Small-town drag queens and big-time actors didn’t make the most natural bedfellows
An up-and-coming American superhero movie star and a British bookseller/drag queen don’t seem like the most likely of pairs but when Patrick is in Birmingham England filming scenes for his latest movie and meets Will during a night out, something clicks. I thought Patrick was very cute when he kept turning up where he knew Will would be, trying to spend more time with him. Patrick was closeted due to the nature of his job and the morality clause in his contract and Will was very much not closeted. I liked seeing Patrick indulge that side of himself that he was forced to keep hidden. Will wasn’t super happy with having to keep everything on the down low but he was supportive and understanding. The more time Patrick spent around Will and his friends and family, the more he realized how suffocating his life had become. I enjoyed seeing him find his bravery so he could live his life authentically. There was a little drama in the later parts of the book that I didn’t love and I could have used some more groveling as a result but ultimately I was pleased by how it all turned out.
In addition to Patrick and Will’s story, the story of the creators of Captain Kismet was woven throughout. I enjoyed their story too. Set in the late 1940s/early 1950s we get a glimpse of the struggles queer people faced during that period. When set against the events of the current day in the book, it was interesting to see both how far we’ve come in the time since and also how certain struggles remain. I also liked how the two timelines came together in the end.
I thought the book did a good job of balancing a cute love story and queer joy with the heavier topics of the struggles queer people have faced and continue to face. It was informative and entertaining!
The Book Boyfriend Addict 