THE DEAL: A Gay Romantic Comedy
Becky Cochrane, Timothy J. Lambert, . . Alyson, $14.95 (312pp) ISBN 978-1-55583-844-7
This joint effort by writing team Lambert and Cochrane follows a group of gay and straight friends for a year as they seek romantic fulfillment. Frustrated by their situations, they all make a deal on New Year's Eve 1999—to find true love by the end of the year or stop complaining about it. Set in Houston, the novel features plenty of romance-related whining by its characters: Aaron, the narrator, who might still be in love with his ex, golden boy Heath; sharp-tongued lesbian Miranda; Patrick and Vivian, the token straight couple; and gay musician Alexander. Though the novel honestly captures the way people brood over and incessantly discuss their love lives, it can sometimes make for tedious reading, especially the never-ending back-and-forth between Aaron and Heath. The dialogue strains for the comic snappiness of
Reviewed on: 04/26/2004
Genre: Fiction