HE DID IT AGAIN

A gay man attempts to find modern-day love—and maybe marriage—in Tullis’ fiction debut.

Luke, the bighearted protagonist of Tullis’ novella, is looking forward to spending the holidays at his parents’ house in a state six and a half hours south of the unnamed spot where he now lives. Though he’s enjoyed Thanksgiving dinners with his chosen family of single friends, he’s excited about Christmas because relatives will be on hand, including grandparents, his brother and sister, and four nieces and nephews. On the long drive home, a furtive encounter with a stranger in a rest stop men’s room reaffirms Luke’s thirst for a same-sex love connection. But he continues his trip to his parents’ house, and on Christmas, his mother tries to set him up with new neighbor Diana. Luke—who’d been married for 12 years to a woman—politely declines the offer, though he has yet to reveal his sexuality to his homophobic father, who’s said he won’t attend another wedding of his son’s. New Year’s Eve, Luke spends the big countdown with Caleb, a handsome stranger he meets in the men’s room at a gala. Love leads briskly to cohabitation and toward a lavish wedding Luke hopes to invite his parents to, only without telling them he’s marrying another man. Can he pull it off? Don’t expect drama from this sweet-natured tale, a slow burn that unfurls methodically. It has a minimalist plot, unfussy threads of narrative braided together, and lightly sketched peripheral characters—all building toward a foreshadowed and saccharine conclusion that leaves just about everyone happy—so its pleasures are quieter ones. Arkansas author Tullis particularly excels at atmospheric details, illustrated with great care, including those of Luke’s Christmas morning at home with carols, trees, presents, multicolored lights, and a dusting of snow outside. He incorporates themes of coming out, shame, unapologetic same-sex love, and self-confidence into a deceptively unadorned story that may especially appeal to younger LGBTQ+ readers seeking a short, feel-good story about unconditional love and gay pride.

A gratifying, humble novella about the intersection of family and same-sex love.