Kip's Monster

A lovely second chance (third chance, actually) romance between ultra-responsible John “Oz” Osman and his vibrant alcoholic ex, Joe “Kip” Kipton. A glorious reunion between the two young men is cut short when the depth of Kip's addiction is revealed and he flees in shame, leaving Oz to track him down. That's where things take a mystical turn, as Kip is a hopeful believer in “cryptids” such as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster, and the refuge he finds is full of other colorful characters who are also hoping for a sighting. Oz arrives full of righteous anger, but he comes to realize that things aren't as black and white as he has always believed.

There's never any doubt in the story that Kip and Oz love each other - the question is whether they belong together. Fox brings up a lot of interesting dilemmas about whether substance use is a rational solution to life's pain, and how much unconventional behavior we are willing to accept in the ones we love. Ultimately the conclusion is fairly predictable and safe, but for a time there I thought Fox might take a more radical approach.

This is a contemporary romance with a touch of fantasy, including a fairy godmother who comes thisclose to being a Deus ex Machina plot device, but given the pain that Kip, and to a lesser extent Oz have endured, her figurative magic wand is actually a welcome relief.

Another strong novel by Harper Fox, and one that shouldn't be overlooked despite its end of December release.