being a friend is the role of a lifetime

There is a house in Palm Springs, a pink house that used to belong to Zsa Zsa Gabor, that is home to four gay men friends. They come together to support each other in times of need, and they perform together as The Golden Gays, a spoof of the Golden Girls.

Teddy plays Dorothy Zbornak and does his best to keep the rest of the guys in line. He owns a vintage fashion shop, so he has all the costumes, and since the death of his husband, he has needed his Golden Gays more than ever, because he has a secret he’s been keeping from all of them.

Ron plays Rose. Now a successful interior designed, he grew up the preacher’s kid in a tiny Midwestern town. His father would beat him, and he would stand and take it. And now, he manages the care of Zsa Zsa. He writes up chores lists and tries to keep the others organized. But when there is a mess, he cleans it up. He can’t help himself.

Sid plays Sophia. He was married to a woman for 35 years before he came out, as it was forbidden by the Torah. But after many unhappy years, he divorced his wife and moved to Palm Springs, where he still practices law at 81. He hosts a Drag Queen Reading Hour at the library, but when a member of the community targets him as a threat to the children, he has to figure out how to help the kids and stay safe at the same time.

And Barry plays Blanche. It’s ironic that Barry ended up in a drag show of the Golden Girls because he actually appeared in the pilot episode. He played the women’s houseman, Coco, and he was supposed to be part of the series, cooking and cleaning for them. But the studio felt that the kitchen was simply too small for so many characters, so they increased Sophia’s role and cut Barry’s. He’s spent his life chasing the high of having that role ever since.

They have crafted good lives for themselves, and a solid friendship. But then Teddy’s sister starts calling him after being extremely low contact for years. Barry has another chance at Hollywood. Sid is falling in love for the first time. And Ron is feeling neglected, taken advantage of, and left behind. As these four men each face new challenges in their lives, they will have to decide if they will let them bring them closer together or tear them all apart.

That’s What Friends Are For is a thoughtful, heartwarming novel of the struggles we all face in life. It’s in turns funny and sad, filled with love and life, and it sparkles with creativity and glitter. Each of these characters are well developed and purposeful as they heal from life’s insults and injuries. I had high hopes for this novel based on the jacket copy, and I was not disappointed. I found this book honest and charming, and it’s a lot of fun beside. This novel clearly means a lot to author Wade Rouse. It’s a labor of love, and that shows on every page. I loved this book, and I look forward to seeing where Rouse takes us next.

Egalleys for That’s What Friends Are For were provided by MIRA through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.