Something Like Summer by Jay Bell

Book 5 started, Book 5 finished

Something Like Summer by Jay Bell

Published by the Author, 2011

I finished this book a couple days ago and I’ve been thinking about it since.  In some ways I really liked this book, in other ways I wanted to throw my kindle across the room the characters annoyed me so much.

There are really two stories in this book, a story of teenage romance between an openly gay 16yo and a closeted 17yo.  Then there is the story of a college student, a flight attendant and an adult relationship.

The book opens with a story between Ben and Tim – two high school students in a wealthy Houston suburb.  One had distant, disinterested parents and the other had exceptionally permissive parents.  They went to a school where apparently few teachers cared if they attended class and they pretty much did as they pleased.  Their story was fun and cute and it somewhat reminded me of how new, shiny and wonderful love was as a teenager.

Ben behaved occasionally like a dumb kid but sometimes he became this super kid who hold the world exactly how things were going to be and how people were going to behave – and the world did as instructed.  Tim as a typical jock stuck between wanting to conform and wanting Ben.   And, it ended like most of our high school loves ended.  With anger, hurt, and shame.

The second story is the story of Ben and Jase.  Ben is now 20 and in College when he meets Jase, a 26yo flight attendant.   They fall in love, they fight, they make-up.  They do all the things a young couple do when starting their life out together.  All goes well for years until Tim comes back in Ben’s life ….

I didn't always get Jase and Ben as a couple but they worked.  I didn't always believe them as a couple – some of the years went by pretty fast – but still it seemed to work.

In the end, I enjoyed the book.  It didn't end the way I hoped and I didn't end the way I feared.  Like I mentioned, I've been thinking about it for a couple days now.  

It wasn't until the end that I realized this is the first in a series of books telling the story from different perspectives.   This one was Ben’s perspective.  The next is Tim’s story.  I’m still on the fence about reading it.

3 Stars.