Pages: 224
Published: 2011 Simon and Schuster
Date Finished: 17th August 2011
Rating: 5 stars *****
Oh how I loved this book. It has been such a long time since I have read an Alex Sanchez novel and an even longer time since I’ve read a LGBT novel and I must admit it was love at first page with his new novel Boyfriends with Girlfriends.
Synopsis:
Lance has always known he was gay, but he's never had a real boyfriend. Sergio is bisexual, but his only real relationship was with a girl. When the two of them meet, they have an instant connection--but will it be enough to overcome their differences?
Allie's been in a relationship with a guy for the last two years--but when she meets Kimiko, she can't get her out of her mind. Does this mean she's gay? Does it mean she's bi? Kimiko, falling hard for Allie, and finding it impossible to believe that a gorgeous girl like Allie would be into her, is willing to stick around and help Allie figure it out.
Boyfriends with Girlfriends is Alex Sanchez at his best, writing with a sensitive hand to portray four very real teens striving to find their places in the world--and with each other.
Review:
Right from the get go I was enthralled. I cannot remember the last time I wanted to stay up all night reading and I slipped so easily into the world Alex created that I felt like the characters were my best friends and I was sharing there triumphs and tribulations with them.
Let’s talk plot, which this book captivated me with. Bisexuality is something I have battled with for many years during my childhood, adolescence and presently now in adulthood. It doesn’t get any easier even with the world progressing and that’s what was explored in Boyfriends and Girlfriends. I was so glad that this wasn’t simply a straight forward story and that every character interacted and connected with each other to grow and to learn about tolerance and their own sexuality. The way Alex handled the topic of bisexuality was a breath of fresh air and even insightful to me, it made me consider opinions and questions I had never really asked myself as well as challenged my own beliefs and stigma of what it means to be Bisexual.
Never wavering from his talented style, Boyfriends with Girlfriends was an addictive read. I loved the way that the story flowed, making it an easy read. Not in the sense that it was dense, but I never had to stop to re-read or put the book down. Written in each characters perspective, I was never confused as to who was talking. The pacing of his book was brilliant, even though not much action happens we grow with the characters through their interactions and their feelings expressed both poetically and internally.
I adored every character, Lance with his nervousness, Sergio with his Latin flair and confidence, Allie with her beautiful personality and Kimiko with her passion for writing and being true to herself. Every character was a joy to experience through the hardships and the smiles. It’s one thing that keeps me coming back for more of Alex’s novels and something so fundamentally important to my reading experience. In saying that I do believe that Alex relied a little on stereotypes when describing his characters, but once I got past that issue it was well forgotten.
So much of this book is relatable to my own experiences and I appreciated that so much. When you’re reading it, it feels as it is happening to you and the realistic nature of the novel shines so much truth on the subject that I really believe that people who are uneducated about Bisexuality will gain a lot of valuable insight into it.
Apart from being serious at times, the hilarious light hearted nature of the novel was what really won me over. Don’t get me wrong there are some intense issues and situations that occur, but it is the personal character growth in themselves and towards each other that made this book so freaking fabulous. Boyfriends with Girlfriends is definitely a book to be read.
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