Review : Him by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Him
Author : Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Publication Date : July 28th 2015
Publisher : Self Published
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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.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

Personal Thoughts

Well, HOT DAMN. Can I just leave my review at that? I really don't know how I'm going to express my intense love for this book. To say that I devoured this book would be such an understatement. No, I actually inhaled this book from start to finish in a matter of hours, only stopping to get some sleep. By the end, I was so book hung-over. Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen, I demand MORE co-authored books from you. Before I start this review, I have to admit that Him was my first adult/NA M/M romance and what a brilliant introduction at that. Now I want to read so much more from this genre.

Him features two protagonists who not only made me fall in love with them, but who also stole my heart and ran away with it. I don't know how I'm ever going to love book characters anymore after having met these two boys. Jamie and Wes were so freaking loveable. I don't think it's possible for any reader to dislike them. While I undoubtedly adored both of them, I think I formed a deeper connection with Wes. He was this flirty, openly gay and totally hot hockey player whose voice totally captured my attention from the very start. I loved how confident he was in his own skin and didn't let his sexuality come in the way of his success. He worked hard and went after what he wanted, qualities that I personally find admirable in any character. Jamie, on the other hand, was still dealing with his confusing sexuality. He didn't really know who he was because while he did enjoy women and having sex with them, he can't deny that that the one experience that he had with his best friend, Wes, was life-changing and pretty epic. This was very much Jamie's story to discovering where he fit in the gender spectrum. I welcomed the fact that Jamie didn't waver about it though and didn't push away Wes because he was confused. One thing I appreciated about this storyline was how it wasn't convoluted or overly angsty. I'm aware that coming out and coming to terms with ones sexuality is not always the easiest, but I struggle with books that focus too much on the obstacles that may arise on that path of discovery. Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy kept the angst to a minimum which was one of the reasons why Him was such a successful book.

While Jamie's story about accepting who he really was was undeniably a focal point of Him, more than anything, this was a romance story between two guys who went their separate ways after a sexy, but awkward encounter. The romance part of this book was so wonderfully well-written. It was swoony, passionate, romantic and had me grinning from start to finish. Wes and Jamie were just so adorable together. I can't get over how much I loved these two together as a couple. Him was also very very very very sexy. I blushed so hard reading some of the sex scenes. I think it was an even more intense reading experience for me because this was my first time reading M/M love scenes. And seriously, they were very hot and dirty. These two authors clearly know how to write great love scenes. I also loved that Jamie and Wes' romance was, for the most part, drama-free - no stupid misunderstandings or miscommunication in this book! Jamie's big family was also one of the best parts of this book for me. Unlike Wes' family members, they were kind and supportive. I loved how enthusiastic they were about their son and when Jamie finally came out to them, they were nothing but supportive and showered so much love on both Jamie and Wes. Seriously, we need more family members as Jamie's family! The writing, was as you can guess, addicting and unputdownable! I loved the flow between the two POVs and I think Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy did a fabulous job co-writing this title.

Him is one of those books I just want every reader to read. It's a book that brings about lots of positive memories when I even think about it days after I've finished reading. With characters that are going to make you fall hard for them, a romance that will have you smiling in delight and sexy times that will induce some very dirty thoughts, Him is a book I'm not going to shut up about until all of you read it. So yeah, go forth and buy this baby!

Rating 

Cover : 4/5
Plot : 5/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5

Thank you to Nina Bocci, Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen for the e-ARC of Him.