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A review by kaje_harper
The Imperfection of Swans by Brandon Witt
4.0
Kevin is a driven perfectionist, saving up for a lifelong dream - to own a wedding dress shop, and sell beautiful gowns to delighted brides. When the perfect Boston location goes on the market, he takes the plunge of a lifetime. But Kevin has never handled stress well, and between his anxiety and his intensity, with millions of his family's money riding on his success, something has to give.
Casper has a good job as an upscale pastry chef, with a place of his own just a nebulous future possibility, until his imagination is sparked by a chance meeting. The dream of joining his talents to Kevin's, creating the perfect gown-and-cake shop for brides, is born. Casper's an optimist - the guy who believes that hard work is rewarded, and that success comes to those who go for it. He's impulsive, but puts his whole heart into his leaps of faith. The shop is such a leap. And although Kevin is back together with his ex-husband and unavailable, a little part of Casper is dreaming of more than just a business relationship, from the moment they meet.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I loved that Kevin is allowed to be flamboyant - to sing Broadway tunes and enjoy pretty dresses, and that he doesn't shrink from the stereotypes when they are his happy place. I liked that the guys have realistic relationship beginnings, as they are building a business first - that they aren't celibate and waiting, but have existing, imperfect sex lives. (Sometimes I like the fantasy of only-one-guy-ever romance, but often I enjoy the realism of gay men who sometimes have sex just for sex, with the person who's easy to get with, until the romance really hits. It's not cheating yet, it's a slow burn.) Speaking of which, I liked the slow burn and the long time it took these guys to finally see how good they might be together. I also enjoyed the varied dynamics of the mix of Kevin's big family.
And I really liked the vivid, realistic handling of Kevin's anxiety and eating disorder. His tensions and illusions, and the crutches he used to get through his days, were well-portrayed. I was surprised that his family (and past doctors, and his ex) never had suspicions about what his health problems related to, but then, for a long time eating disorders were considered something that only happened with teenage girls. With a boy, the possibility wasn't even on the horizon. So this book may also be eye-opening in the exposure of how Kevin's health was damaged by the misdirection and misdiagnosis for so long.
There is angst, but not melodrama. The low-sex style of Brandon Witt's writing keeps the focus nicely on the characters. This book's balance was a little skewed with the very slow build and much faster resolution. Despite that, this is another story by this author that I definitely enjoyed, and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Casper has a good job as an upscale pastry chef, with a place of his own just a nebulous future possibility, until his imagination is sparked by a chance meeting. The dream of joining his talents to Kevin's, creating the perfect gown-and-cake shop for brides, is born. Casper's an optimist - the guy who believes that hard work is rewarded, and that success comes to those who go for it. He's impulsive, but puts his whole heart into his leaps of faith. The shop is such a leap. And although Kevin is back together with his ex-husband and unavailable, a little part of Casper is dreaming of more than just a business relationship, from the moment they meet.
There were a lot of things I liked about this book. I loved that Kevin is allowed to be flamboyant - to sing Broadway tunes and enjoy pretty dresses, and that he doesn't shrink from the stereotypes when they are his happy place. I liked that the guys have realistic relationship beginnings, as they are building a business first - that they aren't celibate and waiting, but have existing, imperfect sex lives. (Sometimes I like the fantasy of only-one-guy-ever romance, but often I enjoy the realism of gay men who sometimes have sex just for sex, with the person who's easy to get with, until the romance really hits. It's not cheating yet, it's a slow burn.) Speaking of which, I liked the slow burn and the long time it took these guys to finally see how good they might be together. I also enjoyed the varied dynamics of the mix of Kevin's big family.
And I really liked the vivid, realistic handling of Kevin's anxiety and eating disorder. His tensions and illusions, and the crutches he used to get through his days, were well-portrayed. I was surprised that his family (and past doctors, and his ex) never had suspicions about what his health problems related to, but then, for a long time eating disorders were considered something that only happened with teenage girls. With a boy, the possibility wasn't even on the horizon. So this book may also be eye-opening in the exposure of how Kevin's health was damaged by the misdirection and misdiagnosis for so long.
There is angst, but not melodrama. The low-sex style of Brandon Witt's writing keeps the focus nicely on the characters. This book's balance was a little skewed with the very slow build and much faster resolution.