Read my review of the first book in The Court series, Drama Queen.
The grumpy/sunshine trope, that particular twist on “opposites attract,” is one of my favorites. Novak does the trope justice here by adding a dose of spice to the dynamic that initially develops between Rhys and Evan. Their undeniable chemistry, fueled by the heady combination of attraction and annoyance, leads to an explosive early encounter before settling into something resembling a friendship…with excellent benefits.
However, Evan and Rhys bring plenty of baggage to any attempt at a relationship, both related to close ties with siblings. While Rhys is navigating the freedom of living without his twin for the first time, Even dedicates much of his free time to supporting the older sister who helped raise him. This is one of the many ways in which Evan has overloaded every aspect of his life, trying to balance his obligations with his personal goals. Unfortunately, this ends up leading to that point of agony when a dream starts to feel like a burden when even the drag performance that he loves turns into yet another item on Evan’s already heavy plate. The way Evan also attempts to silo the various facets of his life means no one is aware of how much he struggles—until a certain neighbor is in the perfect position to see it all and makes it his mission in life to support Evan even before romance is much involved.
Rhys threads the line between being a creepy stalker and being completely respectful at the same time by finding Evan’s drag persona online and showing up to a performance. This disruption in Evan’s barriers, while also showing how Rhys is attracted to him no matter what, is the first crack in Evan’s carefully constructed life. However, I also appreciate that Rhys doesn’t become Evan’s only support when he needs it most. Friendships are as important as romantic relationships for emotional health, and Novak’s trend of writing stand-alone stories that also exist in an intricate shared world highlights her ability to create well-developed characters who don’t exist in a vacuum.
Elements of this book echo other stories by Novak, and it includes plenty of familiar faces, but the story is simultaneously wholly original. I had a blast getting to know Evan (and Eva) and Rhys and seeing them fall in lust, then in love. Evan’s individual character arc, of learning how to value his time and energy more effectively, is also a satisfying journey that will resonate for any creative person juggling a day job and other commitments. I’m looking forward to the next installment of this series as much as I’m looking forward to attending performances to support local drag artists, now that I know so much more about this incredible art from Novak’s writing.
Disclaimer: I received a digital review copy of this book from the author.
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