Will and Patrick Wake up Married by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths

I think this may very well be my favourite contemporary romance.

It was published as a serial in 6 parts. And I would argue that’s part of the genius of this book, it gave the authors time to truly develop their story and characters. My compiled edition runs to 810 pages (but there is a lot of fluff in that as each episode starts with a few pages extra for the cover, title page and a blurb). Still that’s meaty for a romcom.

The book is built around that classic trope of married in Vegas with a fake marriage that leads to real love – but for once it works.

Trope Like a Boss

The key to getting a trope romance right?

• First there has to be a good (within the book’s world), logical reason for the trope. You can stretch credibility, but you cant just set it up without there being a reason for it. In this case they have to stay married because of a massive inheritance and the mob.
• Secondly, the trope is absurd. The reader knows it is absurd, the author knows it is absurd, so it can only be believable if the characters are also acknowledging that it’s absurd. Their reaction to the trope has to be believable as is the reasons they agree to go along with it. Patrick and Will have several arguments regarding the absurdity. For Will and Patrick, they do try to get an annulment and even a divorce. They go into the fake marriage with the understanding that the situation was always meant to be temporary. Further the authors create a situation where it is in Patrick interest to go to Healing with Will. He isn’t happy about it.
• And thirdly, his complaints and unhappiness persists well into the book, although with less and less frequency. Ie. It doesn’t get forgotten immediately.

Character is Everything

Leta and Griffiths then deliver on some truly excellent characters, nuanced and complex. Not just the leads but even the large cast of secondary characters are complex and real, with flaws and good traits. There are many, many examples of people close to the protagonists behaving badly or in a way that doesn’t benefit them; often while those characters believe they are acting in the best interests of the protagonists. In other words the story shows people being people. These actions are, furthermore, simply presented, without the author’s judgement, so that the reader remains firmly enmeshed in the protagonist’s POV and allowed the opportunity to make their own conclusions about what’s going on and who is in the right. Its shows a wonderful view of well-meaning but awful families and of people being badly traumatised while still living lives that others would consider extremely privileged. I love seeing that on page.

Details for Polish

The small town parts of the story are filled with action rooted in the lives of the characters, that allows them to explore their relationship. The writing is also great, filled with sensory details that constantly draw the reader into the story. The amount of research that went into details like Diabetes type 1 is astonishing. It is never just a plot point, it is so integral to the story it could be another character in the relationship.

Both protagonists go through full emotional arcs and the third act break up is gorgeous. It serves the purpose of the plot, Will’s character development and shows healthy ways of dealing with difficult situations in a relationship, respecting the other’s needs and stated desires even when you don’t agree.

Also did I mention the sex is hot as hell? There is some kink, respectfully done if that’s what you are into, but even the vanilla stuff is enough to require a cold shower after reading. It has an earthiness to it that most m/m stories written by cis-women tend to lack. I feel like when I’m reading it, its the voice of actual gay men, how they would think about and do sex, I don’t know if there is any truth in that but that is how it reads to me.

Anyway. Read it.