In the eighth book of this brilliant series it is December and Maggie and Susan are hosting the monthly get together of the ten women who form the Lesbian Adventure Club. Despite it being December, no one better dare say the c-word or insight images of a jolly fat man in a red suit. The women are donning their Bermuda shorts, Hawaiian shirts, flip-flops and winter jackets. Instead of Christmas in July, the women will be celebrating July in ... well, the c-word. They will be ignoring the raging blizzard outside the house, and inside will celebrate as if it is July the third.
Being that it is July, the women will be spending the day at summer camp. Each couple will have a camp, one which they will name and assign a theme. There are colors assigned to each: Claudia and Kate are green (Camp Kis Cak), Holly and Laura are purple (Camp Wan Na Ta Ta), Janice and Alison are yellow (Camp Crystal Lake), and Ginny and Kris are red (Camp Thunder Thigh). The currency for the summer camp excursion will be beads, and trading will be necessary as camps are decidedly lacking in all the necessary essentials. Each camp is set up in a different part of the house, separated by a hallway that soon becomes a bottomless river complete with bubble wrap and an endless supply of squeaky alligators. The women must beware because squeaky alligators bite! Or at least squeak to alert of danger and the required rescue of one of the precious Dykes Who Dare.
The goal of the adventure is to end the day with the most beads, and to be in possession of their totem. One member of each couple created a special gift, something that signifies the love the couple shares, and the other woman must ask questions of the other couples to first determine who is in possession of their totem and then to uncover what the totem is. Much easier said than done! Of course, there is always a deeper meaning, and here Maggie and Susan have planned out an adventure that will help each couple to explore what they mean to one another.
"'The point was to get you to think about what's important to you as a couple, how you feel about each other, the basics, the primal stuff. That whole 'true meaning' of the c-word stuff.'"
L-Word C-Word is another exceptional addition to a series that has carved out a permanent spot on my "keeper shelf." These characters are ones that I enjoy spending time with over and over again, and each new book is just as good as the ones that came before. In a series, after seven books, is it still possible to be inspired, awed, captivated, thrilled, gut-wrenchingly sad and heart-warmingly happy along with the characters? The answer is a resounding yes and the proof is this book. After so many other stories, the series is still as fresh and engrossing as the first story. Wraight has created a cast of characters that readers are drawn to and a concept for a series that can continue on for a long time. Anyone would be lucky to experience the love that each of these couples possesses, and in my opinion these are the best of the best when it comes to romance, with a large dose of adventure mixed in.
This story has the same brand of humor and insight into the characters that I have come to expect from Wraight, but this is a much more emotional tale as well. The previous book, Scraps, put Kate and Claudia through the ringer, but here we see them exploring and fully and completely embracing their love for one another. This is the longest story in the series so far, and it's a chance for each of the couples to look at how they love one another and the depth and strength of that love. It's touching and moving in all the right ways.
What struck me the most about this story is that we learn a bit more about Kate's history, a truly heart-breaking aspect of her past. It brought her to Ginny and Kate, and eventually Claudia, and forced her to redefine the meaning of family in the most horrible of ways, by the rejection of her own family. Kate has always been one of my favorite characters, something that is easy as each story is written from her point of view, but this is a new side to this incredibly deep and intricately developed character. Knowing this small snippet of her past speaks so much to the woman she has become, and the reason she clings to those she loves. It imbues the character with even more honesty and realism, making her jump off the page at the reader. I reread these portions of the story numerous times as I was so struck by the emotion behind every word. By reflecting on her past, Kate discovers the one way she can express to Claudia how much she loves her, and the scene is beautiful and inspiring.
My other favorite couple is Laura and Holly, who always infuse a level of humor and intensity into the story. These two women love each other beyond understanding by outsiders. They are soul mates, tightly woven together, to the point that they cannot exist without one another. Their love is so intense that at times it shocks their friends, but it's real and all encompassing. In this story the women get a bit more serious, as Holly tries to guess their totem and Laura fears that she's let Holly down. It's a strange feeling to see these women unsure in even this tiniest of aspects, but it only serves to provide even more information about their deep bond. I really liked seeing yet another aspect of this couple, and can't wait for more.
"Holy said, 'I feel that way about Laura. I don't know if I'm luckier because she loves me so much or because I love her so much. I just know I'd shrivel up and die if I didn't have both."
There is a quote that comes at the very beginning of this story that exemplifies what I love so much about this series. "But today was not Christmas. Today proved far, far better: a Lesbian Adventure Club day. That knowledge awakened yet another part of me; my anticipatory gland contracted and squirted, mingling its good stuff with lifeblood that was slowly being caffeinated." These women truly love their monthly adventures together, and each other. Kate looks forward to these days, ones that are even better than a holiday. It's a sign of the special bond they all share, and the thread that runs throughout every book in the series.
You could easily read any one of the books in this series on its own, but I advise starting at the beginning and working your way through the stories. There is an evolution of the relationships and characters that is best enjoyed when in order, and you won't be disappointed in the slightest. The series so far before L-Word C-Word includes Scavengers, Ledge Walkers, Savages, Loose Sleuths, Sisters, Leakers Ignited, and Scraps. Start from the beginning and enjoy each of the books in this phenomenal series that I highly recommend!
