Review: Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
SYNOPSIS:
They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend… and a big one to learn about himself.
REVIEW:
Can a book be both wholesome and hot? Yes, yes it can and those are the two words that come to mind when I finished this story. There was just something about these boys, I love me a good sports romance and the fact that it was male/male is something I am still relatively new too but also I think this is my first hockey romance?! I don’t know how that is even possible, given the ridiculous number of books I’ve read.
So lets start with Jamie and Wes, I adored both these boys. It seems like a major miscommunication resulted in their childhood/teenage friendship crumbling. But let me just tell you, the second they meet again, I was filled with giddy elation. It the type of story that you know is going to be oh so good from that instantaneous chemistry. Wes is already out as a gay man and as far as Wes knows, Jamie is as straight as they come…or is he? Then when these two end up spending summer coaching camp together, I was not prepared for the emotions!
There were so many light-hearted scenes that had me in a fit of giggles and feverishly blushing. It was a classic case of forced proximity and let me tell you, these boys work it out. *pun intended* The sexual tension is palpable and perfectly balanced with the most wholesome friendship. There is easy banter between Jamie and Wes, and the boys spend time rekindling their friendship before they rekindle their sparks. And it was worth the wait because when that first kiss happens…*fans self* scorching hot.
The character contrast was just perfection. Jamie was so chill and laid back while Wes was all brooding, concerned, alpha. It was fascinating to see that even though Wes was the one who was ‘out,’ he was also the one most concerned with his sexual identity getting out. The setting at a summer camp spawns instantaneous nostalgia of my own youth. It the type of story that sucks you in quick and keeps you captivated from start to finish. I can’t wait to escape into the sequel.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
