Review: Kiss & Tell by Adib Khorram

Hunter Drake, acclaimed lyricist for boyband Kiss & Tell, has recently broken up with his first love, the brother of his best friend/bandmate. The two decided to keep the details of their break-up private, but that hasn’t stopped the public from speculating. On top of headlining a North American tour, struggling to write for the band’s upcoming third album, and dealing with a controlling label, Hunter’s under a lot of pressure. Things start to look up when he meets Kaivan, a member of the band opening for him and his friends, but Hunter’s ex isn’t done with him yet.

Every chapter of Kiss & Tell is punctuated by interviews with band members, social media chatter, and think-pieces, emphasising the cacophony of voices Drake and the other characters have to appease. For the most part these come off as accurate representations of celebrity-focused internet culture, and the book is better for them, as they help the reader understand just how Drake is able to internalise some of the crueller things said about him in the media. The romance in the book is sweet and realistic, and though moments in the necessary climactic fight seems slightly forced, it’s difficult not to root for the pair. Author Adib Khorram manages to explore the media’s simultaneous commodification and erasure of gay men through Drake without sacrificing specific characterisation, keeping Kiss & Tell both thought-provoking and entertaining. Good for fans of Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and Ngozi Ukazu Check, Please!

Gillian Doyle