Escaping Indigo

Micah always imagined he’d be onstage drumming, but his best friend’s suicide by overdose upended his life. Barely holding it together, he lands a job as a roadie for his favorite band, Escaping Indigo. The group straddles the line between struggling and success, and their shoestring touring allows Micah to become very familiar with his idols. He discovers a mutual attraction with Bellamy, the lead singer, after some confusing (and not particularly convincing) early interactions. Lang masterfully captures the hesitancy and insecurity of both men as they try to move beyond their pasts. The new relationship forces Micah to explore his feelings for his dead bandmate and explain them to himself and others, helping readers feel the complexity of his grief. Lang’s handling of Bellamy’s anxiety and depression rings true; she shows how he has learned to hide his misery but never downplays its effect on him. These heavy subjects are balanced by plenty of hope and some tender, charged erotic scenes. Some readers will wish Micah and Bellamy could simply talk through things more directly, but the problems here are real and the solutions are genuine. (July)