Clem has finally made it out of Maine and is ready to start a new life in Boston. The world is her oyster, the sky in the limit, or maybe life is still a shitshow. On day one her old Toyota gets stolen. Even car thieves are accepting mediocrity. Her new sweatin to the oldies roommate, Alyssa, invites Clementine to Howl, Boston’s only remaining queer bar. Clementine takes one look at Lou, the bars gorgeous owner and is smitten like a kitten. Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all.
Between trying to save her failing bar and checking in on her grandmother, Lou, doesn’t have the time or energy for anything other than a hookup now and then. Clementine is the perfect candidate for a little extracurricular in the storeroom, since she is crazy hot and only in town for the weekend and thus they will never again cross paths. Lou may have gotten a wee bit confused as to how long Clem will be around but it doesn’t matter because she has no interest in anything that will detract her from saving the bar that is the only place she has ever felt she belonged.
Just when I think I couldn’t possibly love Lucy Bexley’s writing more, she brings Clem and Lou into my life. This book has everything I have come to expect from her books, moments of laugh out loud laughter, main characters who are relatable and deserving of love. And supporting characters who are so perfect I wish they were real so I could make them friends, like Alyssa and Sam. I think the character who captured my heart the most Lou’s Gram, Eleanor, who reminded me so much of my late Gram it made me smile and tear up at the same time.
I love this book. I love Lou and how much she wants to preserve the bar for all those who never felt like they had a place where they could truly be themselves. I love Clementine, who has finally decided to live for herself and even if everything she owns has been stolen, she is determined to live her best life. I love how this book made me feel, how it made me smile and how it reinforced that Lucy Bexley is one of the most gifted authors in our community. This is a must read and the perfect book to celebrate Pride month.
An ARC was received from the author for an honest review.