Review: You Should Be So Lucky

You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Mark Bailey is a twenty-eight year old gay journalist in New York in 1960 known for his caustic commentary on the arts scene. His lover William had political ambitions and was part of an important family, so their entire relationship was kept under wraps. When William died suddenly at only thirty-four he left everything to Mark, but sudden wealth and grief has left him unable to even feign an interest in writing.

Eddie O'Leary is a twenty-two year old from Nebraska, he was a phenomenal baseball batsman, then he was told live on air that he was being traded by Kansas City Athletics to the newly formed New York Robins, Eddie has struggled with impulse control and he let rip about how badly he thought of his new teammates, coach, and female owner. Now he's in New York he can't play for toffee and none of his teammates will speak to him. He doesn't know any other gay men in New York, nor does he know where is safe for him to look for men. On top of all this, the coach is a drunk, Connie Newbold (the new owner) has lost/sacked half the staff, his teammates are either wet around the ears or too long in the tooth, and they go out drinking and clubbing too much.

Mark's editor Nick (who was the subject of the previous book in this series We Could Be So Good) asks him to ghost-write a diary for Eddie, which the team's owner thinks might make him more likeable to the fans. As the two of them meet to discuss Eddie's thoughts on playing baseball, the fans, his batting slump, and so much more these two opposites find themselves falling for each other. But in 1960 homosexuality is still taboo, Mark refuses to act straight any more, or be another man's secret, but any hint of homosexuality could end Eddie's career.

I skim read a review of this book and liked the idea of a sunny/grumpy sports romance, but I was imagining something light and frothy based on the cover. Instead, it felt like a real representation of the problems faced (particularly) by gay men in the 1950s/1960s unless they were in arty professions - indeed my friend Google tells me there have only ever been three out gay professional US major league baseball players in its 175 year history, none of whom officially came out whilst playing in the MLB so its still perceived as an issue. I loved the historical detail of $10 steak meals, the racial abuse suffered by black players, the sexism, the clothes. Basically I felt immersed in 1960.

I love, love, loved this book. I loved snitty Mark and kind-hearted Eddie. I loved all the characters who saw what was developing between Mark and Eddie and had their backs. I'd really like to read Connie's novel.

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