomer Baby Bloomer was a heavy read. Becoming addicted to drugs and alcohol might have numbed his self-loathing, but it did nothing to quell his true self as he holds nothing back in this memorable autobiography. Describing his macabre dates, I have never laughed so hard. Finding a suitable partner on dating apps such as Grindr can be quite challenging it seems. The book is well-written and Steve Milliken’s concise, clear writing made for an enjoyable read. I loved Steve’s honesty and laugh-a-minute sense of humor, ready with a joke at a moment's notice despite the horrible situations he would sometimes find himself in. Being a good teacher is hard work and requires a huge amount of patience, dedication, and love for students, which Steve effortlessly showed in his time as a teacher. Besides, who wouldn’t enjoy a teacher with Steve’s personality? His humor is infectious. He made quite the impression on his students who I'm sure missed his quirky persona dearly. I highly recommend Late Bloomer Baby Boomer to those who suffered through the 70s and 80s as gay men and the luckier ones who were born in a more ‘woke’ era. There is something here for everyone.