Hi there! I’m here today to talk about a m/m romance novel set in NYC and gives all the wedding vibes. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
As I was scrolling NetGalley, as one daoes sometimes, I came across Best Men, a debut adult romance novel by Sidney Karger, and found the cover intriguing enough to check out the blurb. And what’s funny about this book in particular is that the publisher actually initially denied my request (which is absolutely fair, I am not a large blog with a huge following or busy traffic so some of the bigger publishers don’t allow me to read specific titles early), but then I receive an email from a Berkley publicist with an opportunity to participate in the blog tour for this title’s release. I was a little surprised, and initially thought it might have been an error, but I am always incredibly grateful when publishers reach out and decided to take a chance and read the title since it had been offered to me. So, here is what I thought.
Max Moody was a guy who thought he had everything figured out. He’s moved up to an HR position in his office, has his own [small] apartment in New York City, and sees his best friend, Paige, for brunch, sorry splunch, every Friday. She and Max grew up next door to each other in the suburbs of Chicago, they finish each other’s sentences, and Paige is one of the first people Max came out to as gay in high school. But his world is turned on its side when Paige suddenly announces an engagement to her boyfriend of a few years, Austin, and she wants Max to be her best man. While Max has always been the romantic one, and thought he’d be walking down the aisle before Paige, he doesn’t know the first thing about best man wedding duties. And then there’s Chasten, Austin’s best man and gay younger brother who, as a social butterfly East Coaster, clashes often with Max’s introverted Midwesterner personality. The two must put their differences aside and work together to put the focus back on Paige for her wedding festivities. And as time goes on, and Max and Chasten learn more about each other, they realize a small spark has the possibility to burn brightly.
I will start out by saying I don’t think this romance in particular was for me, but while I am going to point out some issues I had I’m also going to note things I think might work for other readers because I do think there are things to love about this book. The story is written in first person point of view, following Max as the main character, so you’re in his head the entire time – single perspective can be tricky if you don’t connect with the character, and it can feel one sided since you don’t get the perspective of others, especially the love interest. Max is hard on himself, and a lot of his inner monologue can feel like he’s unhappy with where his life is at this point or angry / upset with other people (like Austin, Paige, and Chasten) who seem to have their lives together. I did like the established friendship between Max and Paige – they’ve known each other since childhood, and have tons of inside jokes and memories that they love to share, especially when intoxicated. At times it definitely felt like Max’s jealousy of Chasten was a bit unwarranted, as he was trying to understand what Paige would like for her bachelorette party and share ideas but all Max could see was Paige agreeing with ideas other than his, but sometimes when you feel a friendship is threatened with the introduction of a new person it’s natural to feel a bit overprotective. I can appreciate the growth Max does undergo throughout the course of the novel – besides learning to appreciate Chasten for who he is, Max develops a love for planting and gardening after planning for his office’s Difference Day, he realizes that it may have been unhealthy to continue a sexual relationship with his ex after they broke up, and, most importantly, he learns how to be more than just a “gay best friend.” I found the writing style to be very conversational, as if Max was telling his story directly to the audience and needed to include context and backstory whenever it was needed – this style personally didn’t work for me, but after I finished I researched the author, Sidney Karger, who is primarily a screenwriter for television and film, which does explain a lot about his story and dialogue structure, which may work perfectly for other readers. There were some plot issues I found throughout the story – I didn’t fully understand why it was so important for Max and Chasten to keep their first meeting a secret, I wasn’t fully convinced of their relationship progression from dislike to like to love, and there were moments that I wanted Paige and Max to have more in depth personal conversations and really listen to each other, instead of barely apologizing and moving on because they “knew each other better than anyone.” I also felt like Max’s coworkers were underdeveloped, but that might be commentary on how sometimes people working in an office setting don’t associate with their colleagues and so they’re only known by their name or position – although I did feel a certain scene later on in the novel with Max’s former co-worker was unnecessary.
In conclusion, books, can be incredibly subjective, and Best Men wasn’t personally for me but I can definitely see the appeal for other readers who jive with the writing style, are able to connect to Max on a personal level, and fall in love with these characters and the romance. I can’t wait for the target audience to find this book and rave about it. Best Men is set to be released on May 2nd, 2023, which is the day this post goes live, so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy if you’re interested. *Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Berkley, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Best Men:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Penguin Random House
Sidney Karger’s Instagram
Thoughts About Things 