Him » Review

When reading Him, I was reminded so much of Margaret Cho's hilarious comedy sketch about her mom on gays.  Comprehension is optimal around the fifteenth time you watch it, as I've found, but I've transcribed the sketch below for anybody new to Cho's imitations of her mom's blunt wisdom.



 

I think... everybooody... is a little bit GAY... You knooow if you have a friend... andyoulikeyourfriendsomuchyoudon'tknowwhattodo! This kind of gay.

I think everybody have this type of friend. You know, especially in college. That's a very gay time. So many gay in college. You know, Daddy have a friend like that. I tell you... gay story about Daddy!

No, Daddy's not gay! That's not what I said, no, no! You put word in Mommy mouth!  But don't tell him I tell you.

Daddy have friend. Veeery good friend; this is in Korea, when he's in college.  Very close, close friend! Close friend! They so close, they go everywhere togetheeeer, you know, talk about everything, so close— good friend! Good friend!

And then, one day, they drive to countryside. Because gay... they like picnic. They like eat outsiiiide, eat some kind of potato salaaad. They like so much.

So they eat food, and the sun was shiiining, and then Daddy's friend look at Daddy........... and says, "I LOVE YOU." To Daddy. (!!!) And Daddy was shock! Daddy don't know how to deal, with this type of sit-iation.

Because Daddy loves his friend, he loves his friend, but he cannot say... that he loves his friend, because Daddy was afraid.  That he's gay. So he cannot say that he loves his friend. So then Daddy... PUNCH HIS FRIEND!

And it was so awkward after. Because they have to clean up all the fooood. And go in the car. And drive home. And they cannot be friend after that. That so terrible! You know, they cannot be friend. And Daddy says he's regret his whole life that he's lose his friend, because he's afraid. You know?

Sooo, moral of story... is if your gay friend says to you, "I love you," DON'T PUNCH!!!

Oh my God, I die every time.  This story is so relatable.  Who hasn't been in this situation, right? Right?


Him, by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy, is about two such boys who are close friends, so close, very, very close, just like Margaret Cho's dad and his (gay?) buddy.  Jamie and Wes meet at hockey camp when they're kids and spend each summer together all through high school.  They room together when with each other and keep in touch when apart.  Then, when they're eighteen, something a little gay happens. And Wes — who is gay — is so mortified that he shuts off all contact with Jamie.  The story opens when both guys are seniors in college and their respective hockey teams are about to meet up in the Frozen Four.

(!!!)

I mean, what a fun premise.  There's hockey, there's friendship, there's romance, there is tension by the bucket-full.   I was driven while reading the story, not only to find out what would happen next, but to find out what happened the last night of hockey camp!

Also, and this is kind of exciting, but this was my first M/M adult romance I've ever read.  And by adult, I mean steamy.  The book was hot. There were also tons of elements that I'm sure are M/M romance tropes, but to me, they were totally new.  I'd give examples, but these topics are best left in the hands of gifted romance authors.

All in all, I'm so happy I read Him, and even though I usually am embarrassed to put pictures of abs up on my website, this book deserves all the kudos.