A wasp infestation An impending 30th birthday These are minor catastrophes for Jude a 29 year old gay man and Francine his 30 ish straight best friend especially after Jude unknowingly sleeps with the same man Francine also slept with and was hoping to begin a relationship with causing a breach in their friendship Then losing his job Jude decides to visit a childhood friend in San Francisco possibly starting a new life there He gets embroiled in some bizarre misadventures including a misconstrued interview with a gay porn production company and involvement with a whip wielding professor into bondage and worst of all to Jude a foot fetish After several months of attempting to get a job and learning of his father s ill health Jude returns to upstate New York Once home Jude meets and falls in love for the first time with Chase Allgood a handsome gay bar owner When Jude s father dies he is reunited with Francine She informs Jude about Douglas de Chambeau a debonaire wealthy jewelry store owner she is involved with They bask in the glow of their rekindled friendship and mutual happiness but will Chase s quest for financial security his ex can offer end Jude s happily ever after And will a long kept secret Douglas hides sabotage Francine s chance for love rendering Jude and Francine the last single couple in America The Last Single Couple in AmericaIf you re interested in reading about the misadventures of a gay man hoping to find Mr Right someday then you re in for a treat with The Last Single Couple in America by Martin Sacchetti Jude Giacolone is living it up in New York despite feeling down He s turning 30 and not happy about it But with his gay and straight friends to cheer him up he survives his thirtieth birthday and enjoys hanging out with friends while also making the rounds with several gay men. Being a single gay man Jude is testing the waters of love to see if he is ready to dive in His friendship with his best straight friend Francine is disrupted because he sleeps with the same guy she did and literally has her heart set on him Then he loses his job and Jude decides it s time for a change He takes a friend up on an offer to move out to San Francisco and it sets him on a course for some surprises and big changes. Jude is such a likable character I love the friendship he has with Francine and how it can even withstand the embarrassing scenario in which Francine learns that Jude is gay Yes Jude is narcissistic but it s funny how his narcissism plays out I also had lots of laughs reading the banter between Jude and his friends as well as Jude and his siblings There is a lot of humor in this novel especially after Jude relocates to San Francisco I cackled and howled over how his job interview turned into an audition for a porno film and over the disaster that ensued during his first lovemaking episode with a man he thought was Mr Right Jude s sarcasm and wit are in endless supply After learning that his friend is throwing a surprise party for his grandmother Jude quipsYou re going to have a roomful of people yell surprise to a ninety year old Are you going to have the EMT squad on standby pg 223 It was also funny how some people just didn t get his sense of humor. I also liked that the story was set in the 90s with traces of the 80s being celebrated as well It was like a blast from the past with mention of the hit TV show Melrose Place and songs by Debbie Gibson What a trip down Memory Lane While this story is all about Jude and his relationships with men there are underlying themes in the story that are serious For instance how STDs such as AIDS affect the gay community the dangers of being with someone who is too possessive or violent how being in a codependent relationship with someone can backfire and how families who choose to accept and love their gay son brother can create an everlasting and joyful family bond. Overall I enjoyed reading Jude s story The characters were just so unforgettable especially Clarence and I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened next I was hooked all the way through the very insightful and well written ending The Last Single Couple in America by Martin Sacchetti is such a heartwarming enjoyable and enlightening novel Above all else it offers sage advice to anyone struggling to find love as well as anyone coping with heartbreak And while many struggles heartbreaks and disasters might sour anyone from the good things life still has to offer this story celebrating friendship is a reminder that we should cherish and hold on to the things that truly last As Jude so deftly puts itOnly friendship and family matter In the end that s what we leave this earth with pg 302 The Last Single Couple in America As the years have progressed the LGBT community has gained greater visibility and by 2024 the literary landscape is rich with diverse tales in the LGBT genre Among these is the humorous and engaging novel The Last Single Couple in America by Martin Sacchetti The story centers on Jude Giacolone an openly gay man living in Albany NY His best friend Francine is a straight woman in her thirties Their close bond takes a dramatic turn when they both end up sleeping with the same man Following a heated argument Jude escapes to San Francisco but is compelled to return to Albany when his father falls gravely ill. From the very first page readers are immersed in Jude s zany and hilarious perspective Sacchetti effortlessly captures Jude s captivating and humorous voice making the character instantly likable and engaging The book boasts a well developed cast with each character being fleshed out and memorable The friendship between Jude and Francine is particularly well crafted making their falling out feel like a gut punch to the reader The dialogue is the strongest aspect of this story Sacchetti s writing is genuine witty and often laugh out loud funny Each chapter is peppered with humor that feels natural and unforced ensuring that readers will find themselves laughing frequently. The Last Single Couple in America excels at weaving serious moments seamlessly with humorous dialogue creating a narrative that feels both relatable and real Martin Sacchetti has crafted a delightful and thought provoking tale that resonates with authenticity and charm This book is a must read for anyone looking for a heartfelt and humorous exploration of friendship love and life s unexpected turns The Last Single Couple in America