September’s #UltimateReadingChallenge theme is a ‘Genre That Will Take You Out of Your Comfort Zone’. Him and Us by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy certainly did, and I loved every minute of this heartfelt series! 

~ Him ~

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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Well, ok…Wow!

Everyone has told me that Him is a ‘must read’, but unfortunately, it’s been on my TBR for what seems like a lifetime. I always claim to have no issues with reading ‘anything’, but quite honestly, I was really nervous about reading a male/male romance. That might seem close-minded, but I’m unfamiliar, and at the end of the day, I’m so glad that I read it. Actually, both books in the Him Series, Him and Us, proved to be very enlightening reads for me. They had everything I enjoy in a great sports romance, and Wes and Jamie’s story completely stole my heart!

I really adored Jamie and Wes’s characters! I admired that they shared such determination for their sport of hockey, and since they were best friends and had known each other for years, they had such an easy banter which was fun to follow. I really loved Jamie’s laid-back California style, which also transitioned very well to his acceptance of his feelings towards Wes. My heart went out to Wes and sympathized so much for his character’s struggle in having to hide who he was from the world.

Wes and Jamie both dealt with some tough topics in realizing and accepting their sexuality, as well as facing scrutiny of someone you love. Their characters were so real and relatable, making it impossible not to understand what it might be like to walk in their shoes. I also loved how Bowen and Kennedy conveyed so much passion into the stories with Wes and Jamie’s love for the game of hockey along with their love for each other, and their journey was so very romantic!

I’ve always loved Sarina Bowen’s writing, but I haven’t read Elle Kennedy’s writing until now. All I can say is that these lovely ladies did an incredible job writing this heartfelt story! Their wit and humor kept it a light and fun read, but at the same time they balanced it with such emotion.

This was a fantastic series! Us was every bit as great as Him, and I really enjoyed seeing Wes and Jamie’s relationship grow and evolve. I’m not sure of where I’ll go next with my new venture into male/male romance, but my mind is forever changed.

I highly recommend this series!

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Start the Him Series Today!

 

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What’s next in store for the #UltimateReadingChallenge???

October’s theme is ‘a book with your favorite trope’. Hmmm… What’s yours?

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Have you read m/m romance? Thoughts? Favorites?

Let me know in the comments below! 

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