The Romantic Agenda

February 7, 2022
Kann (The Marvelous) steps out of the YA sphere with this glamorous contemporary romance, featuring another unforgettable Black asexual protagonist. Joy loves fashion, puns, her cat, and most of all, Malcolm, her boss and best friend since college. She’s sure there will never be anyone else for her—but he has his eye on Summer, and has planned an elaborate weekend getaway to impress her. There’s only one problem: Summer is bringing along her friend, and ex-boyfriend, Fox, so Malcolm asks Joy to come along too, to meet Summer and to keep Fox company. Joy is crushed but finds an ally in Fox, who doesn’t think Summer and Malcolm should be together either, and agrees that he will help Joy show Malcolm what he’s missing. But as putting on a show with Fox turns into something deeper, Joy starts to see what she’s been missing as well. Joy’s relationship with Fox is (perhaps necessarily) less intense than her devotion to Malcolm, which somewhat dulls the happy ending, but it still leaves everyone moving toward better things. The heroine is, well, a joy, and Kann admirably portrays a distinctively asexual experience of attraction, dating, and romance on a deep level. This is a love story of a different and important type. Agent: Carrie Pestritto, Laura Dail Literary.

March 1, 2022

In Kann's (Let's Talk About Love) adult debut, Joy has known and loved Malcolm since college, but they've never dated. Instead they have become inseparable best friends. They have such a close relationship that Malcolm's girlfriends often get jealous, so Joy is surprised when he asks her to come away on vacation with him; his new girlfriend, Summer; and Summer's friend Fox. Fox quickly surmises that Joy has feelings for Malcolm and confides that he doesn't think Malcolm is good enough for Summer. He proposes a fake relationship that will provoke Malcolm into breaking up with Summer and declaring his love for Joy. But as Joy lets down her guard and begins to trust Fox, she discovers that her heart might have enough room for more than one person. This well-written contemporary romance features a strong, likable heroine and an adorably grumpy hero. The story is told from Joy's point of view, and her anxiety and insecurities, her asexuality, and her dreams for the future provide believable motivations for her actions. VERDICT The novel has a complex and layered plot, making for a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance readers won't want to put down. Recommended for general purchase.--Heather Miller Cover

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