WHAT'S IN A NAME, thinks Jimmy, as Alex may or may not be the bartender's real name. Next day Alex gets into his biker gear and helps Jimmy move out, before installing him above the coffee shop he co-owns with a lively lady called Felicity. Felicity and Alex strike up a bond over poor doormat Jimmy right away. Now he's over the shock, Jimmy wouldn't mind seeing more of Alex. After all he tends the only gay bar in town. But would he be interested in Jimmy long term? And what the heck is his name anyway?

This is a friendly, chatty tale, of a young man who is earnestly being entrepreneurial and taking financial risks, but lacks self confidence. I liked seeing Jimmy's personality grow as he rebounds from the desperately unhealthy past relationship and finds supportive friends. Each night he has another try at guessing Alex's real name, providing fun and a focal point for the story, but regardless of the outcome we can see that Jimmy is already winning. There's another aspect, which is that some traders don't welcome gay and lesbian evening diners, although these customers are more likely to eat out on weeknights than family groups. All does not go smoothly which is sad to see in this day and age. The ladies in town, however, adore Jimmy and Felicity's coffee shop, so where is the trouble coming from?

Pat Henshaw has been a teacher and librarian, and she enjoys travel and time with her family. I certainly enjoyed meeting her characters and seeing their homes, while the plot twists kept me entertained. WHAT'S IN A NAME is a great tale with some life lessons for adult readers.

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