Evan Mok is getting married, much to his family’s surprise.
Early in the pandemic, my longtime friend Jane Yin and I made a if we were both single on her thirty-third birthday, we’d get engaged and plan a simple wedding. We were lonely, envious of people who weren’t isolated in apartments by themselves.
More than three years have passed, and I’m ready. Even if I’m outgoing and optimistic on the outside, I’ve given up on romantic love, and it’ll be nice to build a life with my friend. With both of our savings, we can actually afford a house. Jane also longs to be part of a family, and I can give her that. It sounds convenient and comfortable, but we won’t have a physical relationship.
It turns out that married life is just what I want it to be. We buy a place in the suburbs and eat dinner together every day. Neither of us is attracted to the other, except…
Oh hell. I’m definitely starting to wish I could share a bed with Jane, and my feelings are much more complicated than I expected. Unfortunately, I doubt my serious, perfect wife feels the same way, and I don’t want to screw up this marriage of convenience by revealing the truth.
But it’s getting harder and harder to hide my desire.
Two Friends in Marriage is the third novel in the Weddings with the Moks series. Each book in the series features a different brother and at least one wedding (or almost-wedding).
Review:
This was just so gosh darn sweet! (And yet, we were also so close to that *special something* happening at 69% percent, Ms Lau. I’m still eagerly awaiting the achievement of that goal! ;)) Friends to lovers stories are always fun, and add in a marriage pact (when Evan figured out *why* Jane insisted on waiting until she turned 33 instead of a more “standard” choice of 30, my heart just about melted) and a giant stuffed penguin who enjoys dressing up, I’m pretty much sold on the story.
But then she gives us queer representation (bisexuality and demisexuality) and mental health rep (depression, including living with some side effects of the medication used to regulate it) and I’m all the way in. Plus the Mok family–so much love for all of them!–and a slow burn to so much steam romance, and I don’t know what could have been a more perfect read during an absolutely dismal February.
This book could work as a standalone, but the other Mok family members–especially Max–play pretty big roles here, so having read the books in order is always a good idea. CW for death of a parent prior to the timeline of the book.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
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