New York Times reporter (and queer mom) Elizabeth Harris brings us a funny and timely novel that interweaves two stories of queer relationships. High school teacher Gabe and his attorney husband Ethan are devoted dads living in the New Jersey suburbs. But when Ethan announces he wants to run for Congress—as a Republican—Gabe realizes just how far Ethan’s politics have shifted over the years. Gabe, whose own politics remain firmly on the left, tries gamely to support his husband’s ambitions, but soon the strain begins to show. Gabe can’t abide some of the positions that Ethan endorses, nor the even more conservative politician who endorses him. And Gabe’s colleagues are incorrectly assuming that he, too, supports more conservative views.
Meanwhile, Ethan’s sister Kate, a political reporter, reconnects with old flame Nicole, now a suburban mom married to a man. The bisexual Nicole has set her career aside in order to raise two children, but finds herself drifting further apart from her husband. Even though she loves her kids, she wants to be more than just their caretaker and a devoted wife. When Kate reenters her life, she finds herself drawn to her again.
Kate, for her part, tries to stay away from her brother’s campaign, both personally and professionally, but that proves harder than it seems, especially because she knows a long-buried secret about her brother that hasn’t come to light yet. Things build to a climax as the campaign enters its final days, with Kate’s career at risk, Nicole’s marriage teetering, and Ethan and Gabe’s marriage strained.
There’s a bit of soap opera here in the best sense—interpersonal drama under high focus—but Harris makes her characters both flawed and sympathetic, with humor and sharp observations about the interplay of relationships, values, and ambitions, set against the current political climate. She gives Ethan and his campaign realistic talking points, and conversely, gives Gabe and others solid rebuttals, while her portrayal of Kate’s career is clearly informed by her own experience at the Times.
One assumes that Harris’s observations about parenting also come from her own experience. It’s notable, I think, that although each of the characters messes up in various ways, they are always good (if imperfect) parents (or in Kate’s case, a good aunt).
This is a thoroughly entertaining and recommended read that feels relatable as it explores what it takes to have a successful relationship but delightfully escapist as it cranks up the melodrama.
All major characters read as White; Gabe is Jewish.
