ARC Review: OUT OF FRAME by Megan Erickson
Series: In Focus #3
Author: Megan Erickson
Publisher: InterMix
Publishing: March 15th, 2016
Links: Goodreads | Amazon |
Rating:
Goodreads synopsis:
Perpetually shy, Quinn Mathers is content to remain in the shadow of his brash best friend Jess Hartman. But before their college graduation, he and Jess have planned one last hurrah: a spring break Caribbean cruise.
And it won’t be just any cruise. On board are members of the reality show Trip League, which follows young twenty-somethings on adventures around the world. Since the show’s beginning, Quinn has been fascinated by J. R. Butler, with his amazing body, warm eyes, and killer grin. Unfortunately, he’s straight—or so the world thinks.
At nineteen, J. R. signed a contract to play straight for the show, and there’s no way to get out of it now. Yet with each passing day, Quinn and J. R. find it harder to keep their hands off each other and to keep out of the camera’s frame. But when the lens finally focuses on them, J. R. must decide if he’s willing to risk his career by admitting his bisexuality, and Quinn must determine if he's bold enough to stand in the spotlight with the man of his dreams..
Helloooo new Megan Erickson favorite book. This always tends to happen whenever I read one of her books. But let me tell you why I loved OUT OF FRAME to infinity and beyond:
1. JR Butler. Basically he is my everything. I would do anything for him. I would climb a wall. I would jump from a ship into the ocean. I would drink and dance crazy on top of a table. Anything. He is black and he is bisexual and he is sunshines and stars together. He is an actor in this crazy reality show, but has to act straight because his contract says so. He is so done with it, and craves freedom when the season of his show ends. It was a complete joy to see him be happy and laugh and share those emotions with me. I truly, truly will forever love this guy. *cough* Especially because Megan fancast him as Michael B. Jordan HOLLA!/span>
2. Quinn is a cutie pie. A redhead cutie pie who just wants to have the time of his life. I loved him immediately and felt like I could relate to him. He's shy but when the need to stand up for something, he's the bravest kid in the whole frigging ship. He makes JR laugh and JR thinks he is the cutest thing ever and wants to kiss him like every time.
3. Jess, of course, is so cool I seriously wish she could be my friend. She is a super good best friend for Quinn. Always there for him and ready to punch anyone who dares bother him. They had this great amount of fun whenever they are together and laugh at this simple jokes only them could understand. Of course I totally liked this cute thing she had going on with Casey omg!!
4. POC in show business. OUT OF FRAME *not pun intended* frames us the perfect picture of today's world in good old Hollywood. JR is black and bi but he can't be black and bi in a TV show. He has to act straight and even though he likes girls also, he explains he doesn't feel good lying to people, even if he did end up with a girl, to lie to the girl and not tell her he likes boys as well. I felt really angry this happens, and I'm more sad to say that this is actually happening right now around us. You can be whoever you want, like every single boy or every single girl you wish, and you shouldn't have to hide it just because there's a stereotype to be fulfilled.
5. Decision making! In the book, Quinn has to make a really hard choice and it's so real how Megan depicts this choice making and how it is clearly not something easy to do. If you are in high school, college, and are afraid what to do next, where to go next, it's normal. I went through that and it's frigging scary but you'll figure it out and it'll be okay. Pros and cons, talk to someone, let them give you advice, it's always nice to have that someone {a best friend, a parent, a teacher, a bf/gf} to support you in some way.
6. I also really, really liked the cast of JR's reality show. They weren't awful and mean. They weren't hating on each other and they were actually there to support their friends if anything happened. I love JR and Levi's friendship - they gave me a smile-for-life face when I read them. The girls were soooo cool and really nice people who just wanted to have fun on a cruise, on spring break.
I live in southern Pennsylvania, with my husband, two kids and two cats. I like a good pint of beer, a greasy bacon cheeseburger, homemade mac and cheese, and a great book with a happily ever after. When I’m not tapping away on my laptop, I’m probably listening to the characters in my head who just. Won’t. Shut. Up.
I am represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency.
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