THE FIXER, THE MAKER, THE DRAG ENTERTAINER

In Steenblik’s novel, an unassuming man who finds himself in love with two very different people receives unexpected help from a supernatural being.

Twenty-seven-year-old Mark Williams leads a quiet life in New Jersey as an IT tech for Rutgers University. His life changes forever when he inadvertently rubs a bronze lamp and releases Eros, a Djinn who occasionally likes to dabble in mortal affairs. Mark and Eros set about sorting out Mark’s increasingly complicated romantic feelings toward his best friend, Elijah—a larger-than-life drag queen—and Viktoriya, a Ukrainian woman looking for a fresh start: “Viktoriya hadn’t just listened to the words I was saying. She heard me and saw what flowed beneath those words. The only other person who’d ever done that was Elijah—he always seemed to know what I was thinking and feeling…Would it be the same with Viktoriya if she became part of my life?” While Mark struggles with making everyone involved happy (possibly to the detriment of himself), he must also contend with a vicious real estate developer intent on taking the family apple orchard. Can Eros help Mark see that sometimes the answer to what the heart wants is not that complicated after all? This fun and frothy love story offers strong LGBTQ+ representation while simultaneously delving into the oft-misunderstood world of polyamory. Steenblik expertly tackles myriad issues of modern love—from the emotional complexities to the physical logistics—with a refreshing straightforwardness and a cheeky splash of the supernatural. While the real estate subplot feels unnecessary and a bit absurd (the agent is so one-dimensionally dastardly that he may as well be twirling a mustache), the novel’s magic really shines when it focuses on Mark’s emotional growth and his sexy (not graphic) love triangle with Elijah and Viktoriya. Steenblik has crafted an entertaining and poignant romance that celebrates love in whatever form it may take.

A playful and heartfelt romance that expertly grounds fantastical elements in a real-world love triangle.