First Impressions by C. Koehler

Oct 16, 2014 ~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: enemies-to-lovers, m-m, age-gap

~~~Buddy read with the gorgeous Sandi~~~

With a nudge and a wink to Pride and Prejudice, this book is wickedly funny and elegantly written.

First impressions are everything, and when Henry Hughes, retired porn star and wealthy owner of a luxury ski resort, makes the wrong one, Cameron, a child protege/college dropout currently working at an upscale retail store, wants naught to do with him.

Henry tries; oh, how he tries! But Cameron is judgmental and proud (both of which are, ironically, the very ...more

flag 22 likes · Like · see review

Apr 16, 2012 Ami rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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 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. ...more

flag 12 likes · Like · see review

Nov 29, 2012 A.B. Gayle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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 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. ...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2013 Audrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: man-love

I'm surprised to report that I enjoyed this story. True to its title, its first impression on me was not so great; I didn't really care for either MC and wasn't sure if I was even rooting for them to get together. Furthermore, they don't meet until the 5th or 6th chapter/maybe 15% into the book.

However, I actually enjoyed it. The characters take a nice, long journey from the awful first impressions they make to reconciling in the end as explanations and revelations re: character and motivations ...more

flag 4 likes · Like · see review

Jun 07, 2013 Nic rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mm, zz-amazon-yes, dreamspinner-purchased

This book was unusual for me as my opinion kept changing. One minute I was loving it, the next I wasn't so sure. In summary, I did enjoy the story and it's laugh-out-loud moments but a little more loving would have raised it just a notch.

The strengths of the book were the wonderful range of characters - most hugely over the top, especially Cameron's mother - and the humour throughout the story. This is one of those books with some great one-liners. I also adored Cameron's 'stories' about his fam This book was unusual for me as my opinion kept changing. One minute I was loving it, the next I wasn't so sure. In summary, I did enjoy the story and it's laugh-out-loud moments but a little more loving would have raised it just a notch.

The strengths of the book were the wonderful range of characters - most hugely over the top, especially Cameron's mother - and the humour throughout the story. This is one of those books with some great one-liners. I also adored Cameron's 'stories' about his family.

This is the story of two men who are looking for something more in their lives. Henry is an ex-porn star whose reputation seems to follow him everywhere. He is sick of being known for his huge 'endowment' and wants to find a special person to love him for himself. He is a successful business man and philanthropist.

Cameron has tried to be independent and make a life away from his crazy family. He didn't want to dependent on their money or connections but at twenty-nine, finds himself in a position where he is wondering where his life is going.

An unfortunate first meeting, where Henry insults Cameron based on a misunderstanding of what he thinks of Cameron, results in Cameron disliking Henry. But fate (and their friends) has a way of bring them together. As they keep running into each other, they are attracted and eventually realise they have both may have made a mistake in their first impression of each other.

Throw in some fabulous and strange friends, wacky drag-queen uncles, Cameron's outrageous mother ("Her son wasn't the marrying type") and a bratty teenager and there is lots of fun.

So where did it not come together for me? I think it was the romance angle. I wanted to see Henry and Cameron spend more time together and it just didn't happen. Because they weren't together, I also failed to see how their love developed. I guess I just wanted more love.

I definitely think some points are deserved for including character names such as porn star "Hugh Jerection" (corny as that may be) and a kid calling his uncle's gay friend's "Uncle Dickrider" and "Uncle Fudgepacker" and them just putting up with it!

3.5 stars

I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One! ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 18, 2012 Chris rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gay, done, romance, ebook, 2012

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. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Sep 16, 2013 Karl rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.25 stars. "Farce: a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations." This definition sums up it up for me nicely. And I don't mean that negatively at all. I would probably prefer this in a movie or TV show format rather than a book and but I did like it- the writing was fast-paced, funny and witty. ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 12, 2013 Monika rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: boys-who-love-boys, g-made-me-laugh-smile-melt

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

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 02, 2014 Caroline Brand rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014, m-m, reviewed-for-prism, 4-star-read

Henry Hughes is successful business man but is almost a recluse. Having made his money in the porn industry he is tired of people looking at him and seeing only his alter ego’ Hugh Jerection’. Yes he was in adult films, Yes he has a huge cock, No that isn’t who he really is and it pains him that people can’t see past it.
Cameron Jameson is crushing after his friend Simon who never notices him and IMO was a selfish ass. He has two flatmates that take up a lot of his energy but actually care about ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 21, 2012 Serena Yates rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gay

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 reader-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 – and stumble through the rest of the book clearly fascinated with each other (even if they’d never admit that) ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 24, 2012 Fehu rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

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

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 30, 2012 AliciaJ rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books-kindle, mm-romance

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. ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 29, 2012 Bogusia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

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! ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Penny Wilder rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

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 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. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 09, 2012 Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: publishersent, guiltypleasures-gennieg

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

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Gennie Gee rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Kristy Maitz rated it did not like it · review of another edition

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

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 16, 2012 Kiki rated it it was ok · review of another edition

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

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 15, 2012 Torsten rated it really liked it · review of another edition

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. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 16, 2014 Sandi ♥'s way too many M/M books rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mm-br-with-my-besties

3.5 stars Great writing but, really long it took me forever to read this. It kinda dragged a little for me in several places. But I enjoyed the story and the humor. Thank you to my beautiful Bestie Dani who finished this way faster than me on our Buddy Read.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2012 Elspeth rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mmr

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

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 15, 2014 Marte - Thunderella marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-mm, own-it-bought-not-read, publisher-dreamspinnerspress

Only $0.99 for today only.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/stor... ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2021 Jessi rated it it was ok

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I wanted to like this book, but in the end it was just okay. TO me, the plot felt pulled in too many different directions. This could have been a great enemies-to-lovers romance, but then there were the added layers of Cameron's family issues, his issues with Simon (and Simon's problems later once he is off with Benton), and his own struggle to figure out what is missing from his life. On top of that Henry had hi ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 29, 2021 Serena Yates rated it really liked it

Shelves: gay, read-2021

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 reader-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 – and stumble through the rest of the book clearly fascinated with each other (even if they’d never admit that) ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Apr 04, 2021 Danial rated it it was amazing

Note: Mentions of guns, drugs, kidnapping, running away, stealing and porn

This was an entertaining book from the very beginning. Honestly, I loved the drama inflicted by the secondary characters. It was nice to read a book that did not narrow in on the two MCs falling in love and ignoring everything else in the process. Van, Thad and even That Woman were amazing characters. What I enjoyed was how the author ensured that all supporting characters had a depth to them. In fact, the two MCs only end ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 26, 2021 Glissa Thompson rated it liked it

Overall: 3.5/5⭐️

It took me a decent amount of the book to get hooked but once I did I devoured this book!! In the beginning I felt like there was so many characters and so much going on, it was confusing. But boy did I fall for those characters. Henry was my absolute favorite! I do wish there was more time of them being an actual couple. Although I understand I’m just a sucker for the mushy love lol, and it wouldn’t have aided the plot in any way. Is there a sequel tho? Cuz if so I need more Hen ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 16, 2021 Stephen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: gay-reads, 3-read-for-review, 9-books-read-in-2021

Review to follow

...more

flag Like · see review

Jun 02, 2017 Z rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, romance

4 stars purely for Van, Thad, That Woman and Cameron's stories. ...more

flag Like · see review

May 21, 2012 Alex rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, queer, review-copy, 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 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. ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Lasha rated it liked it · review of another edition

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 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
...more

flag Like · see review