You Know Me Well » Book Review

 

I want to smash something.

I guess it's a positive that Levithan made me so attached, so allegiant, to his character, Mark, that I want to throttle the fictional character who hurt him.  I haven't felt this worked-up over a book since The Handmaid's Tale...

Okay. The suffering that Mark goes through in You Know Me Well is not comparable to the rape-y horror of Atwood's dystopian novel. Comparatively, it's mild.  But goddamn if I don't feel utterly enraged, if I don't feel like injustice has been done. Why, oh why, [spoiler]Ryan[/spoiler]? Why, oh why?

How This Whole Thing Started

You Know Me Well starts at the beginning of Pride Week in San Francisco.  Two teenagers, Mark and Katie, both gay, both attending the same high school, run into each other at a LBGTQ club.  Mark is there with his best friend, Ryan, who is also gay.  Mark happens to be in love with Ryan — small fact.  Mark and Ryan have messed around, but always in secret, because Ryan is closeted.  Katie spots Mark after he wins a scantily-clad bar dancing competition, much to Mark's embarrassment. Katie, impulsively, asks Mark to be her friend.  He agrees, bemused, and the two take off together when Ryan wants to stay behind to flirt heavily with another guy. Ugh.

Katie has her own problems.  She's been in love with her best friend's cousin, Violet, from afar for a long time.  That night, Katie and Violet are supposed to meet at a party through arrangement, but Katie takes off before the meeting due to nerves. After running away and ending up at the same bar as Mark,  Katie wanders off with him to find adventure in the city, which sets off a chain of events that will leave them changed.

I'm Still Mad

Just to remind you, I'm furious.

LaCour and Levithan — Who Was the Stronger Writer

As you might have seen, You Know Me Well was written by two (gay!) authors — Nina LaCour and David Levithan.  In my opinion, Levithan's writing blew LaCour's out of the water.  I trudged through LaCour's chapters but ate up Levithan's greedily.  I wish the entire book had been written by him. (Yes, even despite the fact that he emotionally demolished me with this book.)

In comparison to Mark, Katie's character was fairly watery. She wasn't as vivid or full of life as Levithan's character creations.  Moreover, I didn't like Katie's strange combination of impulsive forthrightness and cringing hesitancy.  Call me a critic, but those are some contradictory qualities right there.

Overall, Levithan was was electric. LaCour was only so-so.

 So Do I Recommend This Book Or What?

I do! It's a short read and Levithan wrote a powerful half of a story. LaCour isn't bad enough to drag the story down to unreadable levels, either.

As for my rage... siiiigh. I'm still remarkably upset about [spoiler]Mark's lack of a fairytale ending[/spoiler]. Maybe some reader's would be less upset than me, but the situation struck me hard.

Anyways, this book would have been a  4.5 read if not for LaCour's just-okay writing. I give the book 3.5 and recommend.

[rating stars="three-half-stars"]

High Contrast (Evolution Ink #1) » Book Review (And Thoughts on Orlando)

I made a promise to myself, years back.  It was to review every book I read, even the ones with shirtless dudes on the cover. So here, I am saying to you, "Yes. I read this somewhat silly book. Let me tell you about it."

High Contrast: Evolution Ink  by Tess Bowery

High Contrast was a pretty standard romance novel — a New Adult M/M. Our protagonist, Jacob, is a self-doubting marketing intern from NYC. He's living off the support of his parents and successful twin brother while his office career gets its wings. He's very much a character yet to unfold.  His only adventure comes from the company he keeps — his brother's coworkers and employees at Evolution Ink, a tattoo parlor.

The story takes off when Jacob meets the store's new piercing specialist, Cody.  Cody is a beautiful specimen — lean, long blonde hair, full of sexy body modifications — and his personality attracts Jacob to boot.  There's just a few problems.  Cody is very reticent about speaking about his past and is reluctant to start anything with Jacob due to mysterious experiences. What's Jacob, a boy in love, to do?! Obviously, he's going to sleuth out what is troubling Cody and take his problems on, even when the problem turn to out be —oops!— the Russian mafia.

I can't give High Contrast more than 2.5 stars. It was an okay book, and sometimes I enjoyed myself while reading, but mostly I was perusing with a critical eye. My main problem is that the mafia angle was kind of silly.  I got the impression that Bowery, when choosing a plotline to carry her romance along, chose a very literal "action plot." But Jacob wasn't an action hero by any stretch of the imagination, so the plot and the protagonist seemed mismatched. Moreover, Bowery's mafia was unintimidating to say the least. That whole plotline flopped.

On top of that, I never got attached to the peripheral characters, who mostly just provided noisy dialogue. I sped-read through those tiresome bits of group conversation (which weren't really that funny) in order to move to the quieter one-on-one chats and moments between Jacob and Cody. And that is where the book redeemed itself slightly.  The book was meant to be a simple romance. All the handguns and street fights were unnecessary. What I enjoyed most was reading about a budding relationship between two boys.

Overall, I'm pleased I read High Contrast, because I do enjoy M/M romances.  I only started reading in this genre recently, so I enjoy broadening my reading experience within each new M/M (or any LGBTQ+) book I take up.

On the Subject of Orlando and the Recent Violence There

Speaking of LGBTQ+ matters, I do want to write something quickly about the recent hate crime and mass shooting in Orlando, as many in our community have spoken up as well. These waves of violence and mass shootings in the United States are sickening.  They hurt the soul, not just of individuals but of an entire nation. But how can this epidemic be reversed?

Of course, as voters we can put pressure on our elected officials and hope they listen and act. (It's my own wish that our leaders take decisive and powerful action against the easy availability of automatic guns.) We can continue the discourse through our own public media long after news anchors stop reporting on the attacks. (Bless the internet.) And we can contribute to the fight against violence and hatred through using our own gifts...

What lies behind hatred, I've been told, is fear, and the best weapon against fear is knowledge. In our bookish corner of the world, we celebrate knowledge.  Our community already does a wonderful job at promoting and celebrating books with diversity.  Our writers are doing fantastic work at crafting stories and characters that give readers new outlooks and perspectives. We can keep up the good work. We can do our best to inform our rising generations about the many, beautiful differences that lie inside the hearts and minds of humankind.

Discussion of the Captive Prince Series, by C. S. Pacat

C O N T A I N S     S P O I L E R S!!!

Something occurred to me when I was writing my review of C. S. Pacat's Captive Prince a few weeks ago.  And that is, there is so much I want to talk about with people! However, I can't in good conscience recommend this book to the people in my day-to-day life, all so I can chat them up about it. The Captive Prince series, especially book one, is extreme and explores some very dark, very immoral themes in a disturbing manner.  I don't want to risk scarring people by foisting Captive Prince on them.  A recommendation of this series should come with a full disclosure. It brought me to the brink of total disgust and I consider myself to be a pretty liberal reader.  That being said, after I was finished with book one, which contains the lion's share of horrific material, I loved the series.  I want to talk about it with people, or, at the very least, share some of my thoughts. So here we go — a discussion of the Captive Prince series.

Book One Really Pushes It

In interviews C. S. Pacat is frequently asked about her boundary-pushing writing.  So far, from what I've read of her answers, Pacat seemed keen to disturb people.  That was utterly intentional on her part. She even admits to having written with her eyes averted from her screen, squeamish herself. So, what I haven't picked out yet is, why?  I understand wanting to elicit strong feelings in readers to create high emotional stakes... but was the explicit content in Captive Prince, Volume One necessary? Why did Pacat push it that far?  I was almost totally alienated by the content, which contains graphic sexual assault, rape, and torture, amongst many other things.

Here's my bottom line: I cannot love Captive Prince, Volume One like I do the rest of the series, because it was so goddamn disturbing.

I've tried to re-read book one, like I've done with books two and three, but I just can't manage it. I'm finished with that novel, and I can't make myself re-visit it.  Books two and three — I can read them over and over again.  But not Captive Prince. Despite this, I have to appreciate book one in many respects for laying the foundations for Prince's Gambit and Kings Rising. 

So here's my question: Did the boundary-pushing in Captive Prince, Volume One actually affect the emotional stakes for the rest of the series positively, or was it all gratuitous?

Laurent Has a Mysterious Backstory That Can Be Reconstructed

We find out in plain terms at the end of Kings Rising what was hinted at throughout the entire series — Laurent had a sexual relationship when he was a boy with his uncle, who is a pedophile.  Readers, we all saw that coming, right?  Throughout the books, Laurent is exhibits classic symptoms of having been abused and exploited at a young age.  There were countless small hints dropped and countless, heart-squeezing suggestions.

What shocked me, though, is when Laurent hints that he was partially complicit in the abuse. It's such a sad, wrenching backstory.

I found it somewhat frustrating that we never get a clear picture of what exactly happened to Laurent.  But, with some reflection, I found that Pacat had given us enough clues for us to put the story together.

Here's what I think happened, based off of evidence from the text:

Laurent's uncle, a pedophile, dialed in on a young Laurent as a potential victim from a time before Auguste's demise.  Auguste, for his part, protected Laurent from their uncle's manipulations while alive.  Upon Auguste's violent death, however, there was no one standing between Laurent and his uncle's dark agenda.  Desperate for comfort and affection, a young Laurent became complicit in a secret, sexual relationship with his uncle, the predator.  

Much like the regent's other young victims, Laurent became both enthralled by his uncle and coerced into a servile role.  After a number of years, however, the regent exchanged Laurent for a younger victim.  At first confused and disoriented, Laurent, with some distance from his uncle, gradually came to understand that he'd been exploited, by his own family and 'caretaker' no less... hence, his terrible thirst for revenge...

In the present, Laurent is still suffering the ill-effects of years of sexual and mental abuse. This explains, in full, Laurent's "virgin/whore" dichotomy, where he seems at once wholly bored by and exposed to sexuality, adroit at explicit verbal jabs, and yet, he is frigidly prudish to an infamous degree.

That's my idea of what happened.  Readers, does it align with your concept of Laurent's backstory?

Laurent's Relationship With Damen, His Brother's Killer, Starts Out Sick, Winds Up Surprisingly Healthy

From the age of thirteen, Laurent has been obsessed with 'Damianos,' the war hero of Akielos.  The reason why — Damianos bested Auguste, Laurent's older and beloved brother, in a single-combat deathmatch. Not only did Damen kill Auguste, but his victory ushered in the darkest period of Laurent's life.  Without his protector in Auguste, Laurent fell prey to his pedophilic uncle.

Even before the Regent, Damen of Akielos was Laurent's first enemy.  Fantasizing revenge, Laurent trained with the sword, learning both Veretian techniques and the Akielon style, all to one day seek Damianos out and avenge Auguste.

So when, ten months before Laurent's ascendancy to kingship, the new Akielon regime sends Damianos to Laurent in chains, Laurent is thrown.  At first, Laurent intends to toy with Damen like a mouse, aware than Damen thinks his identity is undiscovered.  However, Laurent reacts with rage and disgust when Damen makes a sexual overture, and has Damen flayed near to death.

Realizing that he's made a political error in gambling with Damen's life, Laurent decides to keep his slave and adversary alive.  In little time, however, Damen's character, sensitive, honorable, and so contrary to the dumb brute Laurent had expected, makes an impression on Prince of Vere. At the end of Captive Prince and throughout part of Prince's Gambit, Laurent decides to put some careful trust in the man who he used to loathe above all others. Over time, their camaraderie grows, with a romantic edge to boot.

When Laurent and Damen's relationship becomes sexual, near the end of book two, it comes as a shock to the reader, though not in the expected way. Damen was born into a homoerotic culture and has been lusting after Laurent since book one.  That there is lust and attraction on his side is not a shock. What's gripping is that Damen's identity has just been discovered by Jord, who gives Damen a deadline to get out of town. All of this deception is hanging like a guillotine and Damen has sex with Laurent anyway... Damen!

What's even more shocking is Laurent's complicity.  The reader has been shown outright that Laurent is frigid, and its been intimated that he's been sexually abused by his uncle.  To accept Damen as a lover is a marvelous personal step in letting himself heal and be vulnerable! Or so we think...

We find out in King's Rising, along with a blindsided Damen, that Laurent has known Damen as 'Damianos' from the first. Instead of Damen taking advantage of Laurent when they had sex, it was the other way around. Laurent!

After everything's out in the open, however, the two men actually move forward. It's hard to discern the point when, after everything, Laurent decides to earnestly pursue a relationship with Damen.  Most certainly, has already occurred when the two reunite in the sheets, after Laurent has interrogated the two-timing Jocaste, Damen's former lover and possible baby-mama.  The difference between that honest encounter and Damen and Laurent's first, manipulation-ridden rumble is palpably different. And from that point onward, Laurent becomes vulnerable and giving in leaps and bounds, much to a love-sick Damen's delight.

But when exactly did Laurent forgive Damen, put their history aside, and decide to love his former enemy?  Did it happen gradually, or was it a moment's decision?

The Identity of Damen, 'Damianos,'

A big theme in the books is the concept of dual identities. Yes, it's no mistake that Damen, 'Damianos,' has two names. So, did Damen become a slave during the course of the series, casting aside his former self? Or was he the Prince of Akielos all along?  The books seem to argue in favor of his being one person, with different facets.  Damen always had a generous and giving side — it grew and developed during his time as a slave — and yet, he also has unyielding integrity and the personal pride of a king.

Laurent gets a mighty share of recognition for being a complicated and faceted character, but in my opinion, Damen doesn't get enough credit.  He is a complex character in his own right. For instance...

Part of Damen's identity is 'Damianos,' Prince-Killer and jock lord.

His greatest hits:

• Throwing a six-pound sword through the air to impale a man.


• Besting an armed adversary with a wooden practice weapon, to the the astonishment of all present.


• Shattering an opponent's shield with a single blow.


• Being kicked in the nuts by Laurent during a bought, and carrying on through the blackout pain.


• Winning victories in his army's athletic games, with nonchalance and a cheerful attitude.


• Being recognized as 'Damianos, Prince-Killer' through his body-language on the battlefield.


• Ripping a window out of a wall.

I have to say, I loved this character, especially during his 'jock moments.'  And I thought it was a great move on Pacat's part to have him be our narrator, even though she's intimated in interviews that she favors Laurent.  Damen is quite relatable, but also enough of a unique character and a powerful identity to make his narration vastly entertaining.

Who was your favorite of the two protagonists? Laurent? Or Damen?

These Books Are Going To Stay With Me

That's mainly what I have to say. Only over 1,600 words of raving. Haha! But if you're reading this, please, comment! I would LOVE to hear your own thoughts on this complicated, sexy, fantastic series.

Captive Prince » Series Review

What if a lion and panther met in the jungle?  There might be some vicious spats at first, but you know those big cats would wind up feeling admiration for the other.  Because although they're intensely different creatures, each is a remarkable beast in his own way...

Damianos, Prince of Akielos, is a hero to his countrymen.  He's famous for his defeat of Auguste, the heir of a rival kingdom, on the field of battle. His skill in combat is unparalleled, and his future kingship will continue a noble legacy of generations.

But despite his grandeur, Damianos has a soft and loyal heart.  So when his own brother moves to betray him, Damianos doesn't see it coming.  Forced into slavery, 'Damen' is gifted to Laurent, the younger brother of Auguste, the very man Damen is famed for slaying.

Thus begins an epic tale of war, politics, and power.

I began this series because it comes very highly rated.  And I would have stopped at book one, if not for the encouragement of other reviewers.  You see, reading book one in this series, Captive Prince, was terrible.  The writing itself was very skilled; it wasn't an issue of quality.  The problem was, the content was utterly horrific — slavery, rape, and pedophilia are depicted unflinchingly and with excruciating detail. I wanted to pitch the book away from me and scrub my brain.

Regardless of the depravity, you do get the sense, while reading, that foundations are being laid and that great events are brewing, about to boil over.  And, indeed, in book two, matters culminate in a way that is truly spectacular writing. Really, I can't praise book two, Prince's Gambit, enough. It will go down as one of the best fantasies that I've had the joy of reading.

Book three, Kings Rising, continues the momentum of Prince's Gambit.  I won't say that it was a perfectly stunning conclusion, but it left me very happy overall.

Perhaps the thing I loved most about this series was the characterization, which was incredibly rich, for both major and minor players.  Damen, or Damianos, 'Prince-Killer,' is our narrator, and my favorite character.  He's not unlike a classical hero — an Achilles or an Alexander. Damen's arc throughout the series was wonderful and distinct.

You get the sense that before his enslavement, Damen lived life as a bit of a simple jock.  Despite having a very big heart, he's been unable to put it to good purpose.  After being put through the ringer of book one, however, Damen blooms into a powerful man with strongly empathetic feelings. Because of this, he's able to befriend and love Laurent, who is so damaged by life and circumstance, that he's become an icy and unpleasant person.

Oh yes, and how could I finish this review without mentioning the romance?  Readers, it was scorching.  Whoa, Nelly. In regards to M/M romance, I haven't read anything else yet in the genre that compares to this eroticism. C. S. Pacat knows when to get wordy and when to get crude. Moreover, so much of the characters' individual journeys are at play when they're having sex; it makes the encounters so much more than 'hot scenes.'  It bears saying again — I've never read explicit writing quite of this caliber. And if that's the hook that drives you to pick up this series, good!

So, have you read this series yet?  Heard of it?  It's so exciting when you find an amazing piece of writing, not by keeping up with mainstream media and journalism, but by following bloggers and internet reviewers. The Captive Prince series is special like that — a wonderful and subtle surprise.

 

Us » Book Review

Us is the sequel to Him, a dual M/M romance effort by authors Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. If you remember, I loved Him very, very much. It was the first M/M romance I'd ever read, and it's safe to say that reading Him opened up the floodgates.  I actively seek diverse romances now, and I have Bowen and Kennedy to thank.

I started reading Us about an hour and a half after it came out, at 1:35 am.  Literally, I woke up at 1:35 in the morning, thought —  Us is out! — and grabbed my kindle. Such was my excitement.

I read the book all the way through, finishing at 5 am — a quick read. It's a very good, fun thing to read a book in one sitting like that — Bowen and Kennedy definitely have pace down pat.  I couldn't tear myself away from this book.  However, once I was done reading, the critical voice in my head began to blab.

• The character of  Wes was slightly diminished, less distinct, in book 2.

A lot of the dynamic element of Wes's character was reduced in Us.  In Him, Wes does all manner of crazy things, some of which are really out there.  (Last night of hockey camp, anyone?) But in the sequel, he becomes less of a punk and more of a worrywort. I would have liked to see his character resume his antics, as it helps keep his character distinct and memorable.

• The book's humor was hit or miss — not consistently funny.

Senses of humor are diverse, so it makes sense that, as a reader, I won't find the humor in every book funny.  Some might find nothing at fault with the jokes and light moments in Us.  However, I found that the humor ran towards the cheesy.  A lot of times, I had to pretend things were funny, in order to keep my respect for the characters. I do have to say though, my favorite line in the book: "Do we have a chiweiler?" Bahaha!

• The romantic parts were explicit, but not hot.

Those scenes in Him were smokiiiin'.  And also, very relevant to the plot.  In Us, however, I felt like many of the sex scenes where tossed in because they had to be in the book somehow. And it was nothing new.  I felt like, because Wes and Jamie are now a couple, the novelty has worn off.

• Him is a better book than Us, by far.

One of the best parts of Him was its great hook.  The sequel, however, just feels like a really long epilogue.  It does not stand on its own.

Bottom line — the pace is excellent in Us, but ultimately, the book suffers from sophomore slump.

 

I'll Give You the Sun » Book Review

I'm giving I'll Give You the Sun 2.5 stars, because while I liked it, I wasn't blown away.

I wanted to be.  It's like that scene in Pride and Prejudice: "Bingley was ready, Georgiana eager, and Darcy determined, to be pleased."

I was ready, eager, determined to be pleased with this Printz winner, I'll Give You the Sun. I wanted to fall in love with it.

But I wasn't and I didn't.

Most of it is the characters and how they thought...

The book is narrated by twins, Noah and Jude, three years apart.  Together, their stories weave together to form a complete picture of a mysterious event.

Noah starts us out, narrating to us when the twins are thirteen.  He and Jude have always been close, but they find themselves growing apart...  Jude wears red lipstick and short dresses, hangs out with popular kids and surfs. She also makes cool sand sculptures, sews wacky dresses, and is obsessed with her dead grandmother.

Noah, on the other hand, doesn't hide his weirdness as well.  He loves to spy on people, and draw them the way he sees them (often unflatteringly).  He doesn't speak much, but keeps up a dark, intense inner monologue inside his head.  He seethes with resentment and jealousy.  I mean seethes. 

And I think this was the reason I didn't love the book.

Even though the prose was stylish — artistic and wacky...

Even though the stakes were high and compelling...

Even though he pace was intricate and well-crafted...

The characters were ultimately unlikable.  

There were so many questionable words, emotions, thoughts, and actions in this book. I compiled a list of them, actually.

It is NOT Okay to...

• [spoiler]Destroy a piece of artwork because it's better than yours.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Rip up someone's art school application.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Favor one child over the other in an obvious fashion.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Play two kids off one another.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Be consumed by jealousy [/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Out a gay person against their will[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Have affairs. [/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Drive recklessly on a motorcycle.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Jump off dangerous cliffs repeatedly, tormenting your family and friends with your suicidal ideations. It's not artistic and cool. That's a mental illness that deserves professional help.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Trespass on private property.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Look at naked people without their permission.[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Wish evil upon others[/spoiler]


• [spoiler]Be severely passive aggressive, instead of communicating[/spoiler]

All of these crimes are committed at some point by a character in I'll Give You the Sun.  It was too much for me.  Sure, each character in this novel does a lot of good things, on top of their despicable things, but overall, I just got fed up.

You're too much for me, manic pixie dream book.  Too much.

 

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.