#ithadtobehim

Title: It Had to Be Him

Author: Adib Khorram

Narrators: Corvin King; Vikas Adam

Rating: 4/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

When Ramin Yazdani flees to Italy to reinvent himself after a failed proposal to his long-term boyfriend, the last person he expects to bump into is his high school crush. Noah Bartlett is on holiday in Italy with his ex-wife and their son, and is happy to spot a familiar face while visiting a gelato shop. As Ramin and Noah keep running into each other, their teen friendship is reignited along with buried feelings.

Both Corvin King and Vikas Adam gave superb performances narrating this story, though there was a slight mismatch of tone for Noah’s son, Jake.

What I liked:  

When I requested this book, I didn’t register it was by Adib Khorram, whose previous book, “I’ll Have What He’s Having”, I’d enjoyed so much last year. So I was pleasantly surprised when I realised this further explored Farzan’s friendship group by focusing on one of his best friends, Ramin (I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Arya!). Ramin and Noah were a gorgeous couple to get to know, and the second-chance romance is a great way to avoid the insta-love cliché, which can be a bit cringe.  The characters were all believable. As a parent with a child who doesn’t act like they do on TV, it was refreshing to see Jake not fall into the perfect, cute kid role. Additionally, the love scenes were comically realistic, and the friendship support was as comforting as the previous book.  

What didn’t work for me: 

Again, like last year, there’s nothing I can fault too much with the book. I fully enjoyed it while I was listening to it. But I don’t feel like I need to revisit it anytime soon. Perhaps once I’ve heard Arya’s story I’ll be keen to come back to the first two.

Final thoughts: 

A delightful second-chance romance with a beautifully described Italian backdrop. 

Who would enjoy this: 

Fans of contemporary romance.

"And here I am, still alive," she offered with a small shrug, "you were busy. Did you want me to yell? Or are you alright with making it through the rest of the morning without more unwanted guests?"