Pride 2023 reads, Day 21 - can you believe it's summer?! What a perfect time to introduce my favorite baby drag queen, the incomparable Kevin who went after his best friend's dad and got him!
This is book three in the Games We Play series, set in a fictional small town. Kevin has been thirsting after Garrett, his best friend Darren's dad, for years. What seems to everyone else like a shallow crush, is actually something much deeper. Garrett, meanwhile, hasn't been entirely oblivious. And ever since Kevin's drag queen debut as Sassy Solo, he's been noticing the younger guy a lot more. Put them together in a closet for an accidental round of seven minutes in heaven and the beacons are lit! They've got the mutual attraction and chemistry down, but how will they fare dating in secret, especially when Garrett is away for weeks at a time while driving his truck?
Okay so this one got me with all my fave tropes + excellent characters, story, and romance! I am a big fan of age gap romance, and especially like all the drama that comes from best friend's dad romances, so this was perfect for me. Garrett is such a good dad (and granddad)! He's a hard worker, spending weeks out on the road as a truck driver, only to come home and throw himself into helping his family and neighbors. He was a teen dad and now at 45, his son is 25 and so is his son's bestie, Kevin.
Kevin is a really great character as well! He's had to shoulder a lot of responsibility looking after his aging parents and dealing with his dad's health crisis. He's endured heartbreak and harassment but continues to be vibrant, fun-loving, and very femme, while masking his hurt. He also has a side hustle as the fabulous and confident drag queen, Sassy Solo.
The buildup for Kevin and Garrett's relationship has been hinted at in the previous books in the series, with everyone except Garrett knowing that Kevin has a huge crush on him. I liked how the circumstances of the story push them together and lead to an explosive, hot connection, one that they both decide to give a try and turn to something more. As the story unfolds, a lot of tension arises from Kevin wanting to protect Garrett from judgment, and Garrett starting to realize how hard things have been for Kevin, especially growing up in a small town. This book more than the others has a focus on the larger queer community with Kevin's goal to host the town's first Pride celebration, complete with drag queens. I love all the good communication, the mutual trust and affection, and how these two men with such big differences make their relationship work.
Also, kudos to John Solo for his amazing performance with the audiobook! I was definitely blushing during certain parts!
