Middle Spoon by Alejandro Varela (September 9)
Through the epistolary form of his email drafts, we watch our unnamed protagonist grapple with the complicated realities of queer polyamorous life in the contemporary world, where open marriages aren’t as taboo as they once were, but where his messy feelings still feel unprecedented. There’s no room for grieving a relationship when you’ve got a fulfilling job, an adoring husband, and a trans kid to protect from a cold, transphobic world. His emails start with his ex-boyfriend Ben, but they soon expand to his mom, his therapists, his kids, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and himself.
His therapists (yes, plural) beg him to stop sending them the drafts of his emails to his ex-boyfriend, but I say keep them coming. Middle Spoon playfully explores the anxieties, joys, and uncertainties of modern queer love while also confronting the difficulties of trying to be a good partner, parent, and person in today’s chaotic world. It’s playful yet deep, contemplative yet hilariously entertaining. You’ll love spending a few hours in the head of this unforgettable protagonist. —Susie Dumond