CBR14 Bingo: Funky (Mel makes Vivian feel very funky, in the bad way, when criticising her career choices when they first meet. There is later a lot of *funky bass line* when they finally get together).
This was an ARC given to me by the author. It has not affected the contents of my review.
Vivian Liao used to be a huge fan of comedian Melvin “Mel” Lee, and one of her hobbies was making fan art about him. Then she actually had a chance to meet him one evening, since her roommate is dating his former castmate and friend. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to get along at all, and Lee spends quite some time questioning Vivian’s career choices and values, deeply upsetting her. About a year later, Vivian discovers that her roommate is marrying her movie star boyfriend, asking Vivian to be one of the bridesmaids. There’s only one problem. Melvin Lee will be the best man, and he and Vivian will need to spend a lot of time together. Her roommate Lindsay (the heroine of last year’s Donut Fall in Love) is worried that it’ll be too uncomfortable for Vivian, but she assures her friend that she’ll manage just fine.
This being a romance novel, Vivian manages more than just fine. After meeting Mel again after one of his comedy shows, and having a much nicer conversation with him, the two strike up a long-running messaging thread, and by the time the bachelor and bachelorette parties are being held in New York, they are in fact quite good friends, Mel’s unfortunate social gaffe during their first meeting a non-topic between them. It turns out that they have a lot in common, like being bisexual Asians with difficult family backgrounds, and they frequently suffer from insomnia. Quite a few of their text changes take place in the early hours of the morning when they are both unable to sleep.
As their friendship grows, so does their mutual attraction. By the time of the wedding, it’s quite clear that Vivian and Mel want to jump each other’s bones, and they just need to get through the ceremony and wedding feast before they can do the deed. Initially, Vivian is determined it will just be a one-night stand, but Mel convinces her that they should try giving a proper relationship a try. Since Vivian lives in Canada and Mel in the USA, it’ll have to be a long-term thing, but they’re both hung up on each other enough to give it a go. Unfortunately, Mel has never successfully managed to stay in a relationship long-term, and Vivian only has one previous serious relationship behind her, which ended terribly. Is it likely that they can ever have a happy ending?
Full review on my blog.
Bingo #12: Series (Be the Serpent), Funky (this), Star (She Who Became the Sun), Verse (The Poet X), Dough (Make It Sweet)
Bingo #13: Shadow (The Sugared Game), Adapted (Lore Olympus, vol 2 and 3), Funky (this), Scandal (Subtle Blood), Font (Love Lettering)
Blackout!