Reactions: So fun! Adorable gay romance.
Novel by A.J. Truman

I’d been telling my bestie how I was worn down from the sci-fi slog I’d just finished and needed something to lighten the mood. So he sent me The Falcon and the Foe, and it’s utterly delightful.

It’s the story of two single gay dads raising sons in the Hudson Valley. It’s told from the alternating perspectives of each dad. Here’s the fun part: They start off the book hating and constantly annoying each other. But this is where the alternating chapters gets fun. I read the first chapter from the super fun, chill, bearish dad and thought to myself, “Dude, this uptight prick is making this ppor bear dad’s life hell for no reason.” But by the time I was deep into the second chapter from the uptight dad’s perspective, I thought, “Dude, this lazy, messy, always late, careless dad is so annoying!” Which is to give props to the author for creating great characters with clever and distinct narrative styles.

The crux of the drama starts when chill bear dad’s son wants to join the scouts (aka the Falcons), which is a group that the uptight gay dad leads. Suddenly chill bear dad decides to become co-leader of the Falcons. And hilarity, tension, and romance ensues.

One thing that tends to be different when a gay romance is written by a man instead of a woman, is that women authors don’t elaborate on the sex scenes. It’s all very coded and brief. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great technique to keep the story focused on the characters and their developing romance. But it’s also fun when a gay man writes the intimate scenes with a bit more detail. It doesn’t distract much from the greater story arc, but it certainly sets a different tone. I like both approaches, and certainly appreciated reading the more detailed intimate scenes in The Falcon and the Foe, the few times they show up.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about gay men in their 40s navigating middle age, friendships, and learning how to love again. I will absolutely read more from A.J. Truman.

If you’re looking for a well-written gay romance told by a gay man, then check this one out!