Upside Down

Upside Down (2019) N.R. Walker

This was precisely the story I needed to read. I have a ton of books on my TBR, but none of them were pulling me in.

Jordan O’Neil is a librarian who is tired of his love life never ever working out. When his co-worker (and best friend) Merry encourages him to go to an Ace support meeting, he discovers that maybe he does have to add one more label.

Also, his bus crush is running the group.

I fell in love with the story almost immediately. And not solely because of this:

Geek also probably fits, though mostly for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Oh yes, DS9. (swoon)

But really, Jordan is just marvelous.

So, as the bus pulled in, my heart was dressed in neon Lycra, a bottle in one hand and a microphone in the other, singing Deniece Williams’ “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” while my brain was stoic, arms crossed, working on some algorithm or genius equation that would determine indisputably, unequivocally, that I was the dumbest motherfucker on the planet for even entertaining the idea that Hennessy would be one, single. And two, remotely interested in me.

Jordan is a delight. He is marvelous. I may secretly be Jordan.

My phone beeped in my hand and I tripped over my own feet, almost falling to the ground but catching myself just in time. “Motherfucker.”

And Merry–Merry is WONDERFUL.

Merry held up a book like it was a shield. “Do you know what my favourite part of a book is?” she asked, her face stoic. She didn’t give me time to change gears in the conversation.

“Huh?”

“My favourite part of any well-written book is that it will have a beginning,” she said. “And a middle, and a goddamn end, Jordan. An ending! Which is what this conversation is lacking. They’re magical. Maybe you can try it.”

And the bus. THE BUS!

The soup crowd made me take a seat and practice Lamaze breathing just so I could tell them all about the questions game we play.”

I chuckled. “The Soup Crew?”

“Yes, the Soup Crew. That’s what I call the five people who spent twenty minutes yesterday discussing soups and Nepal after your stop. They’re very invested in our… well, how our relationship is progressing.

But then the guy nodded at me and rolled his eyes and smirked before standing up. “I can find another seat,” he said. “I’ve been telling my wife about you guys, and if she ever found out I was the reason you couldn’t sit together, she’d kill me.”

I mean, how adorable is that?

This was perfect and I loved it and I wish there was more.

Publisher: BlueHeart Press

Rating: 9/10

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