Review to come on more sources soon. ALSO WARNING SPOILERS.

I received this book from the publisher/tour host in exchange of an honest review.

My excitement was through the roof when I found out about this book. A sequel to one of my favourite books? Yes, so much yes! Then came a tour invitation for this book and I was crossing my fingers to be selected for a review + spot on the tour. I was! Sadly, because my review is 3 stars (and wasn't 90-100% positive), I couldn't share my review. But here we are. There were still tons of things good about this book, but sadly I was also disappointed. Things that didn't add up, the whys this book was written and why it couldn't be another reason (a nicer reason), too much pushing against things, wanting to be accepted yet also make remarks to others when they are in love. However there were also things that I loved. Becky, Ethan x Alek, Alek's grandma, more Armenian culture, the pacing was just fab. So while I am disappointed I am also happy that I had the chance to read this book.

I will be writing a good/not so good review.

Good:
-Seeing Ethan and Alek again! They are such a sweet and cute couple and I love how much chemistry is between them. This time a bit more tension as Ethan wants a bit more, and I can imagine that Alek is questioning if he should do it or not. Later on in the story we find out why Alek was mostly hesitant about the whole sex thing (then again, even without that reason, he is still 14... sorry, but I just think that is a bit young to make this big step).
-The delightful scene in which Ethan explains gay sex. It was 2 am and I was laughing, or well, trying not to laugh too loud as my fiance was sleeping next to me. Welp, I can never look at those foods normally again. Thank you Ethan, thank you Alek.
-Becky! I just adore this girl and I was delighted to see her get a boyfriend, and that guy even. Totally unexpected, but definitely cute and sweet.
-The Armenian culture/parents/the church. I love reading about different cultures and it was tons of fun reading about how the church worked, the stories that were told, the songs that were sung, but also see the food and how the parents are (a bit overbearing, but I just adore how supportive they are of Ethan and Alek). I can say that I was very hungry after reading this one, so many delicious sounding food that I hope to try out one day.
-Nik. Surprise! In the beginning I wasn't a big fan of Alek's brother but as the story continued he got more interesting and at the end he did something amazing.
-The cover! The first cover was fabulous + yellow, and this one is fabulous + blue. Oh, how I wish I could have both books together so I could see how lovely the contrast is. Sadly, no under 4.5 starred books allowed.
-The pacing. I just flew through this book. It took me about 2 and a half hours to read this one, and even with the things I hated/disliked, I couldn't stop reading. Just like the first book, this one sucks you in.
-Alek's grandma. What a sweet lady, and I couldn't help but laugh at how much she already knows. :P
-Something that I also love how well Alek is written in regards with his age. At times he feels a bit older, but generally he is indeed a 14, going on 15, boy figuring out life and all that happens in it.
-I am also so happy that Alek and Ethan can be out and proud. Sure, it isn't always easy, but it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside that they could hold hands and be together with tons of dates.
-The dates. I just loved it when they went to the big city and Ethan had arranged a whole day for Alek with all his favourite things and tons of romantic events.

And now for the not so good/bad things.
-Alek. Dramaqueen extra-ordinary. There were several scenes in which I found him overreacting way too much. When he found out about [spoiler] Ethan cheating I was nodding along, though I wish instead of running away he would have talked to Ethan. Then again, I know how it feels to be cheated on, so I can imagine running away is the first option.However later on there were other instances that had me rolling my eyes to the heavens. It was like a little child having a tantrum because he doesn't get his favourite thing.
-Then there was the whole crusade (as I would call it) against the church and what they stand for. Specifically LGBT, woman rights, abortion, etc.. I am a bi girl myself + a Christian, but I just couldn't connect at all with all the stuff happening, it was just too much and felt way too pushy. Plus, it was just unrealistic. Did Alek really think that just having one conversation with the Reverend and holding a little essay would change the vision and way of people? It is not that easy, and as for the church, those views have been around for thousands of years, they aren't going to change with just the snap of a finger or a little heartfelt essay, it would take many more essays, more conversations, more discussions, and more other things to maybe set a step towards a brighter future. It is as the Reverend said, he wants to change, but it isn't easy to steer a big ship like this to another direction. It will take years.
-Ethan. What the fuck was up with Ethan? From what I remember from the previous book Ethan was cheated on by Remi. Why the actual fuck would he cheat on Alek with Remi then? He was so adamant in the previous book that he would never cheat, as he knows how much that hurts. He even said this in the previous book: "After he disappeared, I promised myself that I would never date someone again unless it was just the two of us. It was too hard the other way." Given the acknowledgements at the end, it just feels like the author couldn't think of another way to have a wonderful couple break up and just went for the easy route of cheating. *rolls eyes*
Plus, I didn't like how pushy he was towards Alek regarding the sex thing and how he acted when Alek wasn't ready. He said he was OK with it, but how he reacted said a whole other thing, and I hate it when characters get pushy about something so important as this.
-Alek's parents. While supportive, they were also highly annoying with how overbearing and controlling they were. They constantly had a remark ready for every situation, and I am sorry, if it was my restaurant or my place and these people would come in and demand all sorts of silly things, I would ask them to leave.
-Becky. Or well, how convenient it was that Becky was always there when Alek needed her. Love advice? Becky is here. Anything else though... not so much. It was a shame. I would have loved to see the two of them do more without the need of love advice or other advice. Just them going out, having a fun time.
-The non-stop talk about hetero this and hetero that. I tried counting them, but it was just too late and I gave up. But I think it is a bit weird that a guy wants to be accepted for who he loves but then makes constant comments about heteros and heteronormative behaviour.
-How Alek was towards Becky's boyfriend. He was very aggressive, very angry, and he acted more like a dad rather than a best friend. It was kind of unnerving. And it really hit a low point when after another dramatic outburst he runs to Becky and instead of seeing that she is kind of steamy and busy with her new beau and just waiting until later, he demands she talks to him, and gives him attention. Um. Hello. No. That is not how friendship works.

So yeah, good and bad points. Still 3 stars as I still had quite some fun while reading it + I am quite happy to see the characters again.

So good! I absolutely loved it! My full review will be on my blog 'mylettersandwords' in just a few days! :)

I came across Hold My Hand by Michael Barakiva when I was browsing Netgalley, and the blurb piqued my interest. My request was accepted, and so I added the book to my reading queue.

Alek is an Armenian-American high school student. He has been dating Ethan for almost six months. Things are getting pretty serious, but Alek has reservations. He loves kissing Ethan, but he’s not sure if he’s ready for things to go further physically. Alek measures his life in terms of Before Ethan and After Ethan; he’s changed so much for the better because of this relationship, and he can’t imagine what would happen if it ended.

I grew up in Glendale, California, so I am well-versed in Armenian culture, and the over the top antics of Alek’s family had me laughing and laughing. They love Alek and accept that he’s gay, but they’re still pretty strict.

I have mixed feelings about Ethan, but maybe that’s because I’m a mother and I immediately saw Alek as my precious baby, and was thereafter suspicious of Ethan’s motives. I will give Ethan credit: for the most part, he is very respectful of Alek’s boundaries. Ethan is a little older than Alek, but he’s still a teenager, and teens can be impulsive. Ethan does seem genuinely remorseful for his mistakes, and makes a genuine effort to fix his mistakes. He definitely grew on me by the end of the book.

I would like to note that the blurb didn’t mention that Hold My Hand is a sequel to One Man Guy. I didn’t find out that there was an earlier book until after finishing this one, but Barakiva does such a wonderful job that I didn’t feel as though I was missing any information even though the book begins six months into Alek and Ethan’s relationship. Readers don’t necessarily have to start with One Man Guy, although I’m sure it would be more impactful to experience the whole emotional arc from Alek and Ethan first meeting and everything that happens thereafter.

I would absolutely recommend Hold My Hand. It’s going to resonate with the target demographic of YA readers because it captures the angst of growing up and first romance so well. This book has a nice blend of humor and angst, and I enjoyed my reading experience so much that I bought One Man Guy.

At the end of the book, Barakiva notes that he was inspired by a reader who proposed a sequel. I humbly submit that I would love to see Arno get his own book so that he can have his very own happily ever after.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

I think the Armenian element was the strongest aspect of this book. I found it to be a specific and evocative portrayal of a culture that I don't know very much about, although as a person growing up (and also being an adult!) female in the modern Orthodox Jewish world it felt very familiar to me: a religion and culture that is beloved and loving and also seems to come in conflict with values that are important to you.

The romance, however, felt less successful. Perhaps as a product of this being a sequel (although one which doesn't seem to be at all advertised as such, and for which the material of the first book was worked in extremely clumsily) I didn't feel invested in Alek and Ethan's relationship at all. So, while I understood it intellectually, I didn't really feel the impact of the cheating or their relationship drama, and it made it seem especially dramatic when Alek ran away through New York and basically spent three days sleeping he found out that Ethan had cheated. I was also notably weirded out by the age gap both between Arno and Alek (13/15), and between Ethan and Remi (15 and 18+, including a sexual relationship AND ONE that did not seem to have been explicitly consented to) and was disappointed that this element wasn't commented on at all, especially for the latter relationship. I know that Ethan's father was meant to be distracted and a bit obtuse, but come on! The university student you let into your home starts dating (I'm presuming he didn't know about the sex) your 15 year old son and you're cool with it? And Alek's parents - who are overprotective to the point of being pathological - are entirely charmed and not at all grossed out by this?

In general, I found the writing to be fairly awkward, and the pacing to be off. I also felt that the author had not created a complete world so much as a frozen background against which individual scenes might play. Becky, for example, is only a character so long as she's offering relationship advice to Alek. Once that roll is fulfilled, she's dropped from the story.

I think that this book could be valuable to teens struggling with reconciling aspects of their faith, whatever that might be, but as a piece of literature, I was underwhelmed.

In an agonizing prelude of the inevitable, Michael Barakiva takes us into the love adventures of two teenagers. Heart wrenching but optimistic, a story that overcomes the impossibility of forgiveness even in the most extreme cases.


This sequel conserves the essence of the first book, and I am talking about the Armenian traditions and Michele's uniqueness of speech. Alek is different from book one as he changed and now has a stronger voice than before because he knows who he is and what he wants. We get to see him in more different scenarios and embracing and knowing his family better than before. This story is not based on the same scenarios of bullying and self-acceptance, but this is moving towards a more personal and sociological aspect of gender, religion, and politics BUT never EVER forgetting the quirks of the Kedesteian family.

This story keeps its core of family uniqueness and supports above all. Not only Alek is different but also his family since they all evolve in those 6 months that we didn't get to see, and it is something I admire from the author and appreciate from this book: it is faithful to its roots but its promise to give us more didn´t disappoint. This is a light read but memorable, sweet but heart-wrenching. Michael Barakiva is a great author and this book is simply delightful!

A wonderful follow-up to One Man Guy. I really enjoyed seeing more of Alek and Ethan's relationship as it grows and faces challenges.

This book is so much more than just a high school romance. Alek and Ethan have already made it past their awkward stage and gotten together, but that was just the first obstacle in their uphill battle of a relationship. I love the realness of their portrayal and that nothing is sugar coated. Alek's struggle with his Armenian heritage and religion is so universal. And Ethan's struggle to truly care is such a reality for so many people. It did take a little bit to get into, to remember what happened in One Man Guy, but once the ball got rolling, it did not stop.

The sequel to the gay YA book “One Man Guy” continues the story of Alek and Ethan as they approach their six month anniversary. Between Thanksgiving and Armenian Christmas, the couple’s relationship becomes strained when some truths are revealed as they decide to take their relationship to the next level. Alek deals with his best friend starting a new relationship. An unknown individual wrote a gay slur in a friend’s notebook in Armenian Saturday school. And even worse, Ethan’s gorgeous Aussie ex, Remi, is back in town and invited himself to Alek’s birthday dinner. Friendships and relationships are tested over the holidays in this warm, sweet, fun novel.

There are many ways to rate a book. A young adult novel gets the highest marks when it makes me cry because I’m overwhelmed with emotion. This novel make me tear up and swell with emotion, and not in the part I expected. It’s a wonderfully sweet novel that stays true to the characters and story in “One Man Guy.” Like it’s predecessor this book is full of Armenian cultural references including some cooking tips (who knew that we’d get a lesson in peeling pearl onions in a YA novel?) This book explores some important themes like religion, culture, acceptance, and forgiveness. I would have liked to have seen more of a character arc or change from Alek, I thought he was a little unreasonable in the book. I really enjoyed it and devoured it in one sitting, flying to Hawaii. This was a great start to a vacation. I recommend this book for anyone who likes gay YA romance fiction. It will not disappoint you. This book is available in May so pre-order it or put it on your calendar. • eBook • Fiction - YA, LGBTQ • Provided by NetGalley. • ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️▪️

The sequel to One Man Guy finds Alek and Ethan navigating the difficulties that face a relationship once the newness has worn off. While I found myself yelling at the characters from time to time to just stop being idiots (I mean, they're teenagers, so I suppose it would be inauthentic if they didn't sometimes act like idiots?), overall I really liked this book, particularly how it dealt so centrally with how Alek navigated his relationship to his family's religious tradition and a church that is tolerant of, but not particularly welcoming to, LGBTQ people. I found that the way Alek struggled to make sense of the fact that the same religious and cultural tradition that taught him his whole life to stand on the side of the oppressed responded in such lukewarm ways to the oppression of LGBTQ people really resonated with my own experiences. It was refreshing to see a book that dealt with religion and spirituality for a queer teen in such a complex way.

One Man Guy was probably one of the best books I read back in 2014. While I was absolutely thrilled to be reunited with Alex and Ethan, there was something about this one that just didn't feel . . . . right? Almost like it was somehow missing the magic of the first one. Don't get me wrong, I adore Alex and the entire Khederian family, but I almost wish this book would have been told from Ethan's perspective. Ethan, to this day, still remains a conundrum and it would have been interesting to be inside his head in order to understand him a bit better. I definitely still enjoyed this, but if I'm comparing it to its predecessor, I was, unfortunately, a little let down.

I really enjoyed this sequel and I like where the author took the characters. This is another great LGBT YA book that I will be adding to my collection.

I had read and really enjoyed the first book of this series. I'm happy to say I also really enjoyed this sequel. The relationship between Ethan and Alek seems very genuine and sweet. I would definitely recommend this book to students with out reservations as while it does touch on the topic of sex, it is not explicit and I would say it is appropriate for ages 13+.