The Importance of Being Kevin

by Steven Harper

Kevin Devereaux’s life can't get worse. He’s on probation. He’s stuck with an unemployed ex-convict dad. And he lives in a run-down trailer on the crappy east side of town. To keep his probation officer happy, Kevin joins a theater program for teenagers and falls hard for Peter Finn, the lead actor in the show—and the son of the town's leading family. Despite their differences, Peter returns Kevin’s feelings, and for the first time, Kevin learns what it means to be in love.

But Peter’s family won’t accept a gay son—let alone a boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks—and in their conservative town, they must keep the romance secret. Still, they have the play, and they have each other, so they’ll get by—

Until a brutal attack shatters Kevin’s life and puts Peter in danger of going to jail for murder.

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, LGBT

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 2, 2019

About the author

A pseudonym of Steven Piziks

Steven Harper Piziks was born with a name that no one can reliably spell or pronounce, so he often writes under the pen name Steven Harper. He lives in Michigan with his family. When not at the keyboard, he plays the folk harp, fiddles with video games, and pretends he doesn’t talk to the household cats. In the past, he’s held jobs as a reporter, theater producer, secretary, and substitute teacher. He maintains that the most interesting thing about him is that he writes books.

Steven is the creator of The Silent Empire series, the Clockwork Empire steampunk series, and the Books of Blood and Iron series for Roc Books. All four Silent Empire novels were finalists for the Spectrum Award, a first!

Reviews

[CrabbyPatty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with Steven Harper prior to reading "The Importance of Being Kevin" but he is definitely on my radar now. Harper has crafted a young adult novel that should be near the top of your "To Read" list.

16-year-old Kevin auditions for a community play ("The Importance of Being Earnest") to avoid juvie and finds his passion - both for theater and for his gorgeous co-star Peter Finn, who is 19. Acting allows Kevin to pull on the personae of Algernon (Algy) and escape his trailer park life with an ex-con father. Peter is "nice and freakin' amazing" and wonder of all wonders, likes Kevin and thinks he's talented and smart. Harper really gives us a sweet insight into these two boys who are smitten with one another and their conversations and internal dialogue feel true.

They are freshly minted boyfriends when Kevin is brutally attacked and Peter finds himself accused of murder. The author manages to give us a murder mystery, a coming out story, Peter's family drama with his perfectly horrid mother, and a group of teenagers learning the joy and community of a theatre family without seeming overly angsty or melodramatic. And the way Harper weaves Kevin's understanding of the actions that brought him to the brink of juvie is beautifully nuanced.

Harper also knows how to turn a memorable phrase, such as "The applause ran and ran and ran. It was a sunlight river overflowing its banks. It was liquid diamonds and drinkable laughter." Kevin describes Peter's home as "a church married to a skyscraper." And in finding out Peter is Bruce Wayne billionaire rich, he ponders "It was like learning your favorite stuffed animal was a one-of-a-kind collector's item or that the bike you bought at a police auction and usually left in the rain was a custom race job built in Holland."

"The Importance of Being Kevin" weaves together a complex array of plot points and gives us a story that is equal parts gut wrenching, life affirming and incredibly moving. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 stars.

I received an ARC from Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.

Visit my blog, Sinfully Good Gay Book Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author, but it won't be my last. The blurb didn't really hint at this being a Young Adult novel, but it did hint at there being angst and drama - on which it certainly delivered.

TW for sexual assault, which happens in slightly graphic detail around 15% in. The assault itself doesn't take long, but there are additional interaction with the assailant afterwards that might also be triggering to some readers.

Kevin is 16, still in high school and currently on probation for a stupid, STUPID thing he did that left another person hospitalized. His dad is an ex-convict, who's been clean ever since he got out of prison, his mother having left as soon as his father got out, and the two of them live in a run-down trailer on the wrong side of the tracks in a small conservative town. Kevin's father keeps them afloat with small cash jobs whenever he can get work, and they live for free in the trailer which is owned by an old acquaintance.

To keep his probation, Kevin is supposed to find a job over the summer, but those are hard to come by in their small town, especially for someone like him. So he decides to try out for the community theater production of The Importance Of Being Earnest, and finds his calling as he is cast as one of the main characters in the play.

Opposite him, the other "Earnest" is Peter Finn, a young man a few years older (19), who is, we find out later in the book, from the most prominent, richest family in town. Of course, Peter's family is not impressed with his choice in boyfriend, nor do they support his being gay, and they have a large hand in some of the drama that happens later in the book.

Initially, we are treated to a sweet romance between a boy from the wrong side of the tracks and the city's Golden Boy, with believable, realistic characters and organic dialogue. As we get to delve deeper into Kevin's character, we see that he's really a good boy who's been dealt a shitty hand in life, and who doesn't think much of himself. As such, he seems to feel that the assault he suffers is deserved, and it takes a bit of time for him to realize that, no, he didn't deserve it. Peter encourages Kevin, telling him he's smart and a good actor, and the two young men start to explore their relationship.

Some time after the assault, Kevin tells Peter, stammeringly and hesitantly, what happened to him, and Peter leaves to confront the assailant. The next morning, Kevin's rapist is dead. But whodunit? The obvious suspect is Peter who is immediately arrested and then bailed out with Daddy's money. Kevin only feels relief, not regret, but also worries about Peter and how this will all play out.

This book is at once a young love romance, a murder mystery, and a tale of dealing with a horrid, self-important and snobby family (Peter's mother is a special case of abominable), all while positioning the bad parts against the fun of the theater production and a young man realizing that his father is solidly in his corner. And though there are many plot points, the author manages to tell a coherent story that kept me riveted to its pages, through the ups and downs, through Kevin's self-doubt and eventual triumph in the play, through figuring out who killed his rapist, through attempts at blackmail, and the edge-of-your-seat climax that brings all the things out in the open (the truth came completely out of left field for me) and sets up an ending that is, while not happily ever after, leaving both Kevin and Peter in a good place.

While this isn't the author's first book, it was my first exposure to him, and I'm now going to check out his back catalog for more of such fine work as I was given here.

Definitely recommended!


** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **

[haletostilinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a very good read.

I do want to content warn for mentioned/alluded to rape in this book. None done by the MC's to each other or anyone else, but it does happen to Kevin. Thankfully, nothing is described in the scene beyond the initial set up of what is happening, and then it is just a quick paragraph going over how Kevin is feeling and not the actual rape. But Content Warning for that just in case. And I don't care if it's "spoiler territory" I wasn't expecting that and while it doesn't trigger me, and it's not a depicted rape scene, it definitely could be triggering for someone else, even without it being depicted, so I had to include this warning.

But this story was well written, I liked it. Kevin, our titular character, is a 16 year old on parole who has to either get a job or sign up for a summer program or else go to Juvie. Since he hasn't been able to find a job, the play "The Importance of Being Earnest" being put on by a local arts center is his only hope, so he auditions and actually gets the part of one of the main characters. And it turns out Kevin, who has never done acting before then, is actually pretty good at it and enjoys it immensely.

It's there that he meets Peter, a 19 year old who also happens to be secretly rich...like...his family are billionaires type of rich. But Kevin doesn't know that when he starts to fall for Peter, and they were cute together. What happens to Kevin makes the start of a cute, sweet relationship take a darker turn, but they still had their sweet, loving moments.

Parts of me while reading this was a tad frustrated at how those romantic moments seemed to be few and far between as the book went on, but then also I would remember what Kevin was going through, and then what Peter was going through, and it makes me feel differently now that I think more on it. (Peter goes to beat up the guy who raped Kevin, and when the guy is murdered, of course they suspect Peter, even though Peter ascertains he didn't do it.)

But anyway, Kevin is going through a lot in this, and really Peter and Kevin are just barely starting out in this book, so the romance is not abundant. I think I saw other people saying this had a love story but wasn't a Romance, and I have to say I agree. The romance is certainly an important part, and fairly big part of this - even when it isn't front and center- but this story was mainly about Kevin and his journey more than anything, more than it's about Kevin&Peter's journey, ya know?

It was also interesting how complex Kevin is in this. What he's on probation for...if it wasn't from his POV, it would be pretty easy to hate him. What he did was horrible and despicable, and what he was going through doesn't make it okay in the slightest. It does make where he was coming from a little more understandable and the situation more than complex, but Kevin is probably the bad guy in Robbie's life.

But what I liked so much about this is that it showed how very not black and white these things are. Because Kevin is actually a pretty good guy, pretty sweet sometimes, and fairly kind. Except when the angry tiger - as it is referred to in the story - rears its head inside him. Kevin has been through a lot of shit in his life and he is/was a scared, lonely kid who felt powerless in a lot of things. All that makes what he did a little more understandable, a little less like he's a horrible person, because he isn't. Human beings are just so much more complex that black and white.

What happens to Kevin makes the guy who did it the bad guy...although sorry, no person who rapes is a good person. And plus we get his POV for a chapter and we see how horrible a guy he actually is, so yeah, no sympathy there. Like I know I was just talking about human complexity, but also sometimes humans are just despicable. Sure, that might be a few people here and there, but still. They exist.

Anyway, this was a good story overall. I know this was serious shit going on and it wasn't all about the romance, but I do still think a little more could have been added. Maybe Kevin and Peter getting to go on a date at some point...yes, even between all the shit going on. Maybe at the end or the beginning, even. They just started so quickly and then with everything going on slowed wayyy down and then we didn't get to see much when things were okay in the end. I just wanted a little more to truly strengthen their relationship.

Overall, a good story though, well written and engaging. Two thumbs up from me, and I definitely recommend.

[JustJen "Miss Conduct" · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars - Every once in a while a YA/NA story grabs my attention, and this was one of those stories. Kevin got in some trouble when he was in with the wrong crowd that resulted in him ending up on probation for almost killing someone when he joined in beating up a young gay kid. He now realizes where he went wrong, how he was lashing out to cover up his being gay, is ashamed and regrets his behavior and carries the guilt with him every day keeping a picture of the young man as a reminder. Needing a job or other program to fulfill his probation requirements, he ends up running for a role in a play where he easily falls into the role of being someone else, someone confident and not at all like himself, landing him the role, thereby keeping him out of juvey. This is where he meets Peter.

Peter is cast opposite of Kevin, and the two hit it off right away. Unfortunately, at the play, Peter is just Peter Finn. Outside of the play, he is Peter the heir of the family empire, the business that employs and holds influence over, much of the town. As Peter and Kevin begin their relationship, it is noticed by another man involved with the play, who takes an interest in Kevin as well. He proceeds to attack/rape (very little detail, but you know it happens) Kevin and blackmails him further with the threat of sharing a video of Kevin and Peter kissing. Both Peter and Kevin are closeted at this point – Peter knowing his family will disown him, and Kevin not wanting to take the chance of his father not taking it well either.

Peter finds out what happened to Kevin and confronts the man, beating him up as a result. When that guy ends up dead, Peter is accused of his murder. There is a lot going on here with Kevin and his father, Peter and his family, and how that is all tied together. The class differences definitely come into play, as does the family drama involved with that and the gay issue. Kevin and his dad have some other things against them as well, and Peter’s family doesn’t hesitate to use that and their power to their advantage, not to mention the murder charge hanging over Peter and the mystery of who actually did the deed.

This was one of those stories where the characters captivated me. I loved Peter and Kevin, essentially total opposites, who, despite their differences, fell in love and made it work. One had money and things, but no familial support; the other had next to nothing, but when it counted, had more support and compassion from his single ex-con parent. This is a story of young love, and even with the bad aspects, has a happy ending and heartwarming parts. I kept turning pages and really enjoyed the writing style. I’ll definitely be keeping a lookout for other work from Mr. Harper in the future.

Review written for Love Bytes Reviews.

[Ulysses Dietz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Importance of Being Kevin
By Steven Harper
Dreamspinner Press, 2019
Five stars

“Peter and I glided and danced our way through the words of Oscar Wilde.”

This excellent book is a surprisingly dark and pain-filled coming-out/coming-of-age story, set against the unlikely backdrop of an all-teenage production of Oscar Wilde’s comic play, “The Importance of Being Earnest.” What it draws from the play, however, is not the romantic comedy, but the underlying narrative of deceit and prevarication. Neither boy, however, knows anything about Oscar Wilde and his own personal tragedy.

Kevin Devereaux is a poor kid from the wrong side of town who signs onto the local arts center’s teen production of the Wilde play in order to stay out of juvie. Having never set foot on a stage in his life, he snags the lead as the duplicitous Algernon. He literally runs into his co-star Peter Finn, who gets the second-leading role of Jack, as he’s checking the bulletin board to see his fate. Not only does Kevin find an instant camaraderie with Peter, but he discovers – to his complete surprise – a natural affinity with acting.

The flipside of this is that Kevin is not telling people the truth about himself or the truly messed up situation in which family finds itself. Peter, too, has his secrets, which escalate rather dramatically when the plot turns dark and he feels himself called to defend Kevin’s honor (which is putting a far too trivial spin on it – but I’m avoiding spoilers). Both of these boys are traumatized by events beyond their control.

What this book gets across particularly well is the deep confusion and fear both these boys feel, and their inability to trust – or to decide who to trust. The underlying reality that the grass isn’t really greener on either side of the fence is challenged by physical evidence that seems to prove that privilege and happiness go hand in hand (when, in fact, they don’t). Issues of class and justice are laid out in a harsh light, but it is the helplessness of young people in face of adult authority that is front and center in this emotionally tough plot.

As in all my favorite YA books, parents play major roles in this one – not always positive ones. The author manages to surprise us enough so that the story doesn’t fall into cliché, and he digs into characters deeply enough to shed light on what’s going on around them. People make bad choices and do stupid things, but we can see why and root for them nonetheless.

My heard bled for Kevin, but loved the way his “Algy shell” became a bulwark against his own fears. I loved that Peter’s inherent goodness protects him from the worst of his teenaged impulsiveness. The reader learns just how hurtful – and how loving – people can be to their children; and that, these days, being gay is just one more complication in the life of a teenager.

[Smut Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn’t consider myself a fan of the classic literature – such as Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde, so I didn’t choose this book for my love of the play this story is named after. However, Steven Harper provided me with an education in theatre, as well as Wilde’s play while reading The Importance of Being Kevin.

Kevin is from the wrong side of town. His life is rough after his Mother runs off when his Father gets out of prison. Kevin gets himself in trouble and needs an activity or job to keep him out of “juvie”.

Peter seemingly has it all. Money, popularity, a successful family – and the inheritance of the family business in his future. But he can’t have love if it means being with a man.

When Peter and Kevin meet at the local teen theatre group for the production of “The Importance of Being Earnest”, their differences don’t matter. A bit of courage, some opportunity and more than a little chemistry make a connection happen very quickly. That is until the world shows its nasty side…

This book is thrilling, surprising and highly engaging. It certainly has its darker elements (please note the tags and warnings) but the mystery and suspense are balanced nicely by the sweet relationship which blooms on the page.

The Importance of Being Kevin by Steven Harper is a gasp-worthy page-turner that you won’t want to put down!

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

This is a story involving both a gay bashing — in which Kevin took part — and a rape. The sexual assault scene is over in a sentence; it’s not graphic, but it is present, and is the focus of much of the story as Kevin has to decide how to handle the situation. It is not merely there as a catalyst; it’s a part of Kevin’s life and how he and those he cares about handle this situation is dealt with both realistically and respectfully.

Kevin, 16 years old, lives in a small, close-minded town where a teacher was fired for letting her students know it was okay to be gay. The kid he helped beat up was targeted because he was gay. Knowing that he has liked boys since he was 12, Kevin has always had to hide that part of himself, from his “friends” — who he no longer associates with — his father, his teachers, everyone. Even when he’s with Peter, the two of them still have to hide their sexuality. When Kevin is raped, it’s that same fear, the fear of being exposed, that his rapist uses to control him.

Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.

[Jax]

It pains me to say this because I loved his Silent Empire series, but this book was too overwrought for me. I can’t believe the amount of stuff* thrown at us in the first half. Just too much OTT drama. And I never came to care enough for these boys; couldn’t really buy into them as real people. DNF @58%

* poor/wrong side of town kid with ex-con dad is himself on probation for assaulting another boy; attraction & (in spite of much anxiety over exposure of sexuality) almost immediate confession of same by both boys; creepy adult rapes poor kid & blackmails him for future sex; he confesses rape to bf (yes, already boyfriends) who beats up creep who is later found dead so bf is arrested for murder; rich kid has awful parents & special needs sister

[Natalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comencé este libro hace algunos días pero tuve que dejarlo de lado por un tiempo porque era muy difícil de leer. Pensé que no lo terminaría, pero heme aquí. Emocionalmente desgarrador pero con un buen desenlace.

[George · Rating 4 out of 5]

All right, yes, I know I'm not the target audience for this. I only picked it up because Clockwork Fairy Tales: A Collection of Steampunk Fables reminded me that Harper had written The Doomsday Vault and sequels--which series I'd never finished--but those turned out not to be available to me until InterLibrary Loan picks up again. And this was right there, readable on-screen where I wasn't reading anything else.

And, yes, I know it's not a detective story, it's a love story (not a romance novel, whose tropes would overwhelm this). And YA at that. But even so, when the clue that exonerates the Boyfriend from the murder charge is something that no competent police department could have been failing to notice for days, picking it up only because of an offhand remark by Our Hero ... well, Detective Malloy, and Our Auihor, become much less credible

I admit I could have been placated on this crucial point by almost any kind of hand-waving, but Harper didn't bother.

On the other hand, I'm delighted that the Rising Generation is being told that The Importance of Being Earnest really is hilarious. And that this former English major is being told that it's a bromance.

So only 1 star less than full marks.

[Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Importance of Being Kevin is a remarkable novel by Steven Harper, which deserves more than 5 stars. It's a stunning coming of age tale and I'm in awe of it's splendor.

This is the story of Kevin and Peter who start off as two actors in a play together, the flirting starts, and the story takes off. There's so much depth to this story that it's amazing. From the very start, with some tender, yet hesitant flirting, I found myself completely sucked into this romance.

Kevin and Peter are complete opposites. One's rich, one's poor. One has a checkered past, the other is living a life of luxury. But both suffer in their own way in this powerful tale of abuse, first times, and more.

My first read from this author, I am blown away by it's brilliance. The writing is superb, but the story and it's message are phenomenal! This book is so much more than I could have ever expected. The author brilliantly separates the book into Acts and Scenes, like the play they are preforming in the book. This completely reinforces the different sections of the book, as they are many, in a way that is clever and effective.

As for Kevin's acting performance, it's so damn well explored. The fact that he can fall into the role, instead of acting a role, is perfectly illustrated. Taken to the extreme, it's both a fascinating and poignant part of Kevin.

And as for the play they're performing, The Importance of Being Ernest, it couldn't have been a better parallel to Kevin's life. Not a fan of the classics myself, this is a magnificent move by the author.

The author expertly explores the economic divide between the rich and the poor. Not just the monetary differences, but also the power divide. Kevin's from the wrong side of the tracks and struggles for every penny. Peter meanwhile, is from the wealthiest of families, with the power and money to do whatever they want.

Although a young adult novel, the themes are heavy. Yes, it dramatically explores the issues of good versus evil, abuse, first times, homophobia, drugs, and privilege. There are some tough triggers as well, with rape being the toughest read. Their story expertly delves into the troubles of being a closeted teen, troubles with being susceptible to losing everything in an instant, and the sacrifices one makes for love. It's a tough read with the emotional and physical pain that comes from abuse.

This is a tale of anger; both the pitfalls of giving into anger, and the continual cycle of anger causing harm. It's a story of homophobia and Peter's struggle to be gay in an affluent, homophobic family. Their story if one full of fear. It's a story of forgiveness, of allowing oneself to get out from the burden of guilt. And it's an exceptional exploration of good versus evil. I cannot recommend it enough.

And damn, it's full of twists and turns I never saw coming. (I love not reading the blurb before starting a book.)

The Importance of Being Kevin is a accomplished and impressive book with a poignant lesson. It's a phenomenal story, one that leaves me a better person for having read it. I highly recommend this story when you're in the mood for something deep. Not a light read, definitely check it out when you're looking for something special. You will not be disappointed.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time relating to this book. I've never read the original Oscar Wilde book and I definitely didn't feel much about the relationship between the two MC's, a billionaire's to good to be true son and a kid who's father is just out of jail and the kid is probably going to juvenile detention for bullying and beating up an innocent boy.

The kid can avoid juvie if he finds a summer job. He tries out for the play, "The Importance of Being Earnest," and ends up with one of the lead roles along with the billionaire's son. The play, its dialogue and characters were a big part of the book but I'm afraid I was just lost and didn't enjoy the book that much.

[Kobie]

DNF'd this at 16% for too much villainy. Maybe some can stomach it. I could not. No rating because I DNF'd.