Novel Review: Almost Like Being In Love by Steve Kluger

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Perennial (HarperCollins)

Publish Date: 2004

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A high school jock and nerd fall in love senior year, only to part after an amazing summer of discovery to attend their respective colleges. They keep in touch at first, but then slowly drift apart.

Flash forward twenty years.

Travis and Craig both have great lives, careers, and loves. But something is missing .... Travis is the first to figure it out. He's still in love with Craig, and come what may, he's going after the boy who captured his heart, even if it means forsaking his job, making a fool of himself, and entering the great unknown. Told in narrative, letters, checklists, and more, this is the must-read novel for anyone who's wondered what ever happened to that first great love.

Something Specific:

Quotes:

• "Why do they entrust youth to kids?!” (Paperback, pg. 111)
• "'You’re the only one. No matter what happens, you’re the only one.’” (Pg. 147)
• "Being Travis was a full-time job, yet that never kept him from teaching me how to be Craig.” “Romance isn’t just about roses or killing dragons or sailing a kayak around the world. It’s also about chocolate chip cookies and sharing The Grateful Dead and James Taylor with me in the middle of the night, and believing me what I say that you could be bigger than both of them put together, and not making fun of me for straightening out my French fries or pointing my shoelaces in the same direction, and letting me pout when I don’t get my own way, and pretending that I if I play “Flower Drum Song” one more time you won’t throw me and the record out the window.” (Pg. 230)
• "'We make families of our own,’ Travis whispered in my arms on the last night we spent together. ‘It starts with you and me and then it spreads. And whatever happens, there’ll always be a part of me that’s part of you. No matter what.’” (Pg. 232)

The Cover:

I generally like this cover. It's simple and not embarrassing, which I like. The heart kind of bothers me, but it's not so bad. Overall it's pretty good, nice, and fitting.

Review:

I love Steve Kluger’s writing. This is his third book that I’ve read, and while it is an earlier book, it was still so very good.

He writes in journals and notes and letters and scripts and all kinds of things. He goes back and forth between characters, and each characters is so fleshed out, so easy to love. Even when some of the characters don’t get along, or aren’t meant to be together even though they love each other, it’s hard not to like them. And there’s struggles, so honest and heartfelt, as the main characters get together, as you know they should because they’re perfect for each other, but even as you’re upset for them and the other characters, you’re still rooting for the happy ending. 

This was just a really good, cute book. It’s sweet and romantic and hilarious and honest. I don’t know if I’m going to pick up Kluger’s previous (and I think first?) book, because I’ve heard it’s a lot weaker than the other ones, but I still might get it at some point. While I continue hoping and wishing for Kluger to write something else.