D'Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding: The Perfect Beach Read

Product Information

Kris wants to fall in love with someone and she's hoping to find the woman of her dreams on the show. While both work with kids – D’Vaughn as a ninth-grade guidance counsellor, Kris as a middle school gym teacher -, they couldn’t be more different. Now even though this is a mostly low angst story, the family's response to the whole thing was way too chill to be realistic.

By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. However, I just want to state for the record that if anyone in my life dragged me around for SIX WEEKS to help them plan a whirlwind wedding and then said "Psych! What’s even better, though, we’re introduced not only to them, but to their families too (and quite a few more LGBT characters while we’re at it). I don’t watch reality TV shows – I have enough reality in my life, thank you very much – except for an episode here and there of baking shows when the people close to me are watching, but I would absolutely have rooted for Kris and D’Vaughn had Instant I Do been on my TV.Also I'm always here for exploring mother-daughter relationships so I appreciated how D'Vaughn's relationship with her mom was handled. I went in for the fun strangers to lovers fake dating to win a reality show premise and got so SO much more out if it. Mentions of the mics and cameras that clarify some issues are provided later in the story, but would have better been served at the beginning of the book. D’vaughn and Kris are soulmates and it was so beautiful to read about them falling in love and being so happy together. In 2019 she won a Romance Slam Jam Emma award for her debut paranormal romance, Janine: His True Alpha.

However, there is some grammatical gender confusion that possibly comes from the written version and I don’t think is related to a gender-neutral approach to Kris because she’s referred to as male or female on different occasions. She hits all the right notes, capturing the tender moments between the pair in soft whispers and sexy murmurs, and their brief bouts of angst in a tighter strained voice. The whole story was about them learning about one another and slowly building the trust and communication they needed in their relationship Gosh, I adored everything about that!

A reality show isn't the best place to create a solid foundation, and their fake wedding might just derail their relationship before it even starts. Higgins is just a girl from Texas who has made it her mission to create stories in which sassy, southern Black women are loved out loud. Selling their chemistry on camera is surprisingly easy, and it's still there when no one else is watching, which is an unexpected bonus. They had different reasons for joining the show; D'Vaughn wants a push to come out to her religious family, and Kris is looking to make a real connection with someone outside of her substantial social media following.

It comes out later this month and I am super grateful that I was able to read an advanced copy of this through NetGalley (and that I actually read it before it's pub date). Though the premise of this heartwarming rom-com from Higgins (the Vow series) occasionally strains credulity, its refreshing, well-handled focus on queer women of color finding love and affirmation more than makes up for its shortcomings. There’s something in the way this story is written, especially in the dialogues (and the Jitter Cam moments) that I find extremely satisfying. The two mains had crazy chemistry together so it was easy for me to believe that they were falling for each other.

As they negotiate the drama that wedding planning always entails, the chemistry between them intensifies, and both wonder if they’ll simply be able to walk away at the end of six weeks.

Unfortunately, there were a few subjects they skirted around but, at the same time, they were forthcoming with their feelings (even when it required prodding from their friends and family). I lost the plot a bit because the reality show wasn’t all that interesting to me, and it both seemed kinda like a confusing afterthought but also too present lol. Sometimes it dragged, just slightly, I think because of the lack of outside drama like I mentioned before. Framing the book in the context of the show means we also experience our main characters in a sort of vacuum, removed from their everyday lives and jobs while they focus on their goal. There were some parts that I enjoyed reading, but although it was supposed to be funny, I didn't find it funny.

What makes this book truly extraordinary (to me anyway) is that it made me aware of so much about myself. It was truly a refreshing and romantic novel, where so much of the conflict is less our two main characters against each other, but more along the lines of them against the world, facing the conflict as a team. Rep: Black Tejano lesbian cis female MC, fat Black lesbian cis female MC, Afro-latina lesbian cis female side character, side MLM couple, Tejano gay cis male side character, various Black and Tejano side characters, white pansexual cis female side character, Black femme lesbian cis female side character, white queer cis male side character, fat Black heterosexual trans female MC, nonbinary side character. Higgins makes her print debut with an emotionally powerful, boldly sexy, and ultimately joyful tale of love and acceptance that makes the most of its reality television show premise as well as its vibrant cast of characters, not to mention the author’s fresh, fun spin on the always popular fauxmance trope. I didn't say a word, just gently squeezed her hand and linked our fingers, trying to give her strength through our connection as unobtrusively as possible.