Book Summary and Reviews of Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado

Coming Out Perfect by Richard Mercado

Coming Out Perfect

#1 A Graphic Novel

by Richard Mercado

  • Critics' Consensus (2):
  • Published:
  • Jul 2026, 272 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

From Ignatz-nominated cartoonist Richard Mercado comes a refreshingly honest and moving YA graphic novel perfect for fans of queer coming-of-age stories like Heartstopper.

When Kevin's parents ignore his attempts to come out of the closet, he devises a plan to become more like Raymond, the popular gay kid at his high school. After all, if Kevin can do everything perfectly, too, then people will have to pay attention to him.

But life under Raymond's wing isn't easy: a dress code, new things Kevin can and can't do, and even abandoning his old "uncool" friends. Perfection comes at a cost, and Kevin must decide whether it's worth the sacrifice.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Nuanced and insightful: a real winner." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"A vulnerable exploration of identity and self-worth." —Publishers Weekly

This information about Coming Out Perfect was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Richard Mercado

Richard Mercado is a Filipino cartoonist ad graphic designer whose minicomic I Owe It to My Parents to Not Come Out earned him a 2023 Ignatz nomination for Promising New Talent. He has an MFA in sequential art from Savannah College of Art and Design and works as a production artist for Skybound Entertainment. Coming Out Perfect is his debut graphic novel, based on his personal experience coming out to his family. He lives in Brooklyn New York. Visit him at richardmercz.myportfolio.com.

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