Despite its Hollywood setting, the upbeat and relatable third entry in Merrill’s performer-centered Forces of Nature series keeps the social drama mostly good-natured and its gay romance down to Earth. After a scandal leaves him a persona non grata in London, struggling actor Ethan Bradley lands on the doorsteps of Los Angeles-based friends and producers Reese Matheson and Toby Griffiths. Busy with mounting Reese’s grandfather’s musical about young gay love, Reese and Toby pass Ethan on to their prim manager, Arthur Frye, for a career reboot. Though Arthur is initially annoyed, he finds himself quickly both impressed by Ethan’s sincerity and talent, and attracted enough to him to reconsider his policy of never dating actors.Merrill creates a delightfully intergenerational whirlwind of personalities, from Arthur’s dramatic parents still holding parties with the celebrities of Hollywood’s heyday, to the boys working through their on-stage awkwardness about touching. However, she is careful to have her characters explicitly aware and careful of ethical landmines; rather than leaning in to the power, wealth, and age gap, Arthur hands Ethan’s account to his junior colleague to avoid impropriety, and is outraged that Ethan has been asked for sexual favors by managers in the past, while Ethan suggests a professional intimacy coach as part of the way he coaches the boys on expressing desire through their performances.
The energy is overall positive, with everyone around them enthusiastic about Arthur and Ethan’s connection—even the drama coming from Ethan and Toby’s past resolved in good faith. The pivot from unsure flirting to deep commitment is a little abrupt, and it’s not always clear how the characters find the space for lazy exploratory days in the flow of intense career building action, tight performance deadlines, and parent wrangling. Still, readers will quickly find themselves emotionally invested in both Ethan’s career and relationship. Merrill’s commitment to her characters not having to choose between love and performance, but having each aspect enhance the other, keeps the novel firmly on the side of queer joy rather than angst.
Takeaway: Optimistic Hollywood-set m/m romance with lovers with good hearts.
Comparable Titles: Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material, Alison Cochrun’s The Charm Offensive.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A
