Wade Rouse

Real Rating: 4.25* of five

The Publisher Says: In this poignant and hilarious story inspired by TV’s beloved The Golden Girls, bestselling author Wade Rouse celebrates love, aging, finding your people, and the art of impeccably timed one-liners.

Theodore Copeland has created a fabulous life in the desert oasis of Palm Springs, where he shares a fabulous pink mid-century home with three fabulous friends: Barry, a former actor still clinging to his youth, his hair, and the memory of the dream show more role that killed his career; Ron, an uprooted Christian from the Midwest with a big heart but no one to give it to; Sid, who, after coming out late in life, has never found love. Teddy is the caustic, unspoken leader of “The Golden Gays”—the foursome’s monthly drag tribute to The Golden Girls. Despite their foibles and bickering, they have turned their golden years into a golden era.

But the harmony of their desert enclave becomes a carousel of emotional baggage when Teddy’s estranged sister, Trudy, shows up on their doorstep, her dramatic teenage granddaughter in tow. While Teddy keeps Trudy at arm’s length, she manages to wheedle her way into the lives of the Golden Gays, until the real reason for her visit is revealed and the secrets they’ve all been keeping from each other unravel faster than a hastily stitched hemline.

A novel that gives thanks to “old” friends, That's What Friends Are For proves that while family may be the tie that binds, it’s the chosen family that truly keeps us together.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Four older...old, "of a certain age" is such an absurd weasel-wording...gay guys live in Zsa Zsa Gabor's Palm Springs home, in the absence of other places to be as they live out their invisibility, bond to each other the way the Golden Girls did, and perform as a drag troup reenacting episodes of the show.

You need to be charmed by the premise to enjoy the book. I was; I did.

It was more true to the spirit of the show than I expected. In novel form, that meant packing in a lot of trauma recall, a lot of wistful nostalgia, a lot of regrets for pasts "misspent" in all the ways people do that, in not a lot of space. The gestalt of these four charmers is just *chef's kiss* and the repartee flows like Veuve Cliquot from a marabou mule. (Zsa Zsa is, after all, the former owner of their house.)

If no one is currently in development talks for this book it will utterly stun me. Heartstopper for the teens, Heated Rivalry for the horny adults, That's What Friends Are For representing the generation that fought these stupid necessary battles for all y'all that seem to've been erased from the collective memory. *ahem* I meant to say "the seasoned citizens." Of course I did.

Celebrating found family, talking honestly about what life looks like as "The End" hoves into view without crowding you (yet), flexing the wicked-humor muscles developed from years of deflecting nastiness...it's a grown person's happy place, this. Drama arises because humans create drama the same way we breathe—automatically—but it never feels calculated, like Author Rouse said "let me rile these queens up now" while twirling his mustachios. I bought into the dynamics he built, accepted the moments when the men had trouble dealing with things as natural and inevitable. Author Rouse uses the conflicts the way a good therapist urges one to use them: get to know your friend better, get to know yourself better, apply kindness and acceptance like the balm it truly is, and move on.

A big issue in the story is staying stuck. It's a huge issue in almost everyone's life, from what I can tell. It's good to see it addressed openly, with candor, and in such a humorous setting. (I admit I want to bash Barry for chasing his long-past youth. Grow up!!) What Author Rouse has done is deliver a warm-hearted, clear-eyed, just sentimental enough look at the unforgiving terminal illness of Getting Old, in a relatable and enjoyable visible way denied to queer folk by our heteronormative culture.

Kudos! More soon? Please? show less

All Michigan Tourism Boards Should Hire "Ms. Shipman". Seriously, this book in particular is basically one giant love letter to rural Michigan, in prose form for around 350 pages. The history - for better and worse. The current - for better and worse. The land. The culture. The lakes you can never get far from.

And the cherries. Always the cherries.

Oh yes, there are humans here too. And some mysticism/ "magical realism". And their story is both linked and compelling, as they always are in a show more Viola Shipman book.

But really, you're reading this book to feel like you're travelling to Michigan - and that is not a bad thing at all. It really is described so beautifully that even this hardened Southerner who has been north of the Mason-Dixon just three times in his lifetime... want to consider going to Michigan at some point. Maybe.

Very much recommended. show less

The Ghosts Of Christmases Past. This is a story of how running away from your pain can be just as painful - even when buried - as staying and working through it. Here, we actually get to see a bit of both, along with a fair degree of real-world, perfectly-within-story-yet-real, commentary. Unlike the last book from Shipman I reviewed, where one character was seemingly designed as little more than a strawman pin cushion for the author to lob everything she (he) hated about that type of person show more into the book, the characters here all felt much more authentic and true to the situations they found themselves in. Even Sonny's precipitous meltdown near the front of the book is wild, yet "realistic" - many of us would at minimum *consider* doing exactly what she did, and if we found ourselves in the exact situation she was at that moment... yeah, totally realistic. :D But just as realistic is the pain and the ghosts that Sonny has been running from for 30 years, and when she is forced to go home and ultimately confront the pain... also, so very realistic. Spoken as someone just slightly younger than Sonny (nearly 40) who very nearly lived her scenario. (In my own case, there was an accident where I was driving and both of my brothers were in the car, yards from my house - our mom heard the impact. Fortunately we all survived with little lasting damage, but because of that I could that much more easily empathize with Sonny - I could well see my life turning out very differently had that particular day become much, much darker.) While this is more drama than comedy, with a dash of romance thrown in (YMMV on that one, but I thought it was subtle enough that it added more than it detracted), there is certainly enough comedy here to keep the drama from being overwhelming, while allowing the parts that *need* to hit harder to do so. Truly an excellent book, and very much recommended. show less

Viola Shipman’s The Page Turner is an engaging mix of family drama, literary intrigue, and self-discovery. At its heart, it’s a novel about embracing one’s passions despite external judgment, wrapped in a compelling, multi-layered story.

Emma Page has always felt like an outsider in her book-obsessed family. Her parents run The Mighty Pages, a struggling publishing house that values only highbrow literature, while her sister, Jess, is a powerful book influencer. Emma, however, secretly show more writes romance—the very genre her family dismisses. When she uncovers her late grandmother’s hidden legacy as a beloved romance author, she finds both inspiration and a shocking secret that could shatter her family’s reputation.

As Emma wrestles with her identity as a writer, she must also face a vengeful industry insider threatening to expose her family’s hypocrisy. What follows is a thought-provoking exploration of ambition, integrity, and the divide between literary prestige and popular fiction.

One of the novel’s standout elements is its behind-the-scenes look at publishing. Shipman delves into how books are chosen, marketed, and judged, shedding light on the lingering bias against commercial fiction. Many readers will relate to Emma’s frustration with literary snobbery and the undervaluing of books that bring joy to millions.

The characters are well-developed and authentic. Emma is witty, self-aware, and relatable as she navigates family expectations and her own creative dreams. Jess is a fascinating mix of confidence and insecurity, while their parents, though pretentious, are not without complexity. Their rigid ideals create tension, but their love for their work and family remains evident.

Shipman’s writing balances humor, warmth, and insight, making The Page Turner more than just a novel about books—it’s about self-acceptance, resilience, and the power of storytelling in all its forms. Whether you love romance, literary fiction, or simply a great story about following your dreams, this book is a must-read. show less