Just by Looking at Him Audiobook By Ryan O'Connell cover art

Just by Looking at Him

A Novel

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Just by Looking at Him

By: Ryan O'Connell
Narrated by: Ryan O'Connell
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From the star of Peacock’s Queer as Folk and the Netflix series Special comes a “funny, tender, and beautiful” (Gary Janetti, New York Times bestselling author) novel following a gay TV writer with cerebral palsy as he fights addiction and searches for acceptance in an overwhelmingly ableist world.

Elliott appears to be living the dream as a successful TV writer with a doting boyfriend. But behind his Instagram filter of a life, he’s grappling with an intensifying alcohol addiction, he can’t seem to stop cheating on his boyfriend with various sex workers, and his cerebral palsy is making him feel like gay Shrek.

After falling down a rabbit hole of sex, drinking, and Hollywood backstabbing, Elliott decides to limp his way towards redemption. But facing your demons is easier said than done.

“With his singular voice and unforgettable wit” (Steven Rowley, author of The Guncle), Ryan O’Connell presents a candid, biting, and refreshingly real commentary on gay life, laugh-out-loud exploration of self, and a rare insight into life as a person with disabilities.
Disability Awareness Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Funny Heartfelt Witty Comedy Humorous Dark Humor Genre Fiction Fiction

Editorial Review

The debut novel I didn’t know I was waiting for
As soon as I heard that award-winning screenwriter, memoirist, and actor Ryan O’Connell had his first novel coming out, I knew I had to listen. Written and performed by O’Connell himself, Just by Looking at Him is a biting, hilarious, and at times erotic look at addiction, disability, queerness, and how they all intersect for Elliott, a 30-something gay TV writer with cerebral palsy. It’s a story chock-full of gay cultural references told with O’Connell’s signature snarky wit. But alongside all of those funny moments, there’s an equally important contemplation of the complications and nuance of privilege, personal accountability, and self-love. If you’re a fan of any of O’Connell’s other work, I think you’ll love this listen too. — Michael C.

Witty Humor • Heartfelt Story • Genius Narration • Relatable Content • Enlightening Perspective • Engaging Voice

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The whispering was hard to hear.

It was enlightening to hear the author's perspective on his experience with a disability and being gay. I truly hope he received professional help for his low self-worth and self-loathing.

I hope the author went to therapy

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It’s an OK book. Overall . It makes sense and it’s cute. Is it a masterpiece? Absolutely not. But it works .

It’s an OK book

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Great book! So happy I read it! Super funny. He is a genius to narrate and i can not imagine this book wothout his voice to read it. Also a book that touches so many important topics! Great representation for the minories as well. Just great read. You have to listen to it! ❤️

Waaaaao! What a read!

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I was on the set of Miracle Workers with Steve Busemi 10 feet away slapping muscles guys asses in an episode. one of the set boys was reading this book and I saw the cover and thought that sounds/looks interesting and on my way home I looked it up. I heard the first paragraph read aloud with him describing his boyfriends dick on audible here and I was hooked. The narration is so cute and the whole book was very lovable and funny and real. I liked how everything worked out in the end too. Him impressed by his perfect clean asshole and his eating lunch with his dad and a fling in the bathroom were some parts that stood out. I think of it as a sweet bedtime story I was told when I think back. ❤️

Cock 🙈🥰

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Love hearing Ryan's books in his voice. Inflection, reflection, humor. A+ would listen again

Couldn't put it down!

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