★★★★★ Superhero by Eli Easton ★★★★★
Such a beautiful coming of age story with a perfect blend of emotional and sexual awakening. Happy, sad, warm, funny, special…
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The Blurb…
It’s not easy for a young gay artist like Jordan Carson to grow up in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where all anyone seems to care about in middle school and high school are the sports teams. But Jordan was lucky. He met Owen Nelson in the second grade, and they’ve been BFFs ever since. Owen is a big, beautiful blond and their school’s champion wrestler. No one messes with Owen, or with anyone close to him, and he bucks popular opinion by keeping Jordan as his wingman even after Jordan comes out at school.
Their friendship survives, but Jordan’s worst enemy may be himself: he can’t seem to help the fact that he is head-over-heels in love with a hopeless case—his straight friend, Owen. Owen won’t let anything take Jordan’s friendship away, but he never counted on Jordan running off to find a life of his own. Owen will have to face the nature of their relationship if he’s to win Jordan back.
So what did I think?
Such a beautiful coming of age story with a perfect blend of emotional and sexual awakening. Happy, sad, warm, funny, special…
What makes this book perfect are the characters, both of whom I just adored. It was wonderful to see the friendship grow between Jordan and Owen from the time they bond in the playground, starting a life-long friendship and this friendship develop into love.
Told in alternating POVs, we get insight into both boys/young men and a real sense of their thoughts and feelings. For Jordan it is very much about his love for Owen and the heartache he faces knowing friendship is all they will have. For Owen it is about his confused feelings and struggle to be the son his parents want.
I liked the way the story was told, with Owen always knowing that Jordan is gay and standing by his friend. He doesn’t let Jordan’s sexuality stand in the way of or change their friendship. This continues from the time of Jordan’s first admission to him (after a wrestle/kiss in the pool at age twelve) to Jordan’s final coming out at school when Owen’s sporting buddies pressure him about his friendship with a gay guy.
Sex plays a role, particularly as Jordan lusts after Owen, deeply attracted but knowing (well, thinking really) that Owen is straight. An “accidental” fumble in the pool when they are young, is still something Jordan thinks about years later… “I’d spun that one kiss in the pool into so many variations I could probably claim a Guinness World Record for Most Exhausted Fantasy.”. But it is one encounter much later that really sets the ball rolling for changing their lives.
The story is an emotional roller coaster from hilarious one minute,“Holy sexual paradise, Batman, I was so fucking glad I was gay!” to weepy, within the space of a paragraph or two! “The reality sunk in. I would never had Owen like that again. An intense, burning pain spread through my chest. It was so strong it took my breath away.
“It hurts,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry, Jordan.” He hugged me tighter. I could feel his tears on my cheek, but I had none of my own to give.”
I loved the strength of Owen, whether it was his support of anti-bullying at school or his strength in making the right decisions about his future with Jordan. His maturity when considering his options and making the choice to follow his heart gives faith that their future is secure.
I loved the pure love that Jordan had for Owen and I loved the way they both want the other’s dreams to come true – Jordan wants Owen to have a successful wrestling career and Owen wants Jordan to fulfill his artistic talent.
I loved the ending and the way the story was resolved. By the time I read the last chapter I had happy tears and was smiling stupidly at my Kindle!
For more information about Eli Easton and her books visit her website.
Buy Superhero from Amazon.