Five
stars
Book
Blurb:
“What
happens when the search for the perfect date goes perfectly wrong?
Don’t
miss this charming romantic comedy from critically acclaimed author Kris
Ripper.
Declan
has commitment issues. He’s been an office temp for literally years now, and
his friends delight in telling people that he left his last boyfriend at the
altar.
And
that’s all true. But he’s starting to think it’s time to start working on his
issues. Maybe.
When
Declan meets Sidney—a popular nonbinary YouTuber with an advice show—an
opportunity presents itself: as part of The Love Study, Declan will go on a
series of dates arranged by Sidney and report back on how the date went in the
next episode.
The
dates are…sort of blah. It’s not Sidney’s fault; the folks participating are
(mostly) great people, but there’s no chemistry there. Maybe Declan’s just
broken.
Or
maybe the problem is that the only person he’s feeling chemistry with is
Sidney.”
Review:
‘The
Love Study’ centers around our narrator, Declan, and his awesome queer found
family. Readers are privy to his every
thought, which makes this tale realistic and highly relatable; both for readers
within the queer community and for anyone who has ever been slightly awkward or
felt anxiety.
The
cast of characters are all in their mid- to upper-twenties and use adult language
accordingly. Though the actual romance
is fade-to-black, the characters are sex-positive and openly discuss various
aspects of queer life, both in and out of the bedroom.
I
really enjoyed that the plot was centered around Declan’s fear, insecurities,
and awkwardness, and also hopefulness about dating and his friends helping him
get through it, rather than on the queer identities of the cast. The effects of homophobia and transphobia on
their lives is mentioned, but it is not the through-line of the story. There is an actual plot here.
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