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Title: It Had to Be You by Timothy James Beck ISBN: 1-57566-889-0 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: October, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.12 (17 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Witty, romantic escapism.
Comment: Timothy James Beck's "It Had To Be You" has to be my favorite gay novel published this year. Many apartment hunters know that real estate is all about location, location, location and many gay novels follow that same rule, getting bogged down in the details of the setting. When Daniel Stephenson, Beck's main character, "tossed the tiara" and got a life by relocating to a new apartment in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, I not only cheered him on, but wanted to move there myself when I finished the book. Beck does such an amazing job of describing the locations used in Manhattan that I often felt transported to the lobby of Club Chaos, the streets of Hell's Kitchen or a lively brunch with Daniel and his larger than life Aunt Jen. Not only is Daniel Stephenson an introspective and endearing main character, but like the aforementioned Aunt Jen, Beck surrounds him with a cast of enjoyable supporting characters. Paternal best friend Ken, jocular and scathing Martin, caustic club owning Andy, lesbian financial vegan Gretchen, youthful and vibrant Sheila and the enigmatic stud Blaine make up a realistic and fresh "family" for Daniel. And who wouldn't want to be Aunt Jen's favorite nephew? Beck's characters are not the cookie cutter-stereotypes usually found in gay novels. Being gay is not always equated with camp. Lesbians are not flannel wearing man-haters. And straight people are certainly not the enemy. People are people in Beck's book, which is why the characters remain realistic. It Had To Be You is a charming journey for any reader, straight or gay, male or female, as it explores the modern definition of family, the rollercoaster ride of love and shows us positive ways to deal with the idiosyncrasies of life. Timothy James Beck is on my top shelf, along with Joe Keenan, Felice Picano, Ethan Mordden, Matthew Rettenmund and Christian McLaughlin. And I hope Beck's career grows and blossoms like a flower in Daniel Stephenson's garden.
Rating: 3
Summary: A good debut, promising author
Comment: I just finished this book yesterday. I bought it at the same time I bought Ben Tyler's "Hunk House" and of the two (despite Tyler's book being his second) this one definitely won.
The plot of the book and the character development were spotty, but the main character was definitely well developed. While the premise could have been anything, I think the author did a good job of fleshing out some issues that are real to many of us - changing careers, transitioning from the end of one relationship to the beginning of a new one, etc.
My major disappointments in the book were some of the plot choices (the token AIDS carrier, the snappy/bitchy dialogue and one-liners) and the cheeseball expression of love between the main character and his love interest. The only gay author I've ever read who was able to capture the expression of love between two fictional characters is Joseph Olshan in "The Nightswimmer" - the scene in this novel is, again, somewhat trite and cavity-inducing.
Either way, I did enjoy this book and look forward to the author's further literary exploits. Worth the read - but wait for the paperback.
Rating: 3
Summary: Entertaining but formulaic
Comment: How many gay-themed fluff novels about devastatingly attractive gay men in their 30s living in New York are there on the market? This is another of that genre. Written, in fact, by four authors (two named Timothy, one named James, and one named Rebecca), it's a fine beach-read and most entertaining. I realized this early on, so was not disappointed, and will read more of their output in time. But it's purely entertainment, not "lit-ra-chah," and if viewed as such, will be quite satisfying to the reader. If, however, you're looking for something more pithy, look elsewhere.
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Title: He's the One by Timothy James Beck ISBN: 0758203233 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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Title: Last Summer by Michael Thomas Ford ISBN: 0758204051 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: August, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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Title: The Night We Met by Rob Byrnes, Robert Byrnes ISBN: 0758201931 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: September, 2002 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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Title: Daytime Drama by Dave Benbow ISBN: 0758203861 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: June, 2003 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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Title: Boyfriend Material by Jon Jeffrey ISBN: 0758201028 Publisher: Kensington Pub Corp Pub. Date: November, 2002 List Price(USD): $23.00 |
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