Can I Steal You For A Second?

I would watch the hell out of the fictional reality show this set of novels is based on. Marry Me, Juliet is shooting in Australia right as the COVID lockdown hits, and suddenly an already tempestuous situation grows exponentially worse. Author Jodi McAlister has already wrung two books of out of Rashomoning these 6 weeks (with a third about the aftershocks), though sadly this is the only queer entrant in the bunch.

It's weirdly like a queer fantasy reality TV show, despite the fact the in-universe show is actually (and specifically) reinforcing cishet norms, but two lady contestants discover they just can't live without one another. McAlister does a fantastic job with both the main and supporting characters, drawing them really fake enough that they're believable as both people and reality TV characters. Even the characters I disliked on a personal level were narrative positives. And the usual trope-y contrivances are upstaged by literal contrivances courtesy of the producers, making all of it seem completely realistic.

Since I usually go out of my to pick nits, I'll also specifically call out the flaws and hard times faced by both Dylan G. and Mandie as grounded depictions of real struggles that neither go away nor flare up into ridiculousness.

Seriously, I cannot get enough of this book. I've gone back and re-read it twice already, and even picked up the first in the series to get more glimpses of this world. I only wish McAlister would dip back into the queer inkwell again.