Dragged to the Wedding

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 247 ratings

Price: 19.68

Last update: 12-21-2024


About this item

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 problem: 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 thing: 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.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Mark Lance
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Love Story
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
    James Petika, a Chicago cop, has a problem. His sister is getting married in Missoula, Montana, and James is naturally expected to attend.

    So, what's the problem?

    James is expected to appear, preferably with a suitably marriage-eligible date. Suitable, that is, to James' arch-conservative mother.

    OK, but that doesn't seem insurmountable.

    James is gay and no one in his family is aware of that fact.

    Oh.

    Thus begins Dragged to the Wedding by Andrew Grey. One of James' friends proposes and arranges for Daniella Bonafonte, aka Lala Traviata, a voluptuous professional singer and dancer, to be the police officer's date for the wedding in Montana. As James soon learns however, Daniella is known to friends as Daniel and is a drag performer. The couple are to stay with the Petika family. The kitchen is adorned with a needle-point sampler which includes such commandments as: "Thou shall not lie to thy mother and father" and "Thou shall keep it under lock and key until marriage." What could go wrong?

    Plenty does. Dragged to the Wedding is, by turns exasperating, funny and tender. There are a nearly-ruined wedding dress (thanks to Mom), a lecherous in-law, a sketchy preacher and much more.

    Dragged to the Wedding is a love story but "The course of true love never did run smooth." The Bard sure got that one right.
  • Sarah Peters
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fake Relationship Forced Proximity Queer Romance With Depth
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
    Fake relationship, forced proximity gay romance that goes well beyond the typical tropes to highlight the process of coming out on your own terms.

    James is a Chicago-area cop who has spent the last 13 years of his life living as an out and proud gay man, except to his ultra-conservative, Christian family back in Montana. When his older sister announces her impending marriage, he is desperate to find a female beard rather than show up solo, having to fend off his mother’s matchmaking efforts. No one is more surprised than he when he enlists the help of drag queen Lala Traviata (aka Daniel) to play his fake girlfriend Daniella. During the week of pre-wedding events, Daniella saves the day more than once, all while the two of them are struggling to remain platonic while sharing a bed, investigating the creepy pastor who’s officiating the ceremony, fending off the scummy best man, and trying to avoid exposing James’s sexuality. The question is, is anyone being honest?

    Although there’s plenty of lightheartedness and humor as well as kindness and caring between James, Daniel, and his sisters, there is also an exploration of the stages a gay man works through to fully come out, especially facing the fear and pain of rejection by those who are supposed to love him unconditionally. James’s overbearing mother, with her cross-stitched 10 commandments for how her children should behave hanging prominently on the wall, goes to extremes to force her concepts about what her grown kids need, going so far as to almost sabotage her daughter’s wedding. At times, it’s difficult to witness how misguided and blinded supposed good Christians can be, but author Grey does a great job of balancing the highs and lows of family expectations.

    As a straight, older, agnostic white woman, I can’t speak on the authenticity of the portrayal, although I believe Andrew Grey is gay and knows what he writes. However, I can say that he has written a unique story that evokes a range of emotions and had me reading it in one sitting. Highly recommended.
  • Chelle McCloud
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely story
    Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
    Enjoyed this very much. A lovely story full of camp, good humor, and just enough heart. Recommend for a light hearted read.
  • owlmom
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023
    I wasn't expecting very much from this book, but I love Andrew so I tried it.
    Was I ever wrong. Its romantic, funny and heartbreaking all at the same time.
    A really great story and one you shouldn't miss!
  • Geoff Whitwell
    5.0 out of 5 stars OMG what a hoot
    Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2023
    Andrew has excelled himself with this one. A riot from beginning to end with hints of seriousness and also the banter you’d expect from something along the lines of the “Birdcage “. A real joy to read and I hope he writes a few more like this one. It’s mostly lighthearted but still an incredibly insightful story.
  • Phil Veysey
    5.0 out of 5 stars Straight to the heart
    Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
    I had trouble finishing this story because of the tears in my eyes. It is one of Andrew Grey’ best.
  • BucolicBook
    4.0 out of 5 stars recommended
    Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2023
    Billed as The Birdcage meets The Wedding Date and after reading this, I agree, although I think James's mother, Grace, was a nightmare, even worse than Dianne Weist and Gene Hackman combined in The Birdcage. I despised her character - immensely and thoroughly. This is a good time to add that I applaud Mr. Grey's writing as he is obviously very gifted at making readers feel many emotions.

    Regarding readability - I had to step away from this at times because of Grace and her awfulness. But when I wasn't wishing violence on certain characters, I really really enjoyed reading this. The story flowed and felt realistic.

    Dragged to the Wedding is fun, and timely. It also makes you really think. If you’re anything like me, it will also infuriate you at parts.

    Recommended.

    Thank you to Carina Adores / Harlequin and NetGalley for the DRC!
  • Larry Nevel
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of Andrew’s best!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2023
    I loved the whole wedding build up to a shock and enjoyable time.The sub plot of James coming to terms with his family was so necessary and hilarious. But it all worked out.

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