What a fun novella! I listened to the whole audiobook in one afternoon and am planning to do the same to the sequel. 

I read a fair bit of fanfiction, which I'm a bit ashamed of, but in my defense I'm incredibly picky with it. I think I just love a satisfying indie read, and fanfiction is the only real way to get something trope-y, indulgent, and featuring characters you know and love engage in some on-screen, overt gay pining (amid shenanigans) - or so I thought, until I picked up this read. I mean this as the highest of compliments; it reads like a good, cozy fic. 

The characters are familiar, relatable, and cliché for a caper story, which felt like coming back home after a long time away - there's Winslow, your typical stony-faced-man-of-few-words cowboy (with extra bisexuality sprinkled in), Archie the GNC, fat pickpocket that didn't feel like a "not like other girls" type despite all signs pointing otherwise, Adelia the 8-months-pregnant assassin/femme fatale that never seemed to break a sweat, Cal the edgy rival to the protagonist (only there because he has to be), and Hero, chaotic nonbinary demolitions expert that pulled a Princess Bride (attempted) poisoning on the protagonist when they first met him, because they were bored and wanted to see what would happen. They're fun, they bring a fresh twist on each of the tropes they embody, they ride hippos through a bayou, they're all very cool. 

As an aside regarding Hero, I've seen a couple of reviews on here either get petulant and confused over the singular they pronoun, or insist that "there has to be a REASON for a nonbinary character, it felt like there was no REASON for the they/them pronouns and it wasn't relevant to the plot, why would Gailey include them, boo hoo!" This is actually my favourite type of representation, as a nonbinary person. I love to see nonbinary characters do their thing and have fun, and the story not to focus on the gender aspect - the fact that they're nonbinary is incidental and normalised, rather than pointed out and made the center of their story. Hero is great in that they are assured in their gender, and as a nonbinary person too, I think the fact that they're pissing people off for not fitting the mold everyone thinks nonbinary people should adhere to in a story would make them very happy. 

I also really enjoyed Gailey's writing style. It's fun, it flows well, it kept me company while I was working. I didn't have any expectations of this book, really, and it was a light, predictable read, in a comforting way. Yes, you can see the twists from a mile away, yes, tropes dominate the story, but god was it a fun, campy ride.