All the Wrong Places

April 25, 2016
In the 14th entry in the multi-authored Bluewater Bay series, Gallagher (Lead Me Not) showcases a refreshing romance and features a touching view of love through a couple’s journey of sexual identity and self-acceptance. Semi-pro skateboarder Brennan Cross ventures into the only sex shop in Bluewater Bay, Wash., looking for advice. His past three girlfriends have broken up with him for the same reason: sexual incompatibilities. Sales clerk Zafir Hamady suggests Brennan may be asexual. Accepting that label is difficult for Brennan; more comfortable is his developing friendship with Zafir, an asexual Muslim and single father. Zafir has insecurities that run deep, but he finds himself wanting to be more than friends with Brennan. A heartfelt discussion makes it official, but stormy weather is on the horizon. A heartwarming plot and emotionally tender moments make this asexual romance a welcome addition to the genre.

April 15, 2016
Turning the is-he-or-isn't-he trope of gay romance on its ear, Gallagher offers her readers a less traditional love story between two asexual men, one of whom is just coming to terms with what this new identity might mean for him. Brennan has been dumped for the third time in a row by a woman who was sexually dissatisfied with him. Figuring there must be something wrong with him, he decides to do some research on his techniques and winds up in the only logical place: ye olde local porn store. It's there that he meets Zafir, who, after troubleshooting his coital woes, suggests that perhaps Brennan is also asexual. Since asexuality is not something that exists in the vocabulary of most red-blooded all-American dudes, it takes some time to wrap his head around. And there's a lot to figure out. If he's asexual, what does that mean? If he's attracted to Zafir, does that mean he's gay? Or biromantic? Gallagher does a great job of explaining these concepts without getting preachy or taking the reader out of the story. Her characters are well-rounded, and it's a pretty straightforward narrative. Zafir is a Muslim single dad working two jobs. Brennan is a semipro skateboarder who works part time when he's not competing. The two men fall quickly into a comfortable friendship that leads them separately to wonder if this unconventional happiness might be love. While there probably aren't tons of books specifically about two asexual dudes trying to make an honest go of it, this is a pretty typical feel-good boy-meets-boy sort of story. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon, but if you're looking for something racy, you won't find it here.

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June 1, 2016
Gallagher's engaging and moving journey to trust between very different men proves to be quite absorbing. Skateboarder Brennan Cross, working as a clerk in Bluewater Bay's skate shop, feels terrible after three girls dump him in succession, each saying that he's a disappointment in the sack. Zafir Hamady clerks in the small town's only sex shop, Red Hot Bluewater, which is where he meets Brennan, who is driven there by humiliation and bafflement. Their awkward conversation gives Brennan much to contemplate: Is he asexual, as Zafir claims to be? Soon they become friends, even though Brennan's first skateboard lesson with Tariq, single-dad Zafir's 10-year-old son, ends badly. Zafir's stomach clenches in the ER, escalating to all-out alarm when Tariq remains determined to learn ollies and kick flips, but Zafir knows, painfully, that he can't encase him in carbon fiber bubble wrap. Zafir also can't stop thinking about Brennan, his one friend. Gallagher's appealing tale of authentic caring, sweetly told, will please many readers, especially those who enjoy gentle, same-sex romances.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)