First Impressions

Apr 16, 2012 MandyM rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance

3.5 stars. Definitely one of my favourites of the new gay fiction style titles Dreamspinner Press has started publishing. This is a romantic comedy that is heavy on story and light on romance. Quite different from Christopher Koehler's previous romances, Rocking the Boat & Tipping the Balance.

Cameron is a complex character, 29 years old, working in retail and having an early mid-life crisis as he reflects on his past decisions and relationships and his future. His friends set him up to meet...more 3.5 stars. Definitely one of my favourites of the new gay fiction style titles Dreamspinner Press has started publishing. This is a romantic comedy that is heavy on story and light on romance. Quite different from Christopher Koehler's previous romances, Rocking the Boat & Tipping the Balance.

Cameron is a complex character, 29 years old, working in retail and having an early mid-life crisis as he reflects on his past decisions and relationships and his future. His friends set him up to meet Henry Hughes, former porn star and now business mogul, who is also searching for that perfect partner. But a bad first impression and misplaced pride keep the two men apart despite fate and friends regularly throwing them together.

The secondary characters are a lot of fun. I LOVED Thad and Van and also Cameron's Mum who gets some of the best lines in the book. I was quite ambivalent about Benton/Lady Fellatia. I wasn't sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy at the start and that confusion stayed with me for the whole book. The situation with Simon felt unfinished to me. Even though he was a bad friend I felt sad at the thought of his downfall. Erik's entry into Cameron's life seemed a bit too obviously contrived to bring the story to a climactic ending but at the same time it was easy to go along with as the catalyst for Cameron and Henry's HEA.

One of my pet peeves is present - imaginary sex scenes. It always seems to me that the author knows they need more connection between the MC's at that stage of the story but can't achieve it so they stick these overly-detailed, italicised, dream sequences in which just annoy me and do nothing IMO to increase the sensuality or sexual tension.

The underlying romance thread is fun but didn't sweep me away. I felt fond of Cameron and Henry but I didn't feel that desperate need to see them get together. That is what's missing for me in all these new gay fiction novels - that spark and breathless passion that characterises a great romance. I could talk about this story and the characters for ages (probably a good sign). I haven't even addressed Henry's character, but I don't like writing overly long reviews so I think I'll stop here. For me this book was a lot of fun, with engaging characters and a good story and I would recommend it to fans of contemporary gay romance/fiction.

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Nov 29, 2012 A.B. Gayle rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay-fiction

First up, this is gay fiction not m/m romance although a romance is at the heart of the book.

"First Impressions" is one of the best books I've read this year. There is so much going for it, if you drop your prejudices, look beneath the surface and think about what the author is saying.

It makes a number of statements on a number of levels clothed in witty, irreverent and scathing dialogue as befits a gay writer doing exactly what Jane Austen did many years ago.

It's fun picking the parallels with...more First up, this is gay fiction not m/m romance although a romance is at the heart of the book.

"First Impressions" is one of the best books I've read this year. There is so much going for it, if you drop your prejudices, look beneath the surface and think about what the author is saying.

It makes a number of statements on a number of levels clothed in witty, irreverent and scathing dialogue as befits a gay writer doing exactly what Jane Austen did many years ago.

It's fun picking the parallels with specific characters. They are there in essence, but at times the lines blur. For example, Simon is sometimes said to be the Wickham character, but really he reminds me more of Elizabeth's friend Charlotte and her marriage of convenience to Mr Collins aka Henry's Uncle Brenton. The master stroke was making his alter ego, the drag queen as a beautiful rendition of Lady Catherine.

Just as in the original, the secondary characters are seen through the eyes of the long suffering quieter pair, Elizabeth and Darcy, or in this case Cameron and Henry. Their friends' frivolities and flaws stand out in marked contrast to the latter's more conservative behavior.

True, the antics can be at times over-the-top, because deep down the POV character, Cameron, makes no bones about the fact he's gay and allows the stereotypical acerbic gay wit to sneak through.

Some of the scenes in the book are priceless. Take for example the early scene in the diner where the four men have gathered on Cameron's birthday. Their sniping dialogue is very well done.

Reading this requires you to look underneath words and concentrate more on what characters do. Those with good hearts may on the surface appear bratty, selfish and out of control but that is often a front donned to protect themselves from the judgemental pricks of (and in) society.

There's also a very serious, thought-provoking discussion on what makes the perfect partner. Present are Cameron's mentors, Brent and Aspen (aka Mr and Mrs Gardiner) and Darren (aka Mr Bingham) The criteria of choosing the Ideal Husband hold true for anyone of any gender, and the answer may surprise some people. I have no doubt that the arguments presented here reflect the author's own beliefs, judging by his record of nearly twenty years of happy marriage.

All I'd like to know is if Darren ends up with Thad or Van (or both maybe) that would be a perfect match.

So, if you've been put off reading the book because of negative reviews, do yourself a favor and read it without prejudice because I think the author should be proud of what he's written.

Mind you, you don't have to have read Pride and Prejudice to enjoy the story, and I'd forgotten hearing about the link until half way through. This link explains some plot roughness as characters are used to mirror the original. But overall, it is a comedy of manners of our time, a sarcastic take on the society it's set in and a collection of some really memorable characters.(less)

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Sep 01, 2012 Fehu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: second-chances, sex-industry, physical-smaller-tops, good-sexual-tension-mm, genre-m-m-contemporery, genre-humour, gay-couple-with-children, enemies-to-lovers

A charming story, which I put in my rereads file. I liked this adaptation to Pride and Prejudice, quite a bit. While some of the elements from Pride and Prejudice were visible it had enough of it's own that it's not just a gay version of an old classics.The book focused on the plot and characters rather than on sex( and I was afraid of that, after reading, that one of the main protagonists was a retired porn star). I liked the characters and they did have to grow up a bit or at least learn that...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Chris rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: gay, ebook, romance, 2012, done

Good m/m romance about a former porn star (now a mostly respectable businessman) who makes a terrible first impression on the store clerk he finds attractive. Of course, the store clerk is simultaneously making a terrible first impression on him, too... and things don't really improve between them from there.

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Apr 12, 2013 Monika rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, mm-romance, mm-humorous

Review posted on World of Diversity Fiction

I really enjoyed this story, it was hilarious and sweet with a great cast of characters. There was an ex porn star, a quirky cross dressing “uncle”, female impersonators, wacky but faithful friends, an annoying mother (of course) a troubled young boy and his uncle who becomes his guardian.

I loved Cameron, a young man that desperately wants to make it on his own but somehow he’s not able to get ahead. Enter his friends they try to set him up with a very...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Penny Wilder rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, favorites, dreamspinner-press, m-m-romance, net-galley-reviews, romance

Penny's Rating: B +

If someone had told me before I offered to review this book for Net Galley that First Impressions was a gay contemporary romance novel that follows the plot of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I would have told you that there was no way that would work as a novel. So I am glad I didn’t know that when I started reading. You would think that the title, First Impressions, which was Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice would have tipped me off, but no. Perhaps I was d...more Penny's Rating: B +

If someone had told me before I offered to review this book for Net Galley that First Impressions was a gay contemporary romance novel that follows the plot of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I would have told you that there was no way that would work as a novel. So I am glad I didn’t know that when I started reading. You would think that the title, First Impressions, which was Austen’s original title for Pride and Prejudice would have tipped me off, but no. Perhaps I was distracted by the yummy shirtless man painted on the cover, but I was a few chapters into the novel before I noticed the familiar Austen plot. Yes, I am an Austen fan, and P&P is one of my favorite novels of all time. I do not think you have to be a Austen fan to enjoy Mr. Koehler's novel, but for me, being a fan of all things Austen added a whole other level of enjoyment to Koehler's tale.

The characters that Mr. Koehler created for this tale are endearing and hilarious, and work beautifully in their roles as P&P characters. Cameron, who takes the part of Elizabeth Bennett, and Henry, who plays a very well endowed ex-porn star version of Mr. Darcy, are prefect in their roles. Their encounters are both wonderfully awkward, and increasingly adorable as their attraction for each other builds, but neither has the courage to admit their true feelings.

As for the rest of the Austen's characters, Koehler made brilliant choices and created some really funny character's as a result. Who would have ever though that Lady Catherine could be a wealthy porn empress drag queen? Or that Wickham could work as a slut friend and meth user? Or that Mr. Collins could be a crazy gangster who takes Cameron along for a drive-by shooting while on a date? Plus, don't even get me started on the hijinks of Cameron's completely inappropriate roommates and best friends, aka the Bennett sisters.

More than anything else, I loved the fact that even though I knew the overall plot of the novel, Mr. Koehler's tale continually surprised me. He managed to write an amazing modern-day version of one of my favorite novels, plus it's humorous, and to top it off, unlike an Austen novel with its sexual tension and longing glances, this tale has some pretty hot sex as well! This is a must read for any M/M fan who loves Jane Austen. Thank you Mr. Koehler, and if you ever decide to tackle a re-telling of Persuasion, I am so there.(less)

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May 09, 2012 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-gennieg, publishersent

Gennie's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

I both love and hate books that leave me wanting much more at the end! (I want to read more about Henry and Cameron right now!) First Impressions by Christopher Koehler was just such a book for me. The plot is both fairly simple and quite complex, but it boils down to just how flexible the characters are when someone makes a horrible first impression.

Henry really blows it when he meets Cameron from the first time and Cameron just can’t seem to get over i...more

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Apr 28, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is challenging. I like it better as a novel than a romance, if that makes sense. Cam is so bull-headed about everything that you want to smack him upside the head many, many times. He judges everyone - especially Henry - by his initial analysis of them, and after so much time passed...it got old. First Impressions does involve the two falling in love, but it's more about Cam realizing that he has had his stupid blinders on the whole time.

That being said, some parts were totally hilari...more

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Apr 21, 2012 Serena Yates rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

This is one of those books that utterly fascinate me yet drive me up the wall because the main characters just don’t get it. This story contains misunderstanding after misconception, interpretations of events that are clearly incorrect (with readers-sight as well as hindsight) – in other words, this novel feels like a slice of real life to me. Cameron and Henry get off on the wrong foot – ad stumble through the rest of the book clearly fascinated with each other (even if they’d never admit that)...more This is one of those books that utterly fascinate me yet drive me up the wall because the main characters just don’t get it. This story contains misunderstanding after misconception, interpretations of events that are clearly incorrect (with readers-sight as well as hindsight) – in other words, this novel feels like a slice of real life to me. Cameron and Henry get off on the wrong foot – ad stumble through the rest of the book clearly fascinated with each other (even if they’d never admit that) but unable to get over their ‘first impressions’ to reassess the other in the light of day and taking into account the fact that both of them are only human.

Cameron is a bit of an idiot. He wants to be independent from his rich parents, which is fine, but he really does bite his nose off to spite his face. He struggles along, working retail while dreaming about going to college. When he runs into Henry at a party, he is very attracted to him but the man treats him like crap, and that first impressions sticks with him throughout the rest of the book. Thanks to his friends, who believe he and Henry were meant to be together, he keeps meeting him, but the process of recognizing his own mistakes is slow and painful.

Henry has a ton of issues. He used to be a gay porn star, and has been fighting to get away from being objectified for ten years. Even running a successful business hasn’t truly set him free, and his one wish, to find a life partner, still eludes him. When he meets Cameron, Henry thinks he may be a wish come true, but the subsequent misunderstandings are almost too much to deal with. Thank God Henry is as stubborn as Cameron! Just a little more actually, and far more forgiving as well.

If you like a ‘slice of realty’ in your stories, if main characters with definite flaws interest you, and if a troubled start to a relationship is something you like reading about you may like this book as much as I did.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on QMO Books.
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Apr 17, 2012 Ami rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-contemporary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really don't like giving less than my standard 3-stars rating. Honestly. Not because I want to spare the author's feeling, but because I think whatever attempt to actually create/produce something should be commended somehow. Even with movies, I apply the same thing. So, it pains me to give this 2-stars rating, especially since I like Mr. Koehler's stories before.

Here are the reasons why this one doesn't work for me

+ The MCs, Henry and Cameron, and their supposed-tell-to-find-love are left to...more I really don't like giving less than my standard 3-stars rating. Honestly. Not because I want to spare the author's feeling, but because I think whatever attempt to actually create/produce something should be commended somehow. Even with movies, I apply the same thing. So, it pains me to give this 2-stars rating, especially since I like Mr. Koehler's stories before.

Here are the reasons why this one doesn't work for me

+ The MCs, Henry and Cameron, and their supposed-tell-to-find-love are left to be desired. I find them unspiring. Henry and Cameron spend most of their time in the book to be with their friends rather than actually interacting. So they meet a couple of times, without really talking or connecting, and I suppose to believe that they start to have feeling for each other, which results in a couple of imaginary sex scenes (totally NOT one of my favorite things in stories), and then fall in love? Uhm, no, sorry. That doesn't work for me.

+ The secondary characters are actually more interesting compared to the MCs. Henry's friend, Darren or Cameron's friends, Van and Thad, and even Cameron's mother, Herculine (!) ... they seem to have more fun and more alive than either Henry and Cameron. A story where secondary characters steal the spotlight from both the MCs, where I actually prefer reading about them than the MCs, is never a good sign for me, particularly.

+ The plot with one of Cameron's friends, Simon, is one that I don't find important. So Cameron said he had a crush on him. I couldn't understand why, exactly. Plus Simon seemed to be a condescending character. It'll be nice to actually have Cameron and Henry interact rather than reading about how Cameron thinks about Simon (see point #1).

+ Similar with the plot with Cameron's nephew, Erik. See point #1 and #3

+ Oh, and I'm also so very annoyed with how Cameron calls his own mother, That Woman. Once or twice, it sounds funny. But not 67 times!!! And I counted this using my Adobe Reader search function. Reading 67 reference of "That Woman" in dialog or description is aggravating for me.

This story might work for other readers, and I always think you should make up your own opinion. But this is definitely a disappointment for yours truly.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Sherry rated it 3 of 5 stars

June 1, 2012 update-

I have had a chance to think about it and I think just listing likes/dislikes will work best for me.

Likes:
Van and Thad-absolutely hilarious. While they would be beyond annoying in RL, their antics and dialogue made me LOL several times.
Plot-a retired porn star. Wonderful! A new idea!
Romance-it wasn't insta-love.
Darren-both MCs had at least one side-kick!

Dislikes:
Characters-not fully fleshed out and rather flat. Something missing in the descriptions.
Editing-words misspelled an...more

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Apr 22, 2012 Gennie Gee rated it 4 of 5 stars

I both love and hate books that leave me wanting much more at the end! (I want to read more about Henry and Cameron right now!) First Impressions by Christopher Koehler was just such a book for me. The plot is both fairly simple and quite complex, but it boils down to just how flexible the characters are when someone makes a horrible first impression.

Henry really blows it when he meets Cameron from the first time and Cameron just can’t seem to get over it. Granted, Henry said so REALLY horrible...more

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May 06, 2012 Lasha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: jessewave, kids

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.75 stars

This is the first book I have read by Mr. Koehler. First Impressions asks the question: does a first meeting really matter or can a bad first impression be excused in the wake of an apology? Meddling friends think Henry Hughes and Cameron Jameson would be prefect for one another and they set-up an encounter at a party. Unfortunately, Henry is a complete and utter jerk to Cameron when they are introduced and any attraction the two men might have for one another is quickly dispelled by H...more 3.75 stars

This is the first book I have read by Mr. Koehler. First Impressions asks the question: does a first meeting really matter or can a bad first impression be excused in the wake of an apology? Meddling friends think Henry Hughes and Cameron Jameson would be prefect for one another and they set-up an encounter at a party. Unfortunately, Henry is a complete and utter jerk to Cameron when they are introduced and any attraction the two men might have for one another is quickly dispelled by Henry’s attitude. Problem is Henry and Cameron keep running into each other and the more they see each other, the more they like each other. So, Cameron has to decide if the first impression he had of Henry is the real Henry or should he take a chance on the other man?

There were things I liked about this book and things I felt needed some work. I will start with the things I enjoyed, mainly the secondary characters like Cameron’s mother. She’s hysterical and nearly takes over the book in her scenes. Some of the funniest moments in the book center around her. Add in the comedy duo of Cameron’s wacky roommates — I saw them as a male version of Three’s Company (and if you are too young to remember that TV show, Google it. :geek2: ) — and the laughter quota is high.

But while I enjoyed those elements, I felt the more important characterizations of Cameron and Henry didn’t work. As the main love interests, while they certainly had chemistry once they got together, the long build-up with Henry being such a jerk to Cameron and Cameron stewing over it, dragged their romance down to almost non-existent. Their “accidental” meetings were short and brief, and in my estimation did nothing to explain to the reader why the couple should be together. Unfortunately, the romance came a little too late for this reader. Plus, those wacky roommates I mentioned? They and the other secondary characters, which I did like, took over a good portion of the book, so at times I felt it was their book and not Henry and Cameron’s. While I love a good secondary sub-plot, there were just too many unnecessary characters vying for screen time which took me away from the budding romance of Henry and Cameron, the main reason I read an m/m book.

However, despite these issues, I could see the potential in this book. The humor was not forced, and had me chuckling out loud on a few occasions. And since I feel humor is one of the more difficult genres to write, I give Mr. Koehler high praise for pulling that off successfully. While I cannot give First Impressions a full recommendation, I will check out more of this author’s books based on my initial impression of this one.

Reviews by Jessewave
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Jun 02, 2012 Angela rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was sure that I was going to really like this book since I really liked the Cal Pac series that the author wrote, but that wasn't the case. It was good don't get me wrong, but it just wasn't what I was expecting. I liked Cameron well enough, he seemed like he was trying to get it together. Henry was at first a real jerk until we got to know him. All though why we had to read about him being a former porn star every time it mentioned him was beyond me. I mean I get it all ready he hates his for...more

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Jun 19, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, gay

Very wittily written, which I found alternatively refreshing and just a wee bit over the top. Then again, several of the supporting characters were a bit over the top, so didn't feel out of place. The author's voice is rather different from the CalPac books, but I appreciate the variety. This isn't the CalPac milieu; good that it doesn't sound like it.

I did have to remind myself that the characters who provide our point of view have chips on their shoulders, and don't exactly see things for what...more

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May 06, 2012 Becky Mrs Condit Reads Books rated it 4 of 5 stars

Oh, no! You did not just say that! Those were my thoughts constantly while reading this book. Christopher Koehler’s FIRST IMPRESSIONS is a study in making horrible first impressions.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS is completely different from Mr Koehler’s previous book about a college rowing team, and demonstrates his versatility in writing. He can’t be pigeonholed into one style or one series, and I’m left wondering what other fantastic books do he and his muse have waiting for us? I love romcom and read fa...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Kristy Maitz rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointments

We got very confusing plot in this book. Fist we got Cameron who is secretly in love with his friend Simon; and we got Henry who played in some erotic movies when he was student. The story is jumping from one character and his life situations to another character and his life situation. Sometimes they even meet.

As a reader, the plot did not pull me and too many friends are thrown in the picture so both main characters are somehow lost inside it. When Henry and Cameron come together as a couple...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-them

This was hard to rate for me because it wasn't like most of the books I usually enjoy. I found this book to be too long and drawn out, but very entertaining. I think I probably would have stopped reading during the first half if I wasn't laughing so much at the stupid or quirky things happening throughout the book. This is just one of those books that is so crazy its great, especially the characters and their dialogue. So even though I was bored at times, I never once thought about putting the b...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Christina rated it 2 of 5 stars

The story seems like a spin off of Pride and Prejudice (one of my most favorite books of all time) but I find that the characters here have little in common with the ones in Jane Austin's book, but for the shallowest ones, that were prolly there just to give an idea which chara of the book is which from Austin's. The end result is a difficult story for me to relate to all its characters except Henry since he was the only one that resembled one of Austin's characters the most in contrast to Camer...more

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Apr 16, 2012 Kiki rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: humor

2.5 This romantic comedy is a mixed bag more me. Some of the humor worked well for me, other parts fell flat. The many allusions to "Pride and Prejudice" were amusing to note, and the wild stories Cameron came up were fun. Where the book really came up short, though, was with getting me emotionally involved. None of the characters or situations were remotely "real" to me, and none engaged my emotions. I just didn't care very much about them, so the read was purely an intellectual exercise, and a...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Alex rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, review-copy, queer, contemporary

Overall
This novel will not be for everyone, or even maybe for most people. While the writing itself isn't bad, the characters and the plot leave plenty to be desired. The one main character especially rubbed me the wrong way, but that may be personal preference. It's possible this was meant to be a more humorous story, and some may find it that way, but my dislike of the one main character and his friends, along with the inconsistency of how the character portrayals, left me not laughing as the...more Overall
This novel will not be for everyone, or even maybe for most people. While the writing itself isn't bad, the characters and the plot leave plenty to be desired. The one main character especially rubbed me the wrong way, but that may be personal preference. It's possible this was meant to be a more humorous story, and some may find it that way, but my dislike of the one main character and his friends, along with the inconsistency of how the character portrayals, left me not laughing as the story fell flat.

That said, this wasn't a hard book to read, either. It has a good pace, and there is almost always something happening that keeps things moving. For readers who don't mind ridiculous characters and who like the 'big misunderstanding' trope, this may be just the thing.

Review
The biggest weaknesses in this book stem from the characters. My initial thoughts on Cameron weren't that bad, although I questioned his taste in friends. V+T are irresponsible, loose cannons who think everything is a joke. They overreact to simple situations, are pushy and flamboyant, and got under my skin. At least for the first half. In the latter part of the book, they become more responsible, only retaining fragments of themselves, while Cameron becomes the reckless one.

In general, Cameron's first appearance presents him as a responsible adult who is surrounded by irresponsible friends (aside from one of them) and who made decisions to be independent that have put him in the situation he's in now. I liked the Cameron we were given, but as the story unfolds, he changes and the perspective about him changes, which could have been done on purpose by the author to show that what we first saw wasn’t all there was to him, but in general made me dislike him as a character and made me question whether we were finding out new facts or if the old facts were changing.

Henry is a more consistent character, although his hatred/obsession with his history as a porn star gets a little tiring. However, I can understand that people get that way about something they are ashamed of, plus his 'uncle's' involvement probably amplifies the negative experience Henry had. Despite his grumpiness, I rather liked Henry and the friendly relationship he has with his comic foil. They balance each other out, and the foil keeps Henry from being too much of a stick in the mud.

The general plot and back and forth of the characters had some interesting elements, but in general it dragged out the telling. Many things kept happening, getting in the way of the two main characters, which meant for a quickly paced book, but I lacked motivation to really care about the characters and their end results. So while the multiple "But wait, another twist!" events kept the story moving, they only helped with the enjoyment slightly.

It's an easy story to read, and while there was plenty I didn't like, it was quick, making it oddly enjoyable. It's like a cheesy, sorta bad movie that makes you roll your eyes and laugh once and a while. Not something I'd outright recommend, but will probably be to some people's tastes.

Requested this book for review.
Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Thomaidha Papa rated it 3 of 5 stars

First Impressions is a contemporary adaptation of Pride and Prejudice that follows the main character Cameron Jameson as he deals with e very peculiar “Mr. Darcy” in this story named Henry Hughes.
Cameron comes from a wealthy family and after he reached 19 he decided to leave that wealth behind him a “make it on his own”. That didn’t go well for him however as 10 years later he works in retail while he has no achievement to account for. In addition to that he has no boyfriend and he desperately...more

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May 20, 2012 Torsten rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-have

4.5*

A really entertaining story!
I had some reservations on the 'That Woman' (aka mother) character but in the end it turned out I liked her as well.
All in all a well written story. Can't wait to read the next by this author.

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May 14, 2012 Alicia rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-romance, e-books-kindle

This one just wasn't for me. The constant back and forth between the MC's was just exhausting, and I eventually lost interest in whether they would end up together or not. I did love the best friends though. They were just too cute. That's about the only redeeming part of the book for me. Bummer.

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Apr 29, 2012 Tame rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: re-read-favorites

fairly enjoyable read, but this was a book where the secondary characters shined WAY more than the main characters, which threw me off, but in a good way.

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May 03, 2012 Bogusia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved absolutely everything about this book, hit all the right spots for me :)
I'm agreeing with Gennie Gee, Mr.Koehler, please consider writing another book about Henry and Cam!

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Apr 20, 2012 Elspeth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: twenty-twelve, own, mm

Very fun read, in some parts it didn't flow very well but all in all its a good book.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 22, 2012 Wusswoo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really cheered up my miserable weekend! Must read more by this author.

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Apr 24, 2012 CarrieAnn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-on-blog

check out the review on http://smoochersvoice.blogspot.com

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Sep 07, 2012 Suze added it

A fun read! I liked this 'pride and prejudice' style story probably as I like the original a lot! The writing kept me fully in the story.
Henry is just in need of someone to see him and not his previous alter-ego.
Cameron is too desperate to get a steady man and needs to relax more!
The secondary characters veered between entertaining and annoying, especially That Woman and Benton. And whilst he wasn't likeable, I did worry for Simon. I wanted the story to go on a bit longer - what happened with S...more

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First Impressions

Friend Reviews

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Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (2)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

Books by Christopher Koehler

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About First Impressions

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Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (2)