Review: ★Him★ by @sarinabowen & @ellekennedy

Him
Genre: New Adult, MM Romance
Authors: Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
Release Date: July 28, 2015

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

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Jamie Canning was my first crush and my first love. But he was never mine to have.

So let’s see here; we have friends-to-lovers, second chance romance and GFY all mixed in with sizzling chemistry and humor. If that’s not enough to justify my 5 star rating, I dunno what is. Maybe I haven’t read an MM in a while, maybe I was exactly in the mood for a feel good and sexy MM romance? Whatever the reason may be, I loved this book to pieces. There was not one part of it I read where I didn’t either have a goofy grin on my face or felt like I needed to ice my ovaries. It was fabulous!

My weakness is him.

Ryan “Wes” Wesley and Jamie Canning have been friends for years. Some of their favorite memories came from the time they spent together at hockey camp, until the summer when they were eighteen when one night and one dare changed everything and Wes just disappeared from his life. Jamie never stopped missing his best friend or wondering what he did to push him away.

Wes has been in love with his very straight best friend for years. His mistake those four years ago made him turn away and not look back since. But he’s never forgotten Jamie or gotten over his feelings for him. Now chance brings them together again on the ice rink, and Wes will be dammed if he’ll just let him walk away from his life again. And if he happens to get his friend to look at him as anything more than just a buddy? Hey, hope springs eternal, right?

Maybe one day a switch would suddenly go off and he’d be like, hmmm, I’m totally into Wes. Or maybe he would figure out he swings both ways and decide to take a walk on the dude side.

I simply loved the interaction between Jamie and Wes. Their bond is so strong even after 4 years without speaking. I command the authors for making the transition to Jamie’s true sexuality as natural as it did. It was like the reader was discovering everything along with him and it just made it that much better. As for Wes? Don’t even get me started on that man. He was my favorite part about this book. He’s a rule breaking wise ass, but beneath the muscles and tattoos is a heart of gold. His feelings for Jamie were so heart melting and heart breaking, I just wanted to reach through my kindle and hug him.

There was so much to love about this book, the biggest being the banter between these two. It was utterly delicious.

…what two guys stand around describing their perfect sexual partner? Did we wander onto the set of Sex and the City? If so, I’m Samantha. Called it.”
“You know actual character names from Sex and the City? Shit, if you hadn’t told me you were gay, I would’ve figured it out just now.”

And if you’re curious about the steam? Well let’s just say Him has just the right amount to make this story incredibly sexy on top of entertaining as hell! The sexual chemistry between Ryan and Jamie practically crackled with electricity. And when they finally get together?

We’ve been going at it every night like puck bunnies in heat this week. Pinch me. It’s like a blowjob relay race around here. And we’ve gotten really good at passing the baton

Ryan was such a fantastic hero as well. He’s such a tender heart, but it totally works for him. Together they just made a certain kind of sense. These are two guys that you’ll be rooting for from beginning to finish. I absolutely loved the way that Ryan is with his family and their quirkiness. Considering the cold detachment of Wes’s family, it was wonderful to have such a warm family dynamic on the other end.

If you’re looking for a fun and sexy NA MM romance, you really should look no further. Sabrina Bowen and Elle Kennedy together are a dynamic powerhouse and I only hope they have more books planned together for the future because I’d read them all without a second thought.

What do you want?” I ask. And I need him to be specific. This is a very dangerous game we’re playing. It will probably end in disaster. But if there’s a way I can prevent that, I will.
He moves further onto the bed, making room for me. Then he beckons. And there isn’t enough money, fame or fortune in the world to keep me from obeying.

Sarina
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Elle
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