If You Love Something

Supposedly ex-husbands DeShawn and Malik get a second chance in this delightful queer romance from Ellis (after the Higher Education duet). The men haven’t spoken in years; in fact, their only connection is DeShawn’s ailing grandmother, who still thinks of Malik as family. When she makes a series of devastating announcements, including the details of her will—half her estate is going to Malik—and the surprising fact that the two aren’t legally divorced because of an error with the paperwork, which was sent to her instead of them, the pair are thrown back together. It’s immediately apparent that their separation was not due to a lack of love and, as DeShawn’s family fights over Grandma’s estate and Malik’s siblings tussle over the struggling family restaurant, the pair realize they’ll have to work together to solve their problems. Ellis brings plenty of fun by filling the story with food, love, and a couple of cute dogs, while simultaneously tackling the drama that comes from mixing complex familial relationships and money. With appealing characters, a believable plot, and a slow burning rekindled romance, this is sure to appeal to readers of both family dramas and romantic comedy. (Jan.)