Synopsis – Three Strikes: Finding Love in Forbidden Places
In 3 Strikes: Finding Love in Forbidden Places, Cody Draco delivers a raw and haunting memoir of self-discovery, forbidden love, and the ache of unrequited affection. This evocative journey traces Cody’s tumultuous relationships with three pivotal figures in their life: a childhood stepbrother, a charismatic but unattainable boss, and a former high school teacher. Each “strike” exposes the vulnerability, passion, and longing that shaped Cody’s identity, from constant changes of residence to navigating the complexities of mental health and sexuality.
Told through a blend of brutally honest prose and strikingly intimate poetry, 3 Strikes explores the pain and beauty of loving those who can never fully love you back. With themes of self-acceptance, heartbreak, and resilience, this memoir is a profound reflection on the trials of queer love and the courage it takes to bloom into yourself—rooted in your own truth, even when love remains just out of reach.
For readers who are drawn to deeply personal narratives, 3 Strikes is a powerful reminder that some of the most transformative relationships are the ones we never quite forget, their echoes remaining etched in our hearts and minds for eternity.
My Review
3 Strikes: Finding Love in Forbidden Places by Cody Draco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
3 Strikes is a short memoir about some of the relationships that helped shape, positively and negatively, the author’s identity.
It moves very quickly and sometimes it is hard to read some of the things the author experienced at a relatively young age. There are themes of identity, love and loss, and mental illness.
Told with a mixture or prose and poetry the author explores some of his inner feelings around some of the men, who he refers to as strikes, who he encountered as he matured into his identity as an adult male.
To protect identities the author uses initials but I found that hard to follow at times. I think it might have been clearer to use pseudonyms.
I also found myself wanting more of his story. I was engaged in the ways mental illness and identity were all parts of his story and I wished for great detail. I also longed to learn more about his non intimate relationships – like with his mother and sister for examples.
Overall, this was a good read that will resonate with anyone who has grappled with their sense of identity or who has navigated the world on their own and with a mental illness. I am very glad the author brought it to my attention.
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