Adam and Yves

A 30-year-old closeted gay architect struggles with self-acceptance in this snappy if overwrought family drama from Cone (The Counterfeiter). In 2011, Adam Stover finds love for the first time with French Canadian cellist Yves Montjour, who he meets by chance on a Manhattan street. A year later, Adam comes out to his family, most of whom are accepting, and introduces them to Yves. Adam also tells one of his coworkers about Yves, though for the most part he allows his colleagues to believe he’s straight out of fear of how they might react and of committing to an identity he’s still unsure of. The couple’s world is rocked when it turns out that Adam’s younger sister is dating Pietro, who once had an intense fling with Yves. Meanwhile, Adam’s older sister, who’s convinced he’s not actually gay, tries to set him up with her stunning Greek friend, Aphrodite. Still concerned about his boss’s potential reaction, Adam invites Aphrodite on a work retreat, causing a rift with Yves that drives him back toward Pietro. Adam’s continued questioning of his sexuality can be repetitive, and the timeline, which stretches to 2015, is a bit hard to follow. Still, Cone’s dialogue has the zip of a clever stage play. This has just enough sparkle to carry readers through to the finish line. (Self-published)