(1 review)
$7.00
Can't Pick Your Family
by Peter Argonis
Language: English
Categories: Fiction » Coming of Age
Content Rating: Older than 17
Joey Di Rosa, the scion of a crime family, is seriously wounded in a mob hit on his parents. Back to school, he meets standoffish Deirdre Darling, a fellow nerd with her own demons, but with the potential to wreak havoc on Joey's life. Deirdre's elfin, lesbian mother and her brash partner Karen add to the turmoil, even before a brutal crime shatters their sweet romance. Will they have a chance?
The story was originally posted in 2011, with the help of fellow authors Douglas Fox and Morgan. I undertook a serious revision, polishing sentences, correcting typos and semantic errors, but also eliminating a late episode that was deemed improbable and not credible by female readers. I bowed to their insight.
CPYF is pure fiction, and neither the characters nor the events depicted herein are meant to portray real persons, living or dead. Some of the learning institutions described are real. Again, the events described are fictional and in no way meant to reflect the behavior of students or staff at these schools. While ClustalW is a great open source software (kudos to the developers), there is no commercial software called CloseFit, ModelP, or SequEA. At least I couldn't find any of them with search engines. If any software with that name exists, then there is no connection, and Deirdre really does not use illegal copies of them. The political opinions and beliefs of the characters portrayed do not necessarily reflect my own views, which are more differentiated.
Review Book
Reader Reviews
steven.a.melnyk
A good story that is intense
Reviewed it on November 30, 2025
Of all of the various Argonis books that I have read, this one is simultaneously one of the most intense but also one of the most HEA stories that you will read. It describes the relationship between two people - Joey DiRosa and Deidre Darling - a relationship that starts in high school but also one that is potentially destroyed by an act of extreme violence against Deidre. The story describes how the two people, truly destined to be together, came apart and then returned to each other. It is well-written (as is usual for a Argonis story) and highly plot driven. Ultimately, what makes you involved is that you come to care for these two people. That is the sign of a good story.
Highly recommended.