LOVER OF BOOKS

How Not to Blend by Susan Hawke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Okay, I loved this little gem of a book! It was just what I needed to distract, make me laugh, and make me fall a little in love with some amazingly well written characters and fantastic plot.

Andy Ferguson is a sassy Southerner with a penchant for wearing make-up and lip gloss, throwing shade, serving tea and managing a coffee cart, all while taking care of his Gam-Gams and her helldog Jeebus. Oh and crushing on Dr. Hottie who comes to his cart every day he works at the hospital where Andy's cart is located. And when he's not daydreaming about the hottie or taking care of Gam, Andy's letting his other side - Miss Kandi - out to strut her fierce self on the stage to the strains of the Goddess Miss Britney every Thursday night at St. Nick's Club.

Dr. Corbin Davis, aka Dr. Hottie, is a busy doctor struggling to do his best at being a single parent to a teenaged son, who has a bad case of tunnel vision - or is it just complacency? His life is 'comfortable' and he's adjusted to his wife's death, he's content. But then his son, Grayson, starts getting bullied at school, getting into fights and shutting Corbin out. And what the heck is Enby, anyways and why has Gray not told him about the bullying and the fact that he's non-binary?

Corbin's bestie, Dana, has a brother in law called Nick who runs a drag club. Drag is kinda like non-binary right? Hatching a not so well thought out plan, Corbin goes to the club one Thursday night, hoping to talk to a Queen and come up with a way to break the ice with his son. Maybe being able to talk about make up or, who knows, coming out a bi might help Gray trust Corbin enough to talk to him. Either way, Corbin goes to Nick's and nearly swallows his tongue as Ms. Kandi comes on stage to perform 'Hit Me Baby One More Time.' The arousal that hits him straight in the groin has him flummoxed and then Ms. Kandi comes over to pay her regards and... rattles off his coffee order.

Andy, or Ms. Kandi, can't believe her Dr. Hottie is in her club, watching her perform, and when Nick motions her over to hear Dr. Hottie's plight? Well butter her biscuit if lady luck isn't smiling on her. Andy has his own issue - Gam Gams wants him dating and he sorta kinda told a little white fib that he was seeing someone. So, after hearing Corbin's plight, a crazy solution presents itself. Fake boyfriends!

Andy would help break the ice between Corbin and Gray, get them talking about things, and Corbin would pose as his beau, making his Gam Gams lay off on the whole 'find yourself a good man' thing. Except Andy _fits_ with Corbin and Gray, and their besties Dana and Becca (mother and daughter). And Corbin is laughing again, his life isn't just existing anymore, there's excitement and passion and yes, real emotional attraction.

The course of fake love never runs smoothly and a series of mishaps, combined with self-doubt and fear turn everyone and everything on it's head. But, like the South, true love will rise again. Along with an epic scene that totally updates that classic John Cussak scene from Say Anything - y'all know the one I'm talking about.

This book is sooo worth a read. Seriously. Can't wait for book 2!

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