Review: Who We Are by T.J. Klune
SYNOPSIS:
Bear, Otter, and the Kid survived last summer with their hearts and souls intact. They’ve moved into the Green Monstrosity, and Bear is finally able to admit his love for the man who saved him from himself.
But that’s not the end of their story. How could it be?
The boys find that life doesn’t stop just because they got their happily ever after. There’s still the custody battle for the Kid. The return of Otter’s parents. A first trip to a gay bar. The Kid goes to therapy, and Mrs. Paquinn decides that Bigfoot is real. Anna and Creed do… well, whatever it is Anna and Creed do. There are newfound jealousies, the return of old enemies, bad poetry, and misanthropic seagulls. And through it all, Bear struggles to understand his mother’s abandonment of him and his brother, only to delve deeper into their shared past. What he finds there will alter their lives forever and help him realize what it’ll take to become who they’re supposed to be.
Family is not always defined by blood. It’s defined by those who make us whole—those who make us who we are.
REVIEW:
Second book redemption has happened! I didn’t really care much for the first book in this series and was hesitant on continuing. So I took a break for a couple months and then came back. I don’t know if it was the time away or if Bear finally grew up, but this book was so much more enjoyable in the first.
We see a new layer to Bear in this story and while he still goes on neurotic tangents (that are several pages long, that I skimmed because they can be kinda boring), he finds a new level of maturity. He is willing to fight tooth and nail for his little family. And while there are still some insecurities, Bear really seems to settle into himself as an adult. He finds his footing in life after so many years of just surviving. Seeing him actually get to go out or find small pleasures in life had my heart soaring.
This story was so much more than Bear finding himself, the plot was a wild roller-coaster. One that emotionally gutted me several times. Otter and Mrs. Paquinn face unexpected challenges. Bear not only finds his strength, but I think he finally realizes how strong he has been all along. And the best part is that the Kid finally has moments to be a Kid. Is he still watching CNN like the charming little vegetarian he is? Yes, but he makes a true friend who adds another layer of humor and depth to the story.
Overall, the story just had so much more depth, humor, and sexy times than Bear, Otter, and the Kid. I found myself laughing out loud, shaking my head at the chaos, and sobbing a few times. This is the type of work I have come to expect from T.J. Klune and he nailed it with Who We Are.
LINKS:
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
