The GoodReads book challenge for 2021 is going great for some of us. So far at least. I finished reading book number 7 for the year – titled ‘Slip & Slide’, the novella by G B Ralph is a sequel to his debut book ‘Duck & Dive’, a cute romantic comedy.

‘Duck & Dive’ was told from the perspective of the closeted Arthur, who tries to come out to his friends, but keeps fumbling from revealing the truth. ‘Slip & Slide’ is narrated by Gabriel, a struggling student who develops a crush on Arthur, but is wondering if dating someone new to the pride parade is worth the effort.

I really enjoyed the easy colloquial manner of story-telling by author Ralph, it’s relatable, like you are in a room having a conversation with a bunch of your own friends. A few new characters are introduced, including Gabriel’s flatmates who are younger and infuse some youthful energy to the story. Although Gabriel’s ‘intermittent flatmates’ Betty & Basil are way more likable. They are cats, and all of their mentions in the story might make you want to adopt cats.

What really makes ‘Slip & Slide’ fun to read is the fact that it’s sprinkled with romantic moments and ‘action’ *wink wink* throughout and you don’t have to wait till the climax for things to get exciting. Sure, some books are more fun when they save all the poking for the end, like desserts, but sometimes a few spoons of dessert in between the course of your meal is fun too. Like sipping a coke-float while having a burger. You know what I mean.

There is a lot of cooking going on in this book and the description are very point on. As an Indian, it was interesting to read about all the ingredients that go with making a meal worthy of a steamy date. Those who aren’t very fond of food might not find those bits as engrossing.

Gabriel and Arthur are quite adorable as two individuals who are just trying to figure out where their encounters might be heading. It’s nice to see the protagonists being honest about their feelings and not keeping their potential love interest guessing in circles about what is going on their mind. That trope is just annoying and author Ralph steers clear from it, giving readers a straightforward romantic tale.

I was able to finish the entire novella in almost one sitting and that’s the best part about ‘Slip & Slide’ – it’s engaging & breezy. It’s a 4/5 from me.