Meet Wes and Jamie


Yeah... about those '90s romance books with a topless man on the cover that I sooo was not into — scratch that. Different writing style, maybe. But topless cover all the same? Check. I'm reading them! The covers here on the page are the safe-for-work versions.


Him — The short verdict is, ever since I got these two books, I can no longer let anyone use my phone or iPad without my supervision. "Oohh... you have books about hockey!" Nooo... Do. Not. Open. That.

Him is about Wes and Jamie who've been best friends at a hockey camp since they were 13. One shootout bet when they were 18 had left Wes feeling guilty and ghosting Jamie for the next four years. Wes has a secret: he's been in love with Jamie since they were 13. Not only is he not telling Jamie this because he's still figuring the world out, Jamie is also straight.

Now in their senior year, with professional hockey waiting the following year, they are both playing for their respective colleges at the Frozen Four. By this time, Wes is going by don't ask don't tell with his sexuality. Seeing Jamie again rekindles the feelings that Wes has been keeping from him. The two have a friendly meeting, but clearly the friendship has changed.

With the intention to apologize, Wes takes up a coaching job at their old hockey camp that summer, tracking Jamie, who has been coaching there every summer since the last four years. They talk about their last summer there, and Wes tells Jamie that he's gay. Jamie says he's not even angry about their shootout bet. He's only angry for being ignored for four years. So things are sorted out, and they are friends again.

Then something happens. Again.

On one night out in town, Jamie drunkenly kisses Wes, basically confessing his attraction towards Wes, shocking them both. And that... escalates, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, because what's the point now if it doesn't.

They promise to end whatever it is they are having by the end of the summer because they are going to different cities soon, and Wes doesn't want his rookie season to be about being the first out NHL player. I googled this and yes, as of today, there is no openly gay player in the NHL?!

By the end of the summer, they both realize how difficult it is to end the relationship. Without telling Wes, Jamie, who's not so keen on being the third goalie in Detroit, has been looking for a coaching job in Toronto, where Wes will be playing. When he lands an interview and tells this to Wes, Wes leaves abruptly, leaving Jamie broken-hearted.

A week later, while half-accepting the fact that they are never getting back together, Jamie tracks Wes down in Toronto to tell Wes that he's accepting the coaching job there anyway, and that the summer they had was not just a fling to him. Well, Wes has already been in love with Jamie for only nine years, so he just has to be in the same room with Jamie for his wall to crumble. So they get back together but decide to stay hidden, except to Jamie's family, until the end of Wes's rookie season.

This book and Us make me laugh and swoon.


Us — It's six months into Jamie and Wes's life in Toronto now. Living together is great, if they have time for it, but the closet sucks. On top of that, they now have Wes's teammate Blake who's never heard of the word "space" moving upstairs. The hiding gets trickier. Once, they meet at a bar with their own group of co-workers, pretending not only that they are straight but also barely know each other. Jamie is especially lonely at home, with no friends, as Wes is on the road a lot.

While Wes is having a great rookie year, Jamie is having a rough time at work. He has a douchey co-worker who uses homophobic slurs all the time, and the junior team he's coaching keeps losing. He's also not making that much money and secretly hates himself for letting Wes pay for a lot of their expenses.

Things get rougher when Jamie gets sick for weeks. A photo of Wes kissing Jamie at the hospital hits the internet and the hockey world, and now they both have to deal with the chaotic and intrusive aftermath. This pushes Jamie into an even unhappier place and puts tons of heat on Wes, on and off the rink.

An altercation with his douchey co-worker is also putting Jamie's job at risk. Jamie returns to his family in California to rest for a week. With their current rocky state, Wes sees this as Jamie leaving him. Following a TV interview — where Wes is asked about hockey, his distant relationship with his parents, and his love for Jamie — Jamie realizes how tough this is for Wes too. He also realizes how much he wants to spend the rest of his life with Wes. So he flies to the city where Wes is playing and proposes to him. By the end of the book, things are looking up for them — Jamie does not lose his job, they don't have to hide anymore, and they've also started making friends.

These two books are going to be my favourites for a long time. I even got them on Audible as well that — in the words of Ryan Wesley — I practically don't even recognize myself anymore.


Image: sarinabowen.com
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