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A review by kjcharles
Fail Seven Times by Kris Ripper
The story of Justin, a gay prickly, self-loathing, self-identified asshole, who is in love not just with his bi best friend Alex but with Alex's girlfriend Jamie. He loves them; they love him and want him to join them in bed with hope of a proper relationship. The entire conflict here lies in Justin's horrifically aggressive-defensive personality and terror of vulnerability, which causes him to deflect, push away, walk away, and generally screw up.
It's a testament to the author that this is intensely readable and as pacily compelling as the twistiest external plot. It's very hard to pull off a totally convincing romance where all the conflict is internal without frustrating the reader with the character's obtuseness. Ripper does it here precisely by frustrating the reader. We completely feel with Justin, and understand him even as we howl at his self sabotage, because he is howling too, deep down. And his journey to self acceptance is deeply convincing, spurred as it is not just by Alex and Jamie's love and patience, but by developing real friendships outside the trio, becoming more invested in his work for a sculptor, and very much from delving into a piece of queer history and the story of an artist he loves who died of AIDS related complications. That is, we see Justin starting to open his mind and heart in multiple directions to get the HEA and that's why it works.
This is a glorious, affirming book of happiness achieved in the teeth of a lot of stuff. I cried...several times. Highly recommended.
It's a testament to the author that this is intensely readable and as pacily compelling as the twistiest external plot. It's very hard to pull off a totally convincing romance where all the conflict is internal without frustrating the reader with the character's obtuseness. Ripper does it here precisely by frustrating the reader. We completely feel with Justin, and understand him even as we howl at his self sabotage, because he is howling too, deep down. And his journey to self acceptance is deeply convincing, spurred as it is not just by Alex and Jamie's love and patience, but by developing real friendships outside the trio, becoming more invested in his work for a sculptor, and very much from delving into a piece of queer history and the story of an artist he loves who died of AIDS related complications. That is, we see Justin starting to open his mind and heart in multiple directions to get the HEA and that's why it works.
This is a glorious, affirming book of happiness achieved in the teeth of a lot of stuff. I cried...several times. Highly recommended.