Reviewed by Valerie
TITLE: Booked for Love
AUTHOR: I.M. Flippy
SERIES: Catalina Dreams #3
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 208 pages
RELEASE DATE: September 25, 2020
BLURB:
It’s time for Rae Bell!
As the proprietor of Gus’s Books, Gus has a lot of famous authors come for book signings. But he’s never had such a huge crush on a visiting author before. Because Rae Bell is special.
As an award winning author, LGBT activist, and self-identified nonbinary man, Rae Bell is an icon, besides being gorgeous and witty. Rae never stops moving, partying, or traveling the world. But Rae’s go-go-go lifestyle has started to catch up to him.
Meanwhile, Gus is a stressed out introvert who just wants to get through this Rae Bell book signing without making a total fool of himself.
But when Rae’s publicist demands he take a well-earned vacation before he drops dead of exhaustion and tasks Gus with looking after him, Gus has to learn how to hide his feelings from this long time crush.
They say never to meet your heroes…you just might fall in love with them.
Welcome to Catalina Island.
REVIEW:
Booked for Love is a sweet and fluffy novel, perfect for a weekend read. It’s the third book in the Catalina Dreams series set on the small California island of Catalina. Let’s hear it for a non-binary main character! Rae Bell is an ebullient, award winning author and activist who is on the island of Catalina to promote their latest book at Gus’ Books. Rae is a larger-than-life character admired and looked up to by hordes of fans, especially those interested in LGBTQ+ activism and, in particular, gender questioning individuals celebrating a non-binary role model. One of Rae’s biggest fans is Gus, the quiet, unassuming proprietor of the island’s bookstore. Gus is pansexual and finds all sides of Rae sexy. But he appreciates their mind and admires their writing and literary sensibilities, too.
Rae appears to have it all together, but doesn’t practice self-care, and beneath the glam facade is an overworked, underfed man nearing a breaking point. So, after their book signing event at Gus’, Rae’s publicist prescribes six weeks of rest and relaxation on Catalina, and much to Rae’s delight, assigns Gus as their tour guide. Gus is starstruck and already half in love with Rae, and Rae is attracted to Gus almost immediately. Soon they’re quasi-dating and Rae is getting involved in all kinds of restful activities like knitting, mainly with Charlie’s mom, Sandra.
Rae and Gus’ relationship is not smooth sailing. They are plagued with miscommunication and some immature behavior. One of the things that unites them, though, is their shared belief in the idea of an existential void: a “restless sense of emptiness.” Up to that point, Rae hasn’t encountered a friend or lover who shared the fear of being plunged into the void.
And I guess the ideal is to have someone to share the fear of the void with. Then if one of you does fall in, the other can help you out.
Some readers find talk of characters’ clothing extraneous. I always enjoy descriptions of how people dress in a novel because it’s not only fun and often times sexy, it provides insight into a character’s personality, state of mind, wealth, and more. In the case of Rae, gender expression is vital to their identity, so clothing, makeup, and grooming are consequential. Sometimes Rae present as a man, other times as a woman. They like to dress to be noticed in skirts, dresses, platform heels, go-go boots, makeup and feminine hair styles.
In my review of Moored Heart, book one of the Catalina Dreams series, I praised I.M. Flippy’s engrossing world building, which continues in Booked for Love. This time the focus is on Gus’ Books and his loft apartment housed in a grand, three-story, pink Victorian mansion. The bookstore appears to be a sanctuary in the town of Avalon for residents and tourists alike. I can imagine Gus’ colorful staff bustling between the stacks, reading to children, and ringing up customers.
It was delightful to see Andy, Sandra, Charlie and Jason from Moored Heart integrated into the story to a considerable degree. That’s what I feel was sorely lacking in the second book, The Honeymoon Gambit, and it was unfortunate. They add a lot of entertainment value to the book.
I enjoyed Booked for Love quite a bit. The great writing, vivid imagery, highly likable heroes, and the past side characters blend together to form a book I am happy to recommend.
RATING: 
(more like 4.25 hearts)
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