He's the One

Loved the first one and love this one even more! I have purchased over 10 copies of this book so far. I always give it as a birthday present. All of my friends really love it too. We even went to NYC recently just to find the famous Bethesda Fountain that is in the book. I loved Adam and the way he looked at life. I feel that as a gay man sometimes we throw ourselved into our work when we don't have a relationship. I have never crashed a party to meet a guy, however if I were meeting Jeremy I might have. I also love the way that all of these friends gay, lesbian and straight interact and truely are friends.

Let me be honest with you. I bought this book solely for the cover, because I wanted another trashy gay novel to entertain me between the "serious" books I should be reading. [Sorry Mr. Beck.] For months, I had eyed the book with the jean-clad a- . . . er . . . buttocks on the front cover. But I resisted, as I didn't really want to receive any more disapproving glances from my boyfriend. Thank goodness he had a weak moment and bought it for me - I loved it!Beck introduces us to Adam Wilson, who is every man's fantasy. Not only is he a genious with gorgeous good looks (I love a man in flannel and jeans!), but he's sweet and caring. More importantly, he's reached the point in his life where he just wants to meet someone special with whom he can share his life. After he realizes this fact, events soon take him from his comfortable Wisconsin home and plunk him down in Manhattan, where he clearly feels out of place. However, luck is smiling on Adam (as it always does in such stories). He meets some wonderful new friends of all different walks of life and patches up some old ones. Soon, he is surrounded by a new family away from home. The one thing he doesn't have is his true love. But again, luck comes his way as friends, associates, and even events seem to collaborate to bring him closer to finding "the One."This isn't just a love story. There's mystery and intrigue. There are drag shows and terrible karaoke. There's art and drama. And TONS of humor throughout. At times I was laughing out loud at the antics of Adam and his friends. At other times, I could truly relate to Adam's concerns about his relationships and the difficulty in communicating his true feelings. Almost like looking into a mirror. To me, Beck really captured an emotional element that makes this tale not just a funny romance, but a lesson on the search for that missing something - or someone - in our lives.Oh, I'll still call this a trashy novel (just to cause my boyfriend to cringe and my straight girlfriends to laugh), but you can bet this is going on my "Read Frequently" list. Hope you enjoy it as well!

Mr. Beck's second outing has definitely surpassed his first book, "It Had To Be You". I was captivated by "He's the One" and found it difficult to put down. A very charming and realistic tale, it very accurately and romantically depicts gay life in the big city. With outstanding dialogue, unforgettable characters, and Beck's inimitable sense of humor, the story quickly drew me in and didn't let go. Having finished the book, I feel like I actually miss the characters, and I'm looking forward to Beck's next book so that I can "keep in touch". I highly recommend "He's the One"...not just to gay readers but to anyone who enjoys a well-written, romantic and humorous story.

The plot development was superb, the characters' thoughts and actions were clearly illustrated, and I couldn't put this book down! I espeically liked the way Beck slowly developed the interplay between Adam and Jeremy so that its build-up became the seam that tied the pages of circumstances together. Kudos to Beck and I hope for another tome soon!

I've read many reviews of different works where the reviewer refers to the book as a "fluff" piece ... as if that is a BAD thing. Personally, I don't think every book has to be a "War & Peace", and I read mostly to escape my daily grind, so I *like* "fluff" ... if it doesn't pretend to be something it is not, is written well, holds my interest, and makes me glad I read it. Such is the case with "He's The One," the second novel from newcomer Timothy James Beck."He's The One" introduces us to Adam, a non-stereotypical single gay man living in a small town in Wisconsin. Adam was a "jock" in high school, late to acknowledge his attraction to men, and comfortable (perhaps too comfortable) in his renovated-farmhouse-home-and-office working as a freelance web design consultant for businesses in the midWest. His parents are aware of his sexuality, and his mom - an avid PFLAG organizer - is worried that he hasn't met anyone, and doesn't seem to be trying. An invitation to speak at a web convention in NYC brings Adam to the Big Apple, he meets a big new client there, so he decides to stay there for a while to get the client going, then return to his home. Adam quickly meets Blythe, a short, bohemian "starving artist," who becomes Adam's Rhoda to his Mary Richards (Think "Mary Tyler Moore Show", throwing her hat in the air as she is ready to take on the "big city" - The comparison is made in the liner notes, and is apt). It is at a trendy Chelsea gay S & M (Stand & Model) coffee shop with Blythe where Adam first spots Jeremy, a handsome man he is immediately obsessed with, but manages to repeatedly convince himself that it will never work out. Nevertheless, he discretely pursues (just skirting the fringes of "stalking") Jeremy through a private party with a controlling, rich alcoholic gay mogul who makes a pass at Adam, a drag bar where Adam is chastised by a "nun" for writing amateur porn on his laptop (Blythe ratted on him), a "personal enrichment" seminar given by a mysterious gay Native American (at which he rooms with Daniel, a former schoolmate from WI who he and the other jocks used to tease as a "fag"), and a "secret mission" in which he dresses in awful drag to get back some zip disks stolen from him. Along the way, Adam learns to be more honest about his feelings, not be afraid of going after what he wants, and not worry as much about what others think. Does he get the guy? Read it and find out.This book actually incorporates about a half dozen characters from Beck's first novel, "It Had To Be You." However, this is NOT a sequel to the first book, and I don't believe not having read it will make this book any less enjoyable. The characters carried over are not the two main characters (Adam and Blythe), but do "carry on" their lives in a way that lends some degree of closure to those who liked the first book, as I did. I recommend them both. Now, if I could just stop humming the theme to the Mary Tyler Moore show! :)