Most Wonderful: A Christmas Novel (Dial Delights)

Georgia Clark’s “Most Wonderful” is a queer romance that follows the Belvedere siblings and their relationships. Thirty-seven-year-old Liz Belvedere is the showrunner for the teen melodrama “Sweet.” The first season was a success, and Liz is now tasked with writing the plot for the next season, but she is struggling with writer’s block. The show’s star, twenty-seven-year-old Violet Alice Grace, kissed Liz while they were in Rome together, and Liz can't stop thinking about it. Still reeling from her divorce from Noah Hegarty, Liz is afraid to enter another relationship and experience the kind of grief she felt before—a kind of pain she isn’t sure she would recover from. Desperate for an escape and hoping to avoid Violet, Liz travels to her mother Barbara “Babs” Belvedere’s house in the Catskills. Thirty-three-year-old Birdie Belvedere is an aspiring comedian. After her manager, Issa, fires her for a lack of dedication and seriousness, Birdie finds herself adrift without ambition. Her first show was a success, but after her father’s death shortly after, she’s struggled to find new material and has turned to sex and alcohol as a way to avoid confronting the need for therapy. When Birdie attends an art show, she offends the artist, thirty-year-old Jecka Jacob, and also damages a painting, forcing her to pay $11,000 in damages. Not used to being turned down, Birdie desperately tries to win Jecka’s affection, but Jecka calls her out on her flaws, and together they work toward self-improvement. Twenty-nine-year-old Rafi Belvedere is the youngest of the group. He works as a community manager for a not-for-profit organization and has been dating Sunita for a few months. After his proposal in front of their entire workplace goes awry, Rafi finds himself heartbroken and turns to his best friend, Asher “Ash,” who lives in Europe, for support. Realizing he needs a change of scenery, Rafi heads to Babs’s house, only to find his siblings already there. The three Belvedere siblings—born to three different fathers—share a mother, Babs, who is a famous actress and singer. Reuniting over the Christmas holidays, the siblings reflect on their careers and the new paths they are forging in their lives while navigating their feelings for their respective crushes. Violet, who has not publicly acknowledged her sexual orientation, must work with Liz to manage their growing attraction while also focusing on the new script. Birdie seeks inspiration for a new comic skit while grappling with her father’s detachment and abandonment. She must also figure out what she truly wants in life, or risk losing Jecka, who is clear about what she desires. Meanwhile, Ash and Rafi must confront their attraction to each other and decide if their lifelong friendship is worth risking to explore what could happen between them. Clark’s novel is ambitious, attempting to weave three distinct love stories into 432 pages. While not all of the characters find their happily-ever-afters—a refreshing and realistic touch for a romance—the depth of each character’s story and development often feels rushed and underdeveloped. The novel might have benefitted from separating the characters' narratives, giving each one the space to stand on its own. Ash and Rafi’s friendship is by far the most compelling storyline, and Ash’s coming-out journey is particularly well-written. Despite handling queer love with sensitivity, however, the novel falters when it comes to its treatment of depression and alcoholism. Birdie’s struggle with alcoholism is presented in a way that feels unrealistic—she heals alone without seeking therapy or support groups, and there’s no depiction of the withdrawal symptoms that are common for addicts. All the characters wrestle with the loss of their fathers, and that grief impacts their decisions, but none of them seek therapy or confide in one another. Clark misses an important opportunity to explore this aspect of their lives more deeply.

This was a cute holiday book. And it's the first rom-com I have ever read.