All the Wrong Places (A Bluewater Bay Story) by Ann Gallagher
Genre | Gay / Asexual/Aromantic / Contemporary / Romance |
Reviewed by | Christy Duke on 25-January-2021 |
Genre | Gay / Asexual/Aromantic / Contemporary / Romance |
Reviewed by | Christy Duke on 25-January-2021 |
Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.
Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone who’s game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.
Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.
First edition published by Riptide Publishing, June 2016.
It has been quite awhile since I was in Bluewater Bay and it's nice to get back to the familiar scenery and famous faces. Although this installment focuses on two residents of the town, not anyone associated with the TV show, and in some ways, I actually like that better. There can be predictability with actors and the whole Hollywood scene, plus the description for this book really pulled me in.
Asexuality is a very new term to me and to many people. I made a new friend a couple of years ago who revealed that she is asexual and I've asked her a lot of questions. I think, much like Brennan, she would have been very happy to have known someone like Zafir when she was struggling to figure out what was "wrong" with her. I felt so bad for Brennan because, frankly, women can be very cruel, and in some ways, far more so than men. Brennan was lucky to find Zafir to talk to and to ask questions, but they were both lucky to find the friendship they developed.
"An asexual man who’s good with my son and doesn’t bat an eye at me being Muslim? Is this even possible? Please let this be real. Inshallah."
It didn't take me long to really like both Brennan and Zafir. Zafir's nine-year-old son, Tariq, is absolutely adorable and seeing what a wonderful father Zafir is made me like him even more. Zafir is asexual and biromantic, meaning he can fall in love with either gender. He can and will have sex if it's something his partner wants as Zafir likes to make that person happy, but it's not something he needs. Brennan is a semi-professional skate boarder who is just figuring himself out and really liking it. He and Tariq get along great and Brennan is even helping Tariq learn to skate.......with all the protective gear possible. Zafir is an overprotective dad but he doesn't stifle his son.
"Was there something between Brennan and me? If there wasn’t, could there be? And if there could, should there be? Easy, Zafir."
Watching Brennan and Zafir fall in love was truly wondrous. All the newness for Brennan, not just being in love with a man, but accepting his asexuality, and Zafir finally finding another asexual person to love and be loved in return. I'm not saying this was seamless. It most definitely wasn't. There was drama in there and some of it really broke my heart, but they made it through.
A fabulous book that taught me a lot about the many varied ways to look at sexuality, but also how none of that really matters if you find the perfect person for you. The two of you define your own relationship, no one else does. An enlightening and marvelously refreshing way to view it.
DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.
Format | ebook and print |
Length | Novel, 257 pages |
Heat Level | |
Publication Date | 13-January-2021 |
Price | $3.99 ebook, $13.99 paperback |
Buy Link | https://www.amazon.com/All-Wrong-Places-Bluewater-Story-ebook/dp/B08RWYXG29 |