Alexandria Bellefleur (Written in the Stars) pairs a hopeless romantic with a skeptic in Hang the Moon, her charming second queer contemporary romance. Bisexual Annie has given up on dating and her jet-setting life in the United States, but she decides to spend the last two weeks before she moves to London in Seattle with her best friend Darcy. Since the visit is a surprise, Darcy's not home, but luckily her younger brother, Brendon, is nearby to let her into Darcy's apartment--and to convince her that love is real after all.
Romance enthusiast Brendon founded a dating app and has been in love with Annie since he was a teen. But after years of lackluster attempts, she's staunchly opposed to the whole concept of love, even as Brendon shows her around the city and reminds her why love is still worth a try. Still, he's her best friend's brother and he's looking for forever, while she's about to leave the continent: "She needed to remember her reasons and treat them like a mantra. Do not kiss Brendon. London. Dating equals disappointment. Lots of strings. Tangled, messy strings."
Hang the Moon reads like a classic rom-com, updated for the 21st century. Bellefleur peppers the book with Seattle landmarks and traditions and occasional nods to classic rom-com films. Snappy banter and modern dating humor brighten this grounded yet optimistic romance, and though the story feels complete, readers will ache for just a few more pages as they fall in love right along with Brendon and Annie. --Suzanne Krohn, editor, Love in Panels