Best Foot Forward
In 1935, Geoffrey Carillon has a plan, and he needs Alexander Landry's help - despite the fact that Carillon is deeply suspicious of anyone associated with The Council for excellent reason. Can they work together to build a cover for their real goals in an increasingly dangerous and rapidly changing Germany?
A bisexual/alloromantic and asexual/aromantic enemies to "it's complicated" novel.
This volume contains an epilogue novella, Intimacies of the Seasons which follows both men (and a number of their friends and associates) through the following year.
Music plays a huge part in this book, and there's a playlist, Best Ear Forward, if you wish to listen to the music referenced.
Learn more about the pieces and why they appear in the book in a post on my website, as well as get a link to the playlist.
Geoffrey Carillon (main, POV)
Lizzie Penhallow (secondary)
Content notes for Best Foot Forward
M/M enemies to “it’s complicated”, with one aromantic and asexual protagonist and one bisexual protagonist (also polyamorous).
Takes place in 1935, including in Nazi Germany. Contains mentions of past deaths, trauma from the Great War, emotional neglect in various forms, as well as injuries and PTSD. Both characters have moments of emotional crisis in the book. References to the current state of minorities in Germany in 1935, including homosexual men. One character is French-Egyptian, with references to the implications while in Germany.
Only one bed trope. On-page sex in the included epilogue novella, Intimacies of the Seasons but not in the novel itself.
Notable people
Alexander Landry (main, POV)Geoffrey Carillon (main, POV)
Lizzie Penhallow (secondary)
Related books
The Carillon family arc has a complete list of books relating to Geoffrey's family.
Goblin Fruit is Geoffrey and Lizzie's romance in the spring of 1924.
Eclipse introduces Alexander as a secondary character during the 1924-25 school year at Schola.
Geoffrey and Alexander continue to be key to other books in the Land Mysteries series. Follow their story in Nocturnal Quarry (Alexander's trip to America in 1938) and Upon A Summer's Day (Council magics, Alexander and Geoffrey are two of the point of view characters).
