Two men expecting a baby via surrogate go on the road trip of a lifetime in this hilarious and poignant novel by Sidney Karger, author of Best Men.
Wyatt Wallace is a practical, super organized director of TV commercials. Biz Petterelli is a child-actor-turned-magazine-writer who thrives on spontaneity. Though polar opposites, they are fully committed to their relationship and their life in Brooklyn with their dog, Matilda. They’re also about to have a baby together.
And they’re freaking out.
They’ve both dreamed of becoming parents, but now that it’s happening, they’re doubting everything. Their baby is due in a few weeks and instead of flying to California just before the birth as planned, Biz has a better idea. They could use one last hurrah, along with some serious “us-time” to mend the issues they’ve been having lately—before they get tied down by fatherhood and its impending responsibilities. So the daddies-to-be load up their 1992 Volkswagen Cabriolet and embark on an epic cross-country babymoon. They attempt to recharge at the beach in Provincetown, stumble through their impromptu baby shower in Chicago, and endure a Star Wars-themed wedding in Colorado before heading west for the baby.
But when they take several unexpected detours, old wounds are reopened and secrets spill out that could change their relationship for better or for worse, forcing the couple to reexamine the meaning of family while building their own. After all, what’s a road trip without a few bumps along the way?
My second book of the author
This book was personally recommended to me on Netgalley, as I’ve already enjoyed Sidney Karger’s last installment. Best Men was an entertaining haters-to-lovers rom-com that quickly drew me in and made me laugh over and over again. I expected nothing less for this new publication by the author. A road trip, a queer couple, and a dog—what could go wrong?
Slow start with problems
This is as much true for the story and our characters as for my experience with it/them. Biz and Wyatt both start their journey from a place of insecurity about their relationship and their future as parents. Given that they are in the same adventure and thus share events, it was difficult to tell them apart at first. Although their perception of these events differ, their experiences were nonetheless similar and initially confused me. Only when meeting their families and realizing their backstories, I could picture them as individuals with quite diverse vices and virtues. Despite these initial problems, I eventually grew very fond of them and enjoyed their hardships as much as their moments of pure joy. The balance between those two poles illustrated adulthood and a long relationship nicely.
Independently and jointly working through their worries
This novel intriguingly has our protagonists struggle with the upcoming challenge of being parents. They each fear different things though and lack communication skills for a big part of the story. Given their distinct personalities, which sometimes work together smoothly, other times make them furious, they hardly get together and talk things over. Their more personal challenges further complicate their making-up. The author nonetheless found a good balance between struggles and calm, comfortable moments. Despite the protagonist’s difference, we never really get to doubt their compatibility as a couple, but root for them to talk out their differences. Witnessing this was surely entertaining as much as emotional.
In conclusion,
I’ve always been a sucker for road trip novels. This book combines this trope with a self-discovery journey (yes, I did) of two soon-to-be fathers. They initially doubt their ability to co-parent but and to be happy together, but grow immensely throughout the story. The first chapters troubled me due to the similarity of both povs, but eventually I grew to love both characters and their individualities as much as their joint journey.
The author:
Sidney Karger is an award-winning screenwriter for film and television. His debut novel Best Men was published in 2023 and featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. He currently lives in New York City with his partner and their Australian Labradoodle, Zelda. Source