Release: January 5th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Source: Amazon
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N.
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Project Runway goes to Comic-Con in an epic queer love story about creativity, passion, and finding the courage to be your most authentic self.
Raffy has a passion for bedazzling. Not just bedazzling, but sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making—for creation. His art was his first choice over everything and everyone else. He wants to excel at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, he could get sponsorship for art school. And finally, he can earn real respect for his work. There’s only one small problem. Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition.
Raffy tried to make it work with Luca. They almost made the perfect team last year after serendipitously meeting in the local craft store’s rhinestone aisle. At least Raffy thought they did. But Luca’s insecurities and Raffy’s insistence on crafting perfection crashed and burned their relationship. Now, Raffy is after the perfect comeback, one that Luca can’t ruin.
But circumstances force Raffy and Luca to become partners on his most ambitious build yet. Now he’ll have to juggle his unresolved feelings for the boy who broke his heart and his own intense self-doubt to get everything and choosing his art, his way.
About the Author:
Ryan La Sala grew up in Connecticut, but only physically. Mentally, he spent most of his childhood in the worlds of Sailor Moon and Xena: Warrior Princess, which perhaps explains all the twirling. He studied Anthropology and Neuroscience at Northeastern University before becoming a project manager specialized in digital tools. Ryan technically lives in New York City but has actually transcended material reality and only takes up a human shell for special occasions, like brunch, and to watch anime. He is the author of Reverie and Be Dazzled. You can visit him at ryanlasala.com.
Be Dazzled Review:
For the love of crafts and cosplay, “Be Dazzled” was amazing, and I loved reading it!
I had no idea about cosplay before reading this story. But now, I am excited to attend an event and see how awesome it would be. I loved the author’s style of writing. He writes the theme in such a personal and passionate manner that it makes you want to experiment with crafting and participate in cosplay events. As someone who loves art journaling and trying out new materials, I loved the concept of cosplay. Moreover, I also enjoyed how the story alternates between the past and the present. This style made the experience enjoyable and kept the story fresh.
Similarly, the characters are also memorable! Luca and Raffy make a great team. What’s interesting is the shift in dynamic. In the beginning, I rooted for Raffy and felt that Luca took advantage of him. But, as the story progressed, I adored Luca and started finding faults in Raffy for his behavior. Luca turned out to be my favorite character in the whole story. I love it when the author makes the characters realistic and complex and makes the reader feel various emotions. Even Inaya and May make decent supporting roles. While you can consider Evie and Inaya to be negative characters, I could relate to them as well and could not stay mad at them for long. Honestly, the author just wrote the cast in such a charming manner that just put a smile on my face.
Overall, “Be Dazzled” is creative, funny, charming, emotional, and very crafty! It’s a beautiful queer romance novel that I feel anyone would enjoy reading.
