Best Man by Lily Morton

Narrated by Joel Leslie

Best Man is the first book in Lily Morton’s Close Proximity series and features a familiar character in Jesse, one of Eli’s roommates from Morton’s Finding Home series.

The book begins with a prologue which takes place 3 years earlier – Jesse, 21 and outrageous, is interviewing for a job with Zeb Evans’s business which provides all kinds of services (except sexual ones) to members of the queer community. This can extend to gardening and home care or being a fake date at a family wedding. Or a funeral. Zeb is very stiff and proper, and Jesse is his polar opposite. Zeb is also 20 years Jesse’s senior. 

There’s an instant attraction between them but given Zeb’s no fraternisation policy and the fact he has a live-in boyfriend already, nothing happens.

Fast forward 3 years and Jesse is in another scrape at work – involving a funeral and an unfortunate (and hilarious) fracas, and long-suffering Zeb is again giving Jesse a “good bollocking” (not the fun kind).  Zeb is now single but has somehow ended up agreeing to be the best man in his ex’s wedding and asks Jesse to be his fake date to a weeklong house party in the lead up to the ceremony and to the wedding itself. Jesse agrees but only as long as he’s not paid for his services. This is something he’s doing for a friend – there’s no employment contract involved. As it happens, Jesse is just about to put in his notice anyway and the employer/employee dynamic between the pair is about to end, as Jesse has been studying and will graduate imminently with a degree.

That neatly disposes of any discomfort either the characters or the listener could have about the power imbalance. Jesse disposes of the rest. Even though he’s much younger than Zeb he’s definitely the one calling the shots. Zeb is basically helpless against his charms.

Zeb is a rule follower and, due to family baggage, is extremely strict about keeping his promises, even in circumstances where he ought not to be.  Zeb’s ex, Patrick, clearly has plans for Zeb in the future and it’s in no way healthy for Zeb to be anywhere near him but he made a commitment, and he won’t let Patrick down. Zeb’s dad let everyone down all the time. Zeb won’t be like him.

Most of the action takes place at the house party where things, of course (!), turn physical between the pair. Their attraction is powerful and the only things keeping them apart is Zeb’s belief he’s too old for Jesse and his fear that he’s too much of a stick-in-the-mud to make bright-spark Jesse happy. He’s wrong on both counts of course, but it takes a while for him to realise.

Jesse is quick to tell Zeb that he’s an adult and Zeb should stop thinking Jesse is unable to make decisions for himself.

Patrick and his family are all horrible with no redeeming characteristics at all I could see. I don’t love the evil ex trope in general but as it goes this was well done. Patrick wasn’t demonised even though I didn’t like him. It’s a fine line to tread. He’s not evil – just selfish and thoughtless.

The narration is very good. Zeb has a deeper and more stern tone to his voice in keeping with his character and Jesse is lighter and younger but still clearly an adult.  Jesse loves people and Zeb is an introvert and there’s a touch of the grumpy vs sunshine to the story which Mr. Leslie brings to life.

I have a pet peeve when the word “suit” is pronounced “syoot” but otherwise Mr. Leslie’s accent work was very good. Eli, who is Welsh, pops in for a cameo and he’s instantly and authentically identifiable.

Both the author and the narrator paired well to demonstrate that Jesse was not a child and even when he was getting into scrapes it wasn’t because he lacked maturity or intelligence.

Over the course of the book Zeb loosened up a bit but he’ll always be a caretaker and a little bit uptight – that’s okay, Jesse shakes him up just a little – and takes care of him right back.

Kaetrin

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Buy Best Man by Lily Morton on Amazon