It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram
Rating: LOVED
What a ray of sunshine in my world right now! Noah and Rahim are two of my new favorite people and one of my favorite couples! Definitely grab a copy of It Had to Be Him if you can!
Single dad Noah has been foundering a bit since his divorce, trying to make sure his son, Jake, is happy, rediscovering a career after being a stay-at-home dad, and figuring out a new identity. Then his ex-wife drops a bomb: she wants to move to Italy (from Kansas City) to take over her grandparents’ business and take Jake with her. She persuades him to join them in Milan and have a vacation…
Rahim’s life is no picnic these days either. After his boyfriend dumps him in the middle of a public marriage proposal for being too boring, Rahim does what any heartbroken soul would do—gets drunk with his friends. Which leads to a new goal of being fun, interesting Rahim. The kind of guy who books spontaneous trips to Milan…
It had to be him, right? Rahim and Noah had been friends in high school, with Rahim harboring a crush and Noah having not figured out his bisexuality yet but knowing he was drawn to Rahim. They lose touch and then bump into each other in Milan.
What a sweet yet spicy, fun, and whirlwind romance they have in Milan! Both Noah and Rahim are wary of jumping into a relationship given their issues, but neither are they willing to throw away such a beautiful chance at love. I absolutely loved how they didn’t act ridiculous, but were honest with themselves and each other about their feelings. They were both so thoughtful of each other, caring of each other’s feelings and safety, and building a relationship on a strong foundation. Not that they didn’t have their hiccups—everything in It Had to Be Him just worked. And definitely prepare yourself for intimacy and spice!
A huge thank you to @booksparks for the complimentary copy of It Had to Be Him as part of the BookSparks Fall Reading Challenge.
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