Make a Right by Willa Okati
Loose Id
Gay Contemporary
ISBN: 978-1-61118-424-2
Reviewed by Cassie




Ever since they met as teenagers at a Catholic reform school, Tuck has loved Cade.  He still does, even though Cade left him six months ago for reasons he still doesn’t fully understand.  When two young women they once thought of as surrogate sisters send an invitation to their wedding, addressed to both Tuck and Cade, Tuck sees his chance.  He convinces Cade to go to the wedding with him—pretending they’re still together so as not to upset the girls.  A reluctant Cade finally agrees, after making Tuck promise their relationship will be over afterward.

Can Tuck figure out the secret that’s tearing Cade apart before he loses his man for good?

Make a Right is a typical Willa Okati story.  It’s sweet, emotional to the point of angst (but in a good way), and simple.  There’s not a ton of backstory.  All I knew about Tuck and Cade at the outset was that they had met at a reform school, they both had traumatic pasts, and they fell deeply in love there.  As the story begins, Tuck and Cade have been separated for months.  Tuck is a man who often acts on emotions rather than thinking things through.  He needs to be needed, and nothing makes him happier than taking care of Cade.  He’s is miserable without the man he loves, and he’s sure if he can just get Cade to open up to him they can fix their relationship.  That belief leads him to con Cade into attending the wedding with him.

Unfortunately for Tuck’s plan, Cade refuses to fall into line.  Cade is the opposite of Tuck.  He’s less optimistic and more cautious.  He thinks before acting, and never lets his heart rule his head.  He clearly still loves Tuck very much, but for some reason believes himself unworthy.  He’s also angry about a decision Tuck made, though Tuck had the best of intentions at the time.  Tuck and Cade try to keep up the charade to make Megan and Hannah happy, but soon events begin to dent Tuck’s optimism.  Wedding plans, secrets revealed, and the presence of Tuck’s most hated rival might just spell the end to Tuck and Cade’s relationship. I admit I got angry at Tuck for the way he acted near the end of the book, given what he’d promised Cade earlier on, but that was part of the journey Tuck had to go through to learn how to truly love.

I really enjoyed Make a Right.  It’s a quiet, introspective, emotional story that is character-driven, so readers looking for a ton of action will be disappointed.  Readers looking for a story of love, acceptance, and forgiveness will find a lot to like in Make a Right.