Incredibly frustrating read. I enjoyed the road trip, though the New Mexico parts were very incorrect (it is NOT some sort of decolonized queer utopia unfortunately). I adored Joe and his entire storyline. He and his story were written with such care and sensitivity. I loved him right alongside the other characters. Unfortunately, the main characters are incredible frustrating and I found it hard to buy their romance with each other. They were friends/each other’s gay awakenings in middle school. Then they had a falling out and have been bitterly estranged rivals for two decades. This is a compelling setup. Unfortunately, their entire adult romance is based on their relationship as tweens, and I did not root for the adult versions of them to become a couple on their own merits. 

The celebrity swearing was also UNBEARABLE.

Very good dog, though.

By far my least favorite of Alison Cochrun’s books so far, Joe notwithstanding.