This Is Why They Hate Us

by Aaron H Aceves

[lessthelonely]

OK, I'm going to be real right off the back, this book definitely has some writing hiccups. I remember finding the first few chapters' writing to be quite... to much. As in: they read like the author trying very hard to let us know that the main character is still a teenager, for all intents and purposes. But the main character does find his voice quite fast - or you at least get used to their monologue.

You'd be surprised to know I'd call this book uneventful. It's an already established first-love / unrequited love type of romance that has the main character trying to branch out of liking this one dude and with that being able to get over him. Bring the neverending angst.

I must admit I ate every word of the angst up. There is nothing that gets me going like unrequited love because it's what my love life tends to look like - either that, or flat out rejection, which also gets me pretty invested in romance. But the things that sell this book is the way I, a fucking 21 year old already, could see my sexual experiences and first indulgences into gay culture here.

And yes, gay culture does include hookup culture. I found it jarring just how much I could relate to the main character's first guy who makes him feel used, first guy who actually cares to make him feel well and first guy who actually likes him. My one caveat is that the ending felt a little bit forced. This is a romance - if you read in this genre, then you know what that means. While I was expecting it, it felt a little bit like a 180, and I would've liked a more noticeable and gradual change or even some sort of shenanigan that wasn't played off for laughs a little bit.

Either way, this has amazing representation, insanely relatable experiences and a way of writing that is incredibly easy to follow - you'll finish this in no time.