An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys
April 2025
Self-styled “beautiful boy” Toby Ryerson dreams in stardust but lives in the dirt. Haunted by the specter of his mom’s overdose, he itches for a life of fun and fabulosity far from his backwoods Adirondack town. Toby knows his older brother Jimmy didn’t sacrifice everything to raise him so he could waste his life on men and partying like Mom did. But why can’t Jimmy see that he is their mother’s son? When Toby outs the boy who broke his heart in a fit of rage, the web of lies he’s spun to manage Jimmy’s expectations quickly unravels. A brutal beating leads to a campaign of cyberbullying, culminating in even greater disaster.
Enter Gabe, a sexy stranger from Mom’s past who seduces Toby with the keys to the Big Apple. But when Toby’s dreams of a fabulous life in the city quickly turn into a nightmare, will Jimmy's love be enough to save him, or will he end up just like Mom? An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys is a gritty and harrowing queer coming-of-age novel as well as a love story between two mismatched brothers coping with the burden of secrets and a legacy of shame.
Paperback, 376 pages
Cover and interior design by Inkspiral Design
Cover photograph by Sebastian Perinotti
“An astonishing novel of discovery, heartache, and redemption. Costello writes unapologetically about surviving in a broken world against all odds. Truly unforgettable.” - Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time Newbery Medalist and National Book Award Finalist
"Gritty, lyrical, and refreshingly honest, Costello's debut novel pulses with realness, as raw and resilient as its oh-so-human protagonist. A triumph.” - Nora Shalaway Carpenter, award-winning author of Fault Lines and The Edge of Anything
“Toby's coming-of-age trainwreck reads like the tensest of thrillers and hurts like your worst teenage memory. It's gorgeously written, ultimately healing, and absolutely unforgettable.” - Nancy Werlin, National Book Award Finalist for The Rules of Survival
“Rob Costello has crafted an exquisitely haunting, gorgeously-written portrait of survival and resilience with An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys. This story is necessary, especially for anyone who has ever felt alone or misunderstood. All too real, it is at once painful and gritty, yet brimming with hope and the profound power of love and understanding. Toby’s story will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.” - Amber Smith, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now
“This novel shines in its exploration of the various ways masculinity manifests in the lives of young men, highlighting the damaging effects of toxic masculinity in every scenario. Costello has created multi-dimensional characters who are raw, imperfect, and utterly human. Readers will find themselves swept up in Toby’s joy, only to feel frustration when he makes mistakes… An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys is a deeply moving novel about finding self-acceptance and communal joy amidst life’s messiness.” - Samantha Hui, Independent Book Review