I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I hate to say that I wasn't a big fan of this book. It starts when Fin goes to Orion's mother's funeral to see him after years of not seeing each other. Even though the book mentions that it's weird to do this, Fin does anyway. While there were some odd plot elements (like what I just mentioned), I was so most confused by the character relationships. It's mentioned that Orion's mother was an alcoholic, and that Orion often left the house to get away from her. However, Orion doesn't seem upset or conflicted about it at all, even though her damanged liver is what kills her. Even when he remembers his teenage years, it seems like they had a great relationship. Orion's relationship with his brother, Corvus, is equally confusing. Corvus doesn't come to the funeral and requests through the lawyer to take their mother's liquid assets to avoid coming home and dealing with the property. I thought they were estranged, but during a phone call, which was the only time they talked, they seemed happy with each other. I could continue, but I'll leave it there.

The romantic relationship between Fin and Orion also didn't really work for me. They were both pretty immature and had major communication and trust issues. I wish I was more invested in the relationship, but I could not connect to either of them. As a side note, I also found it annoying that Orion sometimes thinks it song lyrics and comments on whether they work, however that is mostly a pet peeve.

I gave it two stars because I think it is well-written, and it does deliver a HEA.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57535016-best-of-the-wrong-reasons

4 stars

A beautiful second chance (queer) love story, a hometown home coming, & an ode to deep, enduring friendships & family. This book is beautiful & bittersweet & adorable & so so good.

[What I liked:]

•The language is gorgeous. At turns poetic, but with plenty of snarky dialogue. It’s wistful when it needs to be, awkward when that fits the scene, understated yet somehow bold. The writing is just excellent.

•The characters are great. I got attached immediately. Lin is effing awesome. Fin is so cute & powerful & vulnerable. O is cool & a big softie & deserves everything. Crow & Fay & Midge & Rose are amazing family members. Al is a solid dude. Agh. Great character development, unique character voices, & they were all enjoyable to read about.

•This is epic slow burn. I mean the fire has been there forever, but it was so satisfying watching them figure things out, learn to trust each other & their feelings, & get better at communicating.

•I loved how this book is just as much about family as it is about romantic love. It’s so pure & meaningful. Like as messed up as some things are, there’s always a home to go back to. All the feels!


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•I want a sequel & there isn’t one. That is my only complaint or criticism.

CW: external homophobia, substance abuse, terminal illness

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]