Set against the vibrant yet gritty backdrop of London, Finding Freedom in Sequins follows the journey of Arif, a young gay Bangladeshi man grappling with rejection, identity, and self-love. When his family discovers his secret, Arif is cast out and left battered and bleeding, he stumbles through the rainy streets of Soho, eventually collapsing on the doorstep of the home to three fabulous and unapologetic drag queens.
Auntie Con Con, the nurturing and hilarious fashionista; Juliet Morningstar, the flirtatious and free-spirited queen; and Martha Superior, the wise and serious leader of the trio, take Arif in and show him a world he never imagined-a world of love, acceptance, and glittering freedom.
Through laughter, tears, and late-night heart-to-hearts, the queens teach Arif to embrace who he is, helping him transform from a timid and broken boy into someone proud of his identity. But Arif's journey to self-acceptance isn't without its challenges, as he must confront his past, face his family, and decide whether to hide or stand tall in the face of adversity.
Heartwarming, bold, and brimming with glitter, Finding Freedom in Sequins is a story about chosen family, resilience, and the courage to love yourself unapologetically.
Every Tuesday during football practice, sixteen year old Sem Bolton finds himself stealing glances at the gorgeous college boy jogging down the path next to the fields. He was his dirty little secret. His guilty pleasure. His unobtainable fantasy: safe and distant on the other side of the chainlink fence.
Then, through a series of unpleasant events including being forced on a camping trip, it turns out his unobtainable fantasy is not so unobtainable after all. Not only is gorgeous college boy gay as well, he also wants to date Sem.
Now, Sem was never one to play it safe. But outing himself was in a whole different league than testing his mother's patience or taking hits in the boxing ring. Was he really ready to date a guy, all consequences included? As if internal struggles weren't enough, count on girls, friends, and an estranged brother, to complicate stuff even further.
Photo on the cover by: https://unsplash.com/@nickkarvounis