This week’s reading recap!
1. ‘Out of the Blue’ by Kay Simone. Near-contemporary (meaning not the 2020s) MM with 13-yr age gap, set in Florida. Older MC works for younger MC’s dad, who is an epic prick. Florida really comes through in the narrative, for anyone who’s been there. 🙂 The deciding to be together arc moves fast in story time but unspools without haste on the page. We see all the pros & cons considered & debated, see both MCs’ friends contributing to ultimate decision, and see why they’re good together / worth the hassle of being down-low for a while as older MC juggles a difficult work situation. No Big Mis, no predictable getting-caught scene, just two adults deciding what to do and doing it as honestly as they can.
2. ‘It Had to be Him’ by Adib Khorram. M/M contemporary set mostly in Italy and featuring a lot of wine love. 🙂 MC1 is recovering from his live-in bf saying No when proposed to and then moving out; MC2 is dealing with his ex-wife’s imminent move to Italy to take over her grandparents’ enoteca, and possibly taking their son with her. There’s a lot of conflict around that situation, with everyone trying to do their best by the boy but wanting different things themselves, and the boy having his own issues with things. If you’re not engaged with the Dadness this one might seem more family drama than love story. I thought that realistic and substantive complication gave the MCs an opportunity & motivation to work through a lot of How Do We in a short period of time, mostly on the page. Author site HERE.
3. [re-read] my own MM novel ‘Mistletango,’ the one about a dance teacher and an accountant who meet during year-end vacations in Buenos Aires.
4. ‘Flash Fire’ (The Extraordinaries book 2) by TJ Klune. In which plots thicken, I love yous are exchanged, villains are villainous, mayhem ensues, some secrets are revealed but mysteries remain, and their city is a trash fire.
5. ‘Heat Wave’ (The Extraordinaries book 3) by TJ Klune. In which the DJT-analog Big Bad is vanquished, tragic villain dies following much mayhem, Dad Squad is all kinds of awesome, and four remarkable teenagers overcome the odds (and stay in love).
6. [re-read] my own MM novel ‘Drama Queen,’ the one about an actor and a physician assistant who meet on a movie set and live through a year of big changes.
Note on the Klune trilogy – if you’ve read the Cerulean Sea duology, you will recognize some themes, notably antifascism and allyship. All five books are deeply about institutionalized prejudice and discrimination. The Extraordinaries are in POV of a teenage boy with ADHD and they are often very funny. Also fast-paced, action-packed, and chock full of good communication. Plus: a great YA love story in which the MCs take their time, talk about what they’re ready for, and suffer through embarrassing feedback from friends and family. Author site HERE.
If you’re curious about my books, browse the Novels / Novellas pages on this site! If you’re ready to buy, check out my page at JMS Books. Happy Friday and Happy Reading!