Can now confirm that Alexis Hall can write literally anything and I will be completely rapt and delighted. Despite the ridiculous premise and a story in which very little actually happens, this book was a delight. A very grumpy reluctant cat man finds himself in forced proximity to another man, who is the sunshiney walking manifestation of aching loneliness. Their chemistry is immediately delightful, their progressively googly-eyed banter was a perfect cocktail of snarky, vulnerable, and clever. And who doesn’t love a Guinea pig in a Christmas hat?

DNF’d at 18%. There’s been near constant negative self talk, body dysmorphia, and detailed descriptions of disordered eating and not a single critical thought expressed about any of that. Not even any acknowledgment that what our FMC is experiencing *is* deeply disordered. I just made it through a scene where the FMC calls her friend because she cannot make herself put on a bathing suit. Her friend recognizes that she’s describing an experience that is deeply not ok, but jumps immediately to the issue being a “phobia”? Not a completely unexamined eating disorder? How? Anyway. I received an ARC, but I can’t keep reading that. I’m done.

An absolute delight of a story about second chances and going home (and, spoiler, home can be a place AND a person), as the blurb says, but also of aging, of being known, of loving another person at their core, of changing. As a middle aged person myself, it was the best kind of surprise to read about bodies becoming softer, life becoming quieter, even sex changing, all in a way that felt warm and happy, not something to dread. There is also, of course, the huge change of Eli's transition which is foundational to the story, alongside Nick's changing understanding of his own sexuality. Nick's earnest efforts to learn how to understand and support Eli as a trans man are pitch perfect examples of how all of us should do these things. Similarly, his journey to discovering his own queerness later in life is gentle and is lovingly supported by everyone around him and it's so heartwarming. I don't always love second chance romance because the idea of continuing to harbour feelings for someone you dated and moved on from years before lost meaning for me in my late 20s. But this story gets it right. Eli and Nick didn't just date in high school. They've known and loved one another their entire lives - their relationship, even in high school, was based on a deep understanding of one another and that makes that adult relationship feel completely believable for me. This story is in turns sweet, funny, and very very human. There's conflict that feels neither over-simplified nor overblown. Nick's relationship with Laurie is such a beautiful example of respectfully coparenting. Eli's parents are trying super hard and love him so much and also sometimes get it wrong. Like humans. There's even a third act quasi-break up (my kryptonite) but it's short and meaningful - it doesn't feel like unneeded drama inserted for drama's sake. These two are both working through some things, and do a pretty good job of communicating about that, for the most part. I loved everything about this story and absolutely recommend it.