If You Want Me Close

New-to-me author. MC #1 has depression that occasionally gets bad enough to require hospitalization. MC #2 is an ex-communicated Mormon whose family deserted him when he came out. That's the baseline angst, and it only gets more serious as secrets are revealed and shit happens.

It was interesting to be in the head of the MC who is the object of the “best friend crush” and has to figure out how he feels about it, instead of the one who is pining away. Appreciated the way both MCs talked to each other, but there was so many crises and so much hashing things out that I didn't feel much physical chemistry between them. I was glad that they found each other, but also exhausted by what they had to endure to get to their HEA.

Kudos to the author for writing characters who feel like real people, and for showing how someone with major depressive episodes can still find love and work, but these days I need more escapist fare.