“Bad luck makes good stories.” ― Bernard Evslin
Title: Shiny!
Author: Amy Lane
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pages/Word Count: 200 Pages
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb: Will Lafferty and Kenny Scalia are both having sort of a day. Will gets fired for letting fifth graders read Harry Potter, and Kenny finds his boyfriend and his sex toys in bed with a complete stranger. When Will knocks over Kenny’s trash can—and strews Kenny’s personal business all over the street—it feels like the perfect craptastic climax to the sewage of suckage that has rained down on them both.
But ever-friendly, ever-kind Will asks snarky Kenny out for a beer—God knows they both need one—and two amazing things occur: Kenny discovers talking to Will might be the best form of intercourse ever, and Will discovers he’s gay.
Their unlikely friendship seems like the perfect platonic match until Will reveals how very much more he’s been feeling for Kenny almost since the beginning. But Kenny’s worried. Will’s new-found sexuality is bright and glittery and shiny, but what happens when that wears off? Is Will’s infatuation with Kenny strong enough to stay real?
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Review: There are so many wonderfully crazy ways to meet someone. Leave it to Amy Lane to create the most unique first meeting I think I have personally ever read.
Since Kenny Scalia has been working so much overtime at his new job, he decides to surprise his live in boyfriend with a nooner. Turns out Kenny is the one who’s surprised to find his boyfriend in bed with another man, AND Kenny’s favorite sex toys! Kenny wastes no time taking out the trash, that is the boyfriend and the sex toys, by the way.
Will Lafferty doesn’t have much better luck than Kenny. It turns out that teaching evolution and allowing kids to read Harry Potter books in a strict parochial school does not ensure job security. On his way home after being fired, he knocks over a garbage can. Turns out this is Kenny’s garbage can full of all the discarded sex toys. When Kenny comes out in just his underwear to help him clean up the mess and Will realizes exactly what it is he is cleaning up, he decides they really should commiserate over a beer.
This initial “date” is the beginning of a most unusual relationship. Will comes to the realization that he is gay after he receives a very helpful gift from Kenny, and he also realizes he REALLY likes Kenny. For Kenny, it is a slightly longer road to accepting his feelings for Will.
With a shared love of graphic novels, the two men become business partners, and they spend a crazy amount of time dancing around their attraction for one another. When Will is faced with his worst nightmare, he decides to make his move for more with Kenny and he is happy to realize his feelings are returned.
Of course, the road to a happily ever after is not an easy one. Will has to make sure he isn’t imprinting on the first gay man he is involved with, and Kenny has some commitment issues he has to resolve before they can move forward.
Through her unique writing style Amy Lane has written a wonderful story of self discovery and falling in love. Between visits with family members and Will’s horrible fashion sense, these two seem to have a lot to overcome, but they do it with style. I also believe this had one of the best endings that Amy Lane has ever written. I was actually laughing through tears by the time I read the final words.
I highly recommend this book.
You can buy Shiny! here:
