If you're looking for something quick and substantial, give this one a go.
Guest post with Author Bru Baker...
I love it
when my characters are brave enough to do things I could never do myself. Sometimes
it's something big—like sailing in Island House—and sometimes it's
something small, but just as important, like singing karaoke in More Than
Okay.
Connor and Jake
have always enjoyed karaoke. Their lives have gotten busier and their
opportunities to go out and have fun together have dwindled, so when Connor
actually takes time out of his work schedule to go to a karaoke bar with Jake
and their friends, it's a big moment for Jake. When the two of them are up on
stage together, Jake can't focus on being happy that they're out together. His
worries about their relationship bubble up—thanks in part to the sappy song,
the late hour, and a copious amount of alcohol that has made him maudlin.
I'm sharing
an excerpt here of them in the karaoke club because it shows how much history
they share and how alone Jake feels, even when they're together. It's going to
take a lot more than one night out at karaoke to mend the rift that's growing
between them (but don't worry, Connor is up to the task!).
Exclusive excerpt:
The club was much
bigger than the one they’d frequented in Texas, but standing there with Connor
had the familiar feeling of a pleasant memory. Jake rested a hand against
Connor’s back, stroking the thin material of Connor’s shirt slightly with his
thum, both to steady Connor as he swayed drunkenly and
to remind him of their bygone college days. It hadn’t been easy to be out and
proud in Houston; their physical contact had usually been limited to small
touches like that one. Connor looked over and gave Jake a small smile,
obviously remembering the same thing. It had been a while since they’d shared a
look like that.
As he listened to the
song begin, a part of Jake acknowledged that it could have been much, much
worse. Still, standing there with Connor, singing a terribly off-key and
muddled version of Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful
Tonight”as
Blaire and Grace catcalled and whistled from the back of the club, was hardly
an ideal position to be in.
Even though Connor
was singing, the words slurredbecause
he was a total lightweight when it came to drinking, he wasn’t his usual
happy-go-lucky drunk self. He was usually affectionate and loose-limbed, but
tonight Connor just looked sad.
He was staring right at Jake as they sang, his normally
sparkling blue eyes heavy lidded and dark with something Jake couldn’t read.
Jake suddenly felt stone-cold sober as he mouthed the words along with Connor,
for the first time wondering if maybe the distance between them at the moment
was more than just a natural phase in their relationship. He and Connor had
been together for seven years, and they’d had their share of ups and downs.
Just like in the song, at the end of the night they always went home together
and took care of each other. It was one of the reasons Jake hadn’t been overly
concerned about their current downswing—he couldn’t imagine life without
Connor, and he was certain things would work themselves out like they always did.
But what if they didn’t?
They made it through
to the end of the song, but unlike following his duet with Gabe, no raucous
applause greeted them as the last bars of the song faded. Jake swallowed and
looked out into the club, his breath catching as he realized that no one was
meeting their eyes, not even Blaire. Jake’s cheeks heated and he tasted the
sour tang of embarrassment on his tongue. He’d gotten a little emotional during
the song, and it must have shown. The song had hit a little too close to home
for him, given the trouble he and Connor had been having.
He and Connor hopped
down from the stage, a bit steadier on their feet this time, and made their way
back to the table where the others were waiting.
“Truly
awful,” Grace said, offering them a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Sorry
about that,” Blaire said, busying herself with finding something in her purse.
“If you’d known how
bad my voice is, you’d never have done it, eh?” Connor joked, and suddenly time
seemed to be moving at regular pace again, the discomfort of their
not-so-private moment on stage giving way to the usual jokes and jibes as they
paid their bar tabs and hustled outside.
A great review. I always like to know why characters do things.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
great excerpt
ReplyDeletejmarinich33 at aol dot com
Thanks for the review! I haven't read many books by the auhtor but I really enjoyed Some Assembly Required and I this one sounds good too.
ReplyDeleteserena91291@gmail.com
Thanks for the review and excerpt. I felt really bad for Jake with the karaoke.
ReplyDeletejen(dot)f(at)mac(dot)com
Thank you for the review and excerpt!
ReplyDeletehumhumbum AT yahoo DOT com