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Dragged to the Wedding
The Wedding Date meets The Birdcage in this laugh-out-loud gay romantic comedy from Andrew Grey
He’s here to slay…but will he stay?
James Petika is living the single gay life he always wanted. A police officer in Chicago, he has a good job, good friends—and he’s two thousand miles away from his family’s expectations. He also has a he needs a date for his sister’s wedding in Missoula, Montana, but his family has no idea that he’s gay, and he’d like to keep it that way.
The solution? Daniel Bonafonte aka Lala Traviata, the queen of the Chicago drag scene. Lala is the real she can sing, she can dance—and she can throw more shade than a solar eclipse. One drink and plenty of dishing later, Daniel agrees to help James out and be his incognito date to the wedding.
Daniel’s drag-diva skills are put to the test right away, with the bride’s ill-fitting wedding dress, a groom who’s a danger on the dance floor and more drama than auditions for a gay men's chorus. Faking this relationship—and ignoring the very real feelings developing between them—might just be the performance of their lives.
He’s here to slay…but will he stay?
James Petika is living the single gay life he always wanted. A police officer in Chicago, he has a good job, good friends—and he’s two thousand miles away from his family’s expectations. He also has a he needs a date for his sister’s wedding in Missoula, Montana, but his family has no idea that he’s gay, and he’d like to keep it that way.
The solution? Daniel Bonafonte aka Lala Traviata, the queen of the Chicago drag scene. Lala is the real she can sing, she can dance—and she can throw more shade than a solar eclipse. One drink and plenty of dishing later, Daniel agrees to help James out and be his incognito date to the wedding.
Daniel’s drag-diva skills are put to the test right away, with the bride’s ill-fitting wedding dress, a groom who’s a danger on the dance floor and more drama than auditions for a gay men's chorus. Faking this relationship—and ignoring the very real feelings developing between them—might just be the performance of their lives.
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First published October 17, 2023
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January 5, 2024looooved the concept of this one but the writing and the audiobook narration were really not working for me. also wasn't feeling a ton of chemistry between james and daniel.
July 26, 2023
Condensed Review: Drag queen saves wedding in conservative Montana community, all the while challenging social perceptions of ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’. Publication: October 17, 2023.
Summary:
What intimidates a Chicago cop who’s seen it all? His mother.
James Petika loves his family—from a distance. Thousands of miles away from his conservative Montana hometown, James is free to be his authentic (gay) self. But parental pressure to bring an ‘acceptable’ date to follow a perfectly predetermined life path makes James--closeted to his family—feel he cannot attend his sister’s wedding without an ‘acceptable’ (i.e., female) date.
When his original plus one breaks her foot right before the wedding, James is scrambling to find a replacement to pose with him as a perfect hetero couple. Enter Daniel Bonafonte—stage name Daniela ‘Lala’ Traviata. An unparalleled drag queen, Daniel could use the extra cash and agrees to be James’s fake girlfriend.
As wedding problems emerge, Daniela is always there to save the day. The bride’s dress doesn’t fit? No problem, Daniela’s a skilled seamstress. The programs are wrong? We’ll print new ones. The pastor is creepy? …that’s someone else’s area.
Getting to know Daniel, James becomes more and more enchanted, reevaluating his preconceived notions of masculinity and femininity, courage and strength. Can James take inspiration from Lala and find the courage to come out to his parents?
My Thoughts:
I adore drag. For the longest time, I’ve been on the lookout for a drag romance. When I saw this book on NetGalley, I don’t think I even read the blurb, I just saw “drag,” “romance,” – sold. I was so excited to receive this ARC and Dragged to the Wedding delivered a delightful romcom.
The book has a few issues, but bear in mind that it has not yet been published and may yet change. All my critiques relate to the same theme—missing details. For instance, not enough on-page chemistry building between the main characters. It is implied that James and Daniel spend time together off-page getting to know each other, but missing those interactions distances the reader and makes the characters’ desire feel abrupt and insta-lovey. One missed opportunity to show the characters connecting—when Daniel and James first arrive in Montana, James takes Daniel on a drive through the mountains to relax before the chaos sets in. While this could have been a moment for character exposition, the scene is not described, and any developing closeness left to the reader’s imagination. Overall, I never got a sense of sexual tension or personal connection between the characters; their feelings came across as superficial.
I also felt that the very real social issues impacting character dynamics should have been discussed in greater detail. Namely, police violence towards drag artists and toxic theater environments. There are some brief mentions of Lala being targeted and even brutalized by the police. However, considering that one of the main characters is a police officer, I think it would be worthwhile to expand on this more—given the history of violent police bigotry against drag queens, showing the reader why is it important that James is a cop. What motivated him to pursue this career path? What continues to motivate him? As a queer man, how does James feel about his job? Do his feelings about his job change after getting to know Daniel? How does Daniel feel about James’s job? Similarly, Daniel references an abusive theater director from his past and muses that he could tell James so much more about his experience with the director but decides against it because he doesn’t want to burden James. And that’s all the reader gets, too. I would have liked to see this storyline explored more—either to better understand Daniel’s past or empathize with him in the present. Why does Daniel feel like he can’t share his burdens?
However, the novel doesn’t entirely shy away from tough topics. The entire story centers around the intense stress James feels as a queer man who loves his family but knows that they will not accept him. When outed, James has that very challenging conversation with his parents—repeatedly, as his mother tries to push back against this revelation.
Amidst the serious moments, there are lots of entertaining episodes. In particular, I enjoyed watching the characters team up to try to take down the sinister reverend.
Conclusion: 3 stars.
All in all, Dragged to the Wedding is a light-hearted and moving wedding romcom.
Star Criteria
1: Is the book engaging/enjoyable/entertaining? Yes.
2: Is the book creative? Not especially—the fake wedding date trope is very familiar, predictable plot.
3: Does the book offer educational value? Could someone learn something reading this book? Yes.
4: Does the book highlight underrepresented voices? Yes.
5: Does the book challenge existing literary norms and tropes? Is it innovative? No.
A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Carina Adores, Harlequin, and the author for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Summary:
What intimidates a Chicago cop who’s seen it all? His mother.
James Petika loves his family—from a distance. Thousands of miles away from his conservative Montana hometown, James is free to be his authentic (gay) self. But parental pressure to bring an ‘acceptable’ date to follow a perfectly predetermined life path makes James--closeted to his family—feel he cannot attend his sister’s wedding without an ‘acceptable’ (i.e., female) date.
When his original plus one breaks her foot right before the wedding, James is scrambling to find a replacement to pose with him as a perfect hetero couple. Enter Daniel Bonafonte—stage name Daniela ‘Lala’ Traviata. An unparalleled drag queen, Daniel could use the extra cash and agrees to be James’s fake girlfriend.
As wedding problems emerge, Daniela is always there to save the day. The bride’s dress doesn’t fit? No problem, Daniela’s a skilled seamstress. The programs are wrong? We’ll print new ones. The pastor is creepy? …that’s someone else’s area.
Getting to know Daniel, James becomes more and more enchanted, reevaluating his preconceived notions of masculinity and femininity, courage and strength. Can James take inspiration from Lala and find the courage to come out to his parents?
My Thoughts:
I adore drag. For the longest time, I’ve been on the lookout for a drag romance. When I saw this book on NetGalley, I don’t think I even read the blurb, I just saw “drag,” “romance,” – sold. I was so excited to receive this ARC and Dragged to the Wedding delivered a delightful romcom.
The book has a few issues, but bear in mind that it has not yet been published and may yet change. All my critiques relate to the same theme—missing details. For instance, not enough on-page chemistry building between the main characters. It is implied that James and Daniel spend time together off-page getting to know each other, but missing those interactions distances the reader and makes the characters’ desire feel abrupt and insta-lovey. One missed opportunity to show the characters connecting—when Daniel and James first arrive in Montana, James takes Daniel on a drive through the mountains to relax before the chaos sets in. While this could have been a moment for character exposition, the scene is not described, and any developing closeness left to the reader’s imagination. Overall, I never got a sense of sexual tension or personal connection between the characters; their feelings came across as superficial.
I also felt that the very real social issues impacting character dynamics should have been discussed in greater detail. Namely, police violence towards drag artists and toxic theater environments. There are some brief mentions of Lala being targeted and even brutalized by the police. However, considering that one of the main characters is a police officer, I think it would be worthwhile to expand on this more—given the history of violent police bigotry against drag queens, showing the reader why is it important that James is a cop. What motivated him to pursue this career path? What continues to motivate him? As a queer man, how does James feel about his job? Do his feelings about his job change after getting to know Daniel? How does Daniel feel about James’s job? Similarly, Daniel references an abusive theater director from his past and muses that he could tell James so much more about his experience with the director but decides against it because he doesn’t want to burden James. And that’s all the reader gets, too. I would have liked to see this storyline explored more—either to better understand Daniel’s past or empathize with him in the present. Why does Daniel feel like he can’t share his burdens?
However, the novel doesn’t entirely shy away from tough topics. The entire story centers around the intense stress James feels as a queer man who loves his family but knows that they will not accept him. When outed, James has that very challenging conversation with his parents—repeatedly, as his mother tries to push back against this revelation.
Amidst the serious moments, there are lots of entertaining episodes. In particular, I enjoyed watching the characters team up to try to take down the sinister reverend.
Conclusion: 3 stars.
All in all, Dragged to the Wedding is a light-hearted and moving wedding romcom.
Star Criteria
1: Is the book engaging/enjoyable/entertaining? Yes.
2: Is the book creative? Not especially—the fake wedding date trope is very familiar, predictable plot.
3: Does the book offer educational value? Could someone learn something reading this book? Yes.
4: Does the book highlight underrepresented voices? Yes.
5: Does the book challenge existing literary norms and tropes? Is it innovative? No.
A sincere thank you to NetGalley, Carina Adores, Harlequin, and the author for sharing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 23, 2023
3.5 rounded up.
A big-hearted and hilarious queer romcom that has a closeted gay man bringing home his secret drag queen boyfriend to pose as his 'girlfriend' for his sister's wedding. Full of heart and humor, this was great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Sidney Karger and Nicolas DiDomizio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: homophobia, violence against gay men
A big-hearted and hilarious queer romcom that has a closeted gay man bringing home his secret drag queen boyfriend to pose as his 'girlfriend' for his sister's wedding. Full of heart and humor, this was great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Sidney Karger and Nicolas DiDomizio. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!
CW: homophobia, violence against gay men
November 14, 2023
3.5 stars. While I enjoyed it enough to finish, there is something about this book that I didn't completely click with. It's written like a trite rom-com. While it has some serious tones re: homophobia and drag queen phobia, it also didn't ever feel real.
But if you want a light, low stress read about two men who fall in love in a week (in the vein of classic rom-com movies like "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" or "The Proposal"), this is good. And the narrator is fabulous.
Things that didn't make sense to me included:
1. They go from zero to in love within a week.
2. They end up having sex in his childhood bedroom which is directly next-door to his parents bedroom. It felt weird.
3. Daniel is able to officiate the sister's wedding but only in his drag queen persona. There is no way there is a law that allows someone to marry people using their non-legal name and wouldn't allow them to use their legal name. I mean, it worked for the sake of the storyline and showing that he has been accepted by James' family but it was just an odd touch.
Safety deets
- No OM... we don't hear about their sexual history.
- condoms used.
- good communication.
- we see them committed in the epilogue.
But if you want a light, low stress read about two men who fall in love in a week (in the vein of classic rom-com movies like "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" or "The Proposal"), this is good. And the narrator is fabulous.
Things that didn't make sense to me included:
1. They go from zero to in love within a week.
2. They end up having sex in his childhood bedroom which is directly next-door to his parents bedroom. It felt weird.
3. Daniel is able to officiate the sister's wedding but only in his drag queen persona. There is no way there is a law that allows someone to marry people using their non-legal name and wouldn't allow them to use their legal name. I mean, it worked for the sake of the storyline and showing that he has been accepted by James' family but it was just an odd touch.
Safety deets
- No OM... we don't hear about their sexual history.
- condoms used.
- good communication.
- we see them committed in the epilogue.
October 23, 2023
It's the good old trope—James is in a jam because he fibbed to his folks about having a girlfriend when he's really gay and hiding it from his conservative family. His buddy, who was supposed to be his date to his sister's wedding, can't make it, so he goes all out and hires the fabulous drag queen, Lala Traviata, to play the perfect lady for his mom and the whole wedding crew.
Now, let's be real, it was hard to hold suspended disbelief to believe that Daniel (aka Lala) could pull off being a woman for days on end, while living with those people, but let's believe he was born with the perfect body to dress as a woman.
Anyway, Daniel is a blast of a character. And it's pretty cool how Andrew Grey makes the two main characters' voices stand out without diving too deep into stereotypes. It's just the right amount of spice.
Now, my one gripe with this book? The lovey-dovey stuff. While I get they fell for each other, I didn't quite see it happen. It's like I took a quick bathroom break and missed the best part of the movie. I get that the author didn't want to go all in on the romance – there's a bunch of heavy stuff about James' tough relationship with his mom, and that's interesting (sometimes a little painful), even with the light tone. But the lovebirds just click like magic. I live for those "Aha!" moments in romances, and I missed it this time.
Daniel is also a bit of a Mary Sue, if anyone is familiar with concept. He can solve anything and he doesn't even need superpowers for it. It irked me a little, but not enough. It's fine, as Daniel is so likeable, that you just wish you could find a Daniel to solve your life's problems. But MS alert for those readers who'll wrinkle their noses at such characters with no flaws.
(I was also wondering why they never mention the possibility of Daniel being a trans woman if someone ever finds out about him... I can't give details because it would be a spoiler, but the book has maybe one very quick and superficial mention to the possibility that is much more expected than someone fooling others to pretend they're a woman)
This book is a lighthearted book, even when it dives into some serious stuff. You can almost see it as a Hallmark movie while you're reading (even though it's not Christmas-themed, I could see it very clearly). It's not mind-blowing, but you'll be delighted for sure.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Now, let's be real, it was hard to hold suspended disbelief to believe that Daniel (aka Lala) could pull off being a woman for days on end, while living with those people, but let's believe he was born with the perfect body to dress as a woman.
Anyway, Daniel is a blast of a character. And it's pretty cool how Andrew Grey makes the two main characters' voices stand out without diving too deep into stereotypes. It's just the right amount of spice.
Now, my one gripe with this book? The lovey-dovey stuff. While I get they fell for each other, I didn't quite see it happen. It's like I took a quick bathroom break and missed the best part of the movie. I get that the author didn't want to go all in on the romance – there's a bunch of heavy stuff about James' tough relationship with his mom, and that's interesting (sometimes a little painful), even with the light tone. But the lovebirds just click like magic. I live for those "Aha!" moments in romances, and I missed it this time.
Daniel is also a bit of a Mary Sue, if anyone is familiar with concept. He can solve anything and he doesn't even need superpowers for it. It irked me a little, but not enough. It's fine, as Daniel is so likeable, that you just wish you could find a Daniel to solve your life's problems. But MS alert for those readers who'll wrinkle their noses at such characters with no flaws.
(I was also wondering why they never mention the possibility of Daniel being a trans woman if someone ever finds out about him... I can't give details because it would be a spoiler, but the book has maybe one very quick and superficial mention to the possibility that is much more expected than someone fooling others to pretend they're a woman)
This book is a lighthearted book, even when it dives into some serious stuff. You can almost see it as a Hallmark movie while you're reading (even though it's not Christmas-themed, I could see it very clearly). It's not mind-blowing, but you'll be delighted for sure.
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
October 15, 2025
3.5 stars
Did not finish
October 6, 2023DNF’d at only 20% through. I was interested to read a book about a gay relationship, one of the characters being a drag queen, but unfortunately right off the bat I could tell the writing wasn’t going to work for me. It felt extremely basic and almost juvenile in tone, confusing me because these are supposed to be grown adults but they were reading like teenagers. The initial premise is extremely unbelievable but I was willing to look past it to see how the deeper topics were discussed. Looking at other reviews, I think the simplistic writing style and lack of character/relationship development continues through the rest of the book and I was setting myself up for disappointment so I think I’ll just pass. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to review, and I hope this book does find its audience.
October 30, 2023
I was prepared for this to be one of the best books of the year for me. We have fake dating, secret identity, going home to Montana, secret hookups, and all of it will be done backwards and in heels.
James' family doesn't know he's gay and to buy some time, he comes up with the idea to take a fake girlfriend to his sister's wedding. He's introduced to a friend of a friend, Daniel, also known as Lala, a drag queen he can't take his eyes off of. "Daniela" agrees to accompany him to this disaster of a wedding. While in Montana as Daniela, a ton of things pop up that end up being corrected by James' girlfriend from the flowers, to the officiant, to completely tailoring the wedding dress at the last minute.
Of course, everything goes wrong but the thing I felt went the most wrong was that I never felt like they clicked emotionally at all. Definitely physical chemistry but they never really seemed to talk about anything. Daniel never really got to be Daniel in the whole mess of a situation and I wanted to see him outside of being on and in character and vulnerable with James.
Forgive my pronouns if they're off - I tried to do she when the character was Daniela or Lala, and he when they were Daniel.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
James' family doesn't know he's gay and to buy some time, he comes up with the idea to take a fake girlfriend to his sister's wedding. He's introduced to a friend of a friend, Daniel, also known as Lala, a drag queen he can't take his eyes off of. "Daniela" agrees to accompany him to this disaster of a wedding. While in Montana as Daniela, a ton of things pop up that end up being corrected by James' girlfriend from the flowers, to the officiant, to completely tailoring the wedding dress at the last minute.
Of course, everything goes wrong but the thing I felt went the most wrong was that I never felt like they clicked emotionally at all. Definitely physical chemistry but they never really seemed to talk about anything. Daniel never really got to be Daniel in the whole mess of a situation and I wanted to see him outside of being on and in character and vulnerable with James.
Forgive my pronouns if they're off - I tried to do she when the character was Daniela or Lala, and he when they were Daniel.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
June 7, 2023
A very cute romance between a cop who doesn’t want to tell his parents he’s gay and a drag queen that was helping him out with his sister’s wedding as his plus one. It was a quick and sweet read. There were many laugh out loud moments which were amazing!!!! I loved that the couple were sweet and accepting of each other. The epilogue was my favorite part. Overall, a great story that I highly recommend. Don’t miss this gem of a book. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.
November 13, 2024
This was a good, interesting concept but the execution was rather dated, especially for a book released in 2023. I appreciated how lighthearted and relatively angst-free it was, but it felt flat in a way. Like an extra edgy Hallmark movie or something. Overall it was decent enough but forgettable.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
June 1, 2025
MM romance written by an actual MAN!?
Y’all why is this rare?
It is funny hearing people explain why being gay is wrong. Most of the time it is extremely vague and simply “well… it just IS wrong”. You think that might be a hint for them that they have zero clue wtf they’re talking about.
Y’all why is this rare?
It is funny hearing people explain why being gay is wrong. Most of the time it is extremely vague and simply “well… it just IS wrong”. You think that might be a hint for them that they have zero clue wtf they’re talking about.
June 19, 2024
This was predictible, and the ends are tied up surprisingly easily, but it's fun. It could make a great, short rom-com movie. The one thing that was hard for me to get over was the fact that the main character is a cop and loses his temper/uses physical force to "stand up" for Daniel(la) and it is not necessarily thought of as a bad thing.
July 12, 2023
ARC REVIEW (Thanks NETGALLEY!)
Reading is what? Fundamental!
The library is now open!
What a fun read! I loved Daniel and James! Heavy topics were discussed but also made lighthearted. Daniel was obviously the star of the show! Loved book and look forward to reading more by this author!
Reading is what? Fundamental!
The library is now open!
What a fun read! I loved Daniel and James! Heavy topics were discussed but also made lighthearted. Daniel was obviously the star of the show! Loved book and look forward to reading more by this author!
November 2, 2023
I just loved this book. It had a very nice balance between hilarious/funny moments and very serious ones to keep everything very up beat.
July 26, 2023
Dragged to the Wedding is a cute, sweet read. It has some mechanical clunkiness, but a lot of heart and love in its pages.
James Petika is a gay cop living in Chicago with a problem: he's not out to his family and needs a date for his sister's upcoming wedding. Daniel, aka Lala Traviata, drag queen extraordinaire, needs a gig to cover the closure of the theatre he performs at to cover his grandmother's care. A scheme is hatched and Daniela, girlfriend, is born.
The book starts off fairly stilted, opening on a conversation between James and a friend that just feels forced. Once the basic premise has been established and we get out of Chicago though, the book settles into its rhythm and finds a quick witted, sassy tone. The dynamic between James and Daniel develops quickly, and we get brief glimpses of the conflict between professions - the cop and the drag queen. I wish there was some more deep dives into this conflict because we get some really interesting surface discussions but dont really get to delve any deeper.
There are some interesting B plots that get mostly quickly dealt with and resolved, some somewhat unsatisfyingly, but overall the book is sweet, funny and has a lot of heart.
James Petika is a gay cop living in Chicago with a problem: he's not out to his family and needs a date for his sister's upcoming wedding. Daniel, aka Lala Traviata, drag queen extraordinaire, needs a gig to cover the closure of the theatre he performs at to cover his grandmother's care. A scheme is hatched and Daniela, girlfriend, is born.
The book starts off fairly stilted, opening on a conversation between James and a friend that just feels forced. Once the basic premise has been established and we get out of Chicago though, the book settles into its rhythm and finds a quick witted, sassy tone. The dynamic between James and Daniel develops quickly, and we get brief glimpses of the conflict between professions - the cop and the drag queen. I wish there was some more deep dives into this conflict because we get some really interesting surface discussions but dont really get to delve any deeper.
There are some interesting B plots that get mostly quickly dealt with and resolved, some somewhat unsatisfyingly, but overall the book is sweet, funny and has a lot of heart.
July 14, 2023
Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this! I felt like it was fun and a quick paced read. I felt like the characters were so well designed for the chaos that ensued. I will say I liked that James’ parents had a harder time warming up to him being gay. I felt like that was more of a true story than if they would’ve immediately accepted him. I did feel like there was WAY too much going on this book as it relates to hijinks and missteps. It felt like the storyline kept trying to one up itself and I felt like I kept getting lost in what the main purpose of the story was. Very cute and very worth the read if you like quick romances!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2023
What an incredibly fun book Dragged to the Wedding was! I wasn’t sure what to expect and sped through it soon after I was approved (thanks to the publisher and Netgalley).
James is looking for a fake-date for his sister’s wedding. It needs to be a woman because his family don’t know he’s gay - and his preferred choice is on the injured list. When a friend sets him up with ‘Daniella’ (aka a drag queen with the most fantastic moniker) who also happens to be Daniel - who for a fee will pretend to be his girlfriend for the duration of the wedding festivities. Can’t see any issues on the horizon. Can you?
What follows is a charming rom-com which is a satire on weddings and the challenges these celebrations present within families. For James - a reportedly tough and accomplished cop, the wedding has filled him with a fear of disappointing his parents. He wants the whole thing over and done with, to go back to his closeted, reasonably emotionally safe life. He’s not prepared for the impact Daniella has on him and his family in such a short time, and he wonders what it would be like to live and love so authentically. Amongst the humour, fun and hilarity, there’s angst and wanting, challenges to gender roles and stereotypes, questions about religion, and a whole lot of discourse (eventually) about being gay, coming out, and acceptance/non-acceptance. There was also a little mystery thrown in for a bit of subplot.
Daniel was the making of this book for me. He’s the real MVP!
Loved this! So fun, so heartwarming, and bittersweet, with all the drama that weddings can bring but made totally and utterly gay.
James is looking for a fake-date for his sister’s wedding. It needs to be a woman because his family don’t know he’s gay - and his preferred choice is on the injured list. When a friend sets him up with ‘Daniella’ (aka a drag queen with the most fantastic moniker) who also happens to be Daniel - who for a fee will pretend to be his girlfriend for the duration of the wedding festivities. Can’t see any issues on the horizon. Can you?
What follows is a charming rom-com which is a satire on weddings and the challenges these celebrations present within families. For James - a reportedly tough and accomplished cop, the wedding has filled him with a fear of disappointing his parents. He wants the whole thing over and done with, to go back to his closeted, reasonably emotionally safe life. He’s not prepared for the impact Daniella has on him and his family in such a short time, and he wonders what it would be like to live and love so authentically. Amongst the humour, fun and hilarity, there’s angst and wanting, challenges to gender roles and stereotypes, questions about religion, and a whole lot of discourse (eventually) about being gay, coming out, and acceptance/non-acceptance. There was also a little mystery thrown in for a bit of subplot.
Daniel was the making of this book for me. He’s the real MVP!
Loved this! So fun, so heartwarming, and bittersweet, with all the drama that weddings can bring but made totally and utterly gay.
February 6, 2024
This eight-hour new release was recommended in a very recent Smart Bitches, Trashy Books email newsletter. The publisher’s blurb pitched this audiobook as “The Wedding Date meets The Birdcage,” which really appealed to me because The Birdcage (with Robin Williams and Nathan Lane) is one of my top five favorite comedies. And, despite my high expectations, I wasn’t disappointed by this book.
The basic premise of the book is that a gay cop living outside of Chicago is set up by a friend with a Drag Queen as his date to his sister’s week long wedding preparations with their super conservative family in Montana. The two sisters are cool, but the mother is awful, to the point where she cross stitched a sampler with “Mom’s Ten Commandments” and hung it in the family kitchen. The father is complicit; he knows what his wife is doing is awful but tends to defend and protect her. Once the couple arrives at the family home, a series of things go wrong with the wedding preparations, which fall on the male main character and his date to fix.
There is a plot thread regarding a crooked church that seems unnecessarily convoluted. The end result of the reverend being unavailable to perform the wedding could have been accomplished so much more simply - food poisoning, out of town family emergency - without all the distracting drama.
As fun as this book is, it should come with multiple trigger warnings. The homophobia of the parents and other characters is rough. Really nasty things are said to the gay couple, despite all the help they render to make the wedding a success. There are also scenes of sexual harassment as one of the groom’s friends takes a shine to the Drag Queen but will not take no for an answer. The harassment escalates in each encounter until drastic measures are taken. This book does contain explicit gay male sex, but that one scene can be skipped over if a reader is turned off by reading open door sex.
Overall, I do recommend this as an addictively fun read, if you can get past the trigger warnings. The genuine falling for each other is super sweet and most of the situations/solutions are pretty hilarious.
The basic premise of the book is that a gay cop living outside of Chicago is set up by a friend with a Drag Queen as his date to his sister’s week long wedding preparations with their super conservative family in Montana. The two sisters are cool, but the mother is awful, to the point where she cross stitched a sampler with “Mom’s Ten Commandments” and hung it in the family kitchen. The father is complicit; he knows what his wife is doing is awful but tends to defend and protect her. Once the couple arrives at the family home, a series of things go wrong with the wedding preparations, which fall on the male main character and his date to fix.
There is a plot thread regarding a crooked church that seems unnecessarily convoluted. The end result of the reverend being unavailable to perform the wedding could have been accomplished so much more simply - food poisoning, out of town family emergency - without all the distracting drama.
As fun as this book is, it should come with multiple trigger warnings. The homophobia of the parents and other characters is rough. Really nasty things are said to the gay couple, despite all the help they render to make the wedding a success. There are also scenes of sexual harassment as one of the groom’s friends takes a shine to the Drag Queen but will not take no for an answer. The harassment escalates in each encounter until drastic measures are taken. This book does contain explicit gay male sex, but that one scene can be skipped over if a reader is turned off by reading open door sex.
Overall, I do recommend this as an addictively fun read, if you can get past the trigger warnings. The genuine falling for each other is super sweet and most of the situations/solutions are pretty hilarious.
October 18, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
crooked preacher, and this visit to the folks may turn into trouble.
One thing I really liked about the story was the family dynamic, where the God-fearing mom has to face the cold truth that she’s alienated her children to the point they don’t want to be around her. James’ internalized homophobia is on full display, and this trip, plus his age and experience, gives him that strength to come to terms with himself, and come clean to his family. He’s so awed by Daniel’s skills, charm, and beautiful soul that he’s captivated by the way Daniel handles all the many crises that interrupt the festivities.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
crooked preacher, and this visit to the folks may turn into trouble.
One thing I really liked about the story was the family dynamic, where the God-fearing mom has to face the cold truth that she’s alienated her children to the point they don’t want to be around her. James’ internalized homophobia is on full display, and this trip, plus his age and experience, gives him that strength to come to terms with himself, and come clean to his family. He’s so awed by Daniel’s skills, charm, and beautiful soul that he’s captivated by the way Daniel handles all the many crises that interrupt the festivities.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
October 27, 2023
Trigger Warnings: drinking, homophobia, cursing, past death of a parent, religion, cop
Representation: Gay, Drag
Dragged to the Wedding is a laugh-out-loud gay romantic comedy.
James Petika is living the single gay life he always wanted. A police officer in Chicago, he has a good job, good friends—and he’s two thousand miles away from his family’s expectations. He also needs a date for his sister’s wedding in Missoula, Montana, but his family has no idea that he’s gay, and he’d like to keep it that way.
The solution? Daniel Bonafonte aka Lala Traviata, the queen of the Chicago drag scene. Lala is the real deal; she can sing, she can dance, and she can throw more shade than a solar eclipse. One drink and plenty of dishing later, Daniel agrees to help James out and be his incognito date to the wedding.
Daniel’s drag-diva skills are put to the test right away, with the bride’s ill-fitting wedding dress, a groom who’s a danger on the dance floor and more drama than auditions for a gay men's chorus. Faking this relationship—and ignoring the very real feelings developing between them—might just be the performance of their lives.
This finished copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Carina adores books are usually my favorite books so I was quite surprised when this story just didn’t hit like I wanted it to. The storyline is cute and I liked the premise but that was about it. The characters are kind of flat and their romance could use some more mmmph. I also wish we had seen more depth in some of the greater sociopolitical issues that the author touched on, such as the police and drag relationship.
Representation: Gay, Drag
Dragged to the Wedding is a laugh-out-loud gay romantic comedy.
James Petika is living the single gay life he always wanted. A police officer in Chicago, he has a good job, good friends—and he’s two thousand miles away from his family’s expectations. He also needs a date for his sister’s wedding in Missoula, Montana, but his family has no idea that he’s gay, and he’d like to keep it that way.
The solution? Daniel Bonafonte aka Lala Traviata, the queen of the Chicago drag scene. Lala is the real deal; she can sing, she can dance, and she can throw more shade than a solar eclipse. One drink and plenty of dishing later, Daniel agrees to help James out and be his incognito date to the wedding.
Daniel’s drag-diva skills are put to the test right away, with the bride’s ill-fitting wedding dress, a groom who’s a danger on the dance floor and more drama than auditions for a gay men's chorus. Faking this relationship—and ignoring the very real feelings developing between them—might just be the performance of their lives.
This finished copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Carina adores books are usually my favorite books so I was quite surprised when this story just didn’t hit like I wanted it to. The storyline is cute and I liked the premise but that was about it. The characters are kind of flat and their romance could use some more mmmph. I also wish we had seen more depth in some of the greater sociopolitical issues that the author touched on, such as the police and drag relationship.
October 17, 2023
Straight-laced and closeted cop needs a beard for his sister's small town wedding and his bestie hooks him up with Daniella... aka Daniel... aka Lala and James doesn't know what hits him!
I love how adaptable and roll with the punches Daniel is, and just how much he puts up with from James and his family.... and how, predictably he and James are attracted to each other... so much drama, so much more drama averted... I also love how flexible James proves to be and how he realizes what's important to him.
Dragged to the Wedding was a fun and refreshing read. If you're looking for a story that hods your attention, makes you smile and occasionally laugh out loud, but hits you in the sweetness feels, you're going to want to add Dragged to the Wedding to your TBR.
I love how adaptable and roll with the punches Daniel is, and just how much he puts up with from James and his family.... and how, predictably he and James are attracted to each other... so much drama, so much more drama averted... I also love how flexible James proves to be and how he realizes what's important to him.
Dragged to the Wedding was a fun and refreshing read. If you're looking for a story that hods your attention, makes you smile and occasionally laugh out loud, but hits you in the sweetness feels, you're going to want to add Dragged to the Wedding to your TBR.
May 2, 2023
I was fortunate to read an early galley copy of this book. I loved it! From start to finish, Dragged to the Wedding by Andrew Grey is a sheer delight! This charming rom-com is laugh-out-loud, giddiness-inducing, toe-curling fun. James and Daniel are electric and compelling, and their journey is full of heart. A romantic comedy tour de force!
July 31, 2023
Thank you to netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read this book!
I definitely recommend this book! I loved the tension and banter, the drag performances and attire/culture, and the fact that it’s between Chicago and Missoula (I have lived both places!)
Obviously lgbtqa+ positive but I thoroughly enjoyed drag culture being used to disguise a date to a wedding and how the characters came out with their identity ❤️
I definitely recommend this book! I loved the tension and banter, the drag performances and attire/culture, and the fact that it’s between Chicago and Missoula (I have lived both places!)
Obviously lgbtqa+ positive but I thoroughly enjoyed drag culture being used to disguise a date to a wedding and how the characters came out with their identity ❤️
May 30, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I thought Daniel and James were very cute together. I really thought the book was pretty easy to read, and I laughed some while reading it, and I really loved some of the quotes.
September 8, 2023
A Lot of Fun
This one was quite a bit of fun to read. I couldn't help but get pulled into this story almost from the start. It was worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
This one was quite a bit of fun to read. I couldn't help but get pulled into this story almost from the start. It was worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
Did not finish
April 3, 2024DNF at 8%
This audiobook narrator was just not doing it for me. I didn’t really vibe with the Cat Sebastian book he narrated either so I think his style just might not be for me. Also sorry but a cop MC in a queer romance is a big ol hell no from me. Like my guy you telling the drag queen love interest that they should trust you because you’re a cop is the most laughable thing I’ve ever heard. As always ACAB and no cops a pride thank you very much.
This audiobook narrator was just not doing it for me. I didn’t really vibe with the Cat Sebastian book he narrated either so I think his style just might not be for me. Also sorry but a cop MC in a queer romance is a big ol hell no from me. Like my guy you telling the drag queen love interest that they should trust you because you’re a cop is the most laughable thing I’ve ever heard. As always ACAB and no cops a pride thank you very much.
July 7, 2024
3.5! Cute
March 19, 2026
Listen, this book isn't a literary masterpiece, but it is an over the top, absurd, silly story. It was funny and tropey and just generally a feel good story about a man and his drag queen 👑. Read if you have a sense of humor and can enjoy some junk food for the soul.
November 18, 2023
This was SO CUTE. It was my first MM pairing romance and was the perfect book to “pop my MM cherry” 🤣 I’ve heard such great things about Andrew’s work and he’s so funny and charming when you meet him! This was a hilarious take on the fake dating romcom trope. It was funny, cute, sappy as all get out. But the sweet and moving words shared between James and Daniel had me in tears 🥹 I heartily enjoyed this! A great light-hearted easy read with some slow burn and spice 🌶️🌶️
December 1, 2023
It had all the right parts, and I liked how the characters worked together and helped each other, but just never felt like the MCs built the basics of their romantic relationship. And one scene was just too many toes over the line.
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