It Had to Be Him was super cute, and I wanted to love it so much, but I unfortunately just didn't connect with the story or the characters in the way that I hoped.

I loved Darius the Great by this author and knew I just had to pick up this too. Noah and Ramin were well written characters and I really enjoyed the romance! There was a good balance between the second-chance and friends to lovers trope. The pacing was great and the slow burn with the flashbacks added more depth to their relationship since they meet again two decades later.

The vacation setting in Italy was perfect for a summer read. I really enjoyed how immersive it was with the different cities and cuisines. I also liked Ramin’s friends because all the moments between them easily ranged from hilarious to supportive. Noah was quite relatable with his own flaws and I admired his character development throughout the story.

The only thing is that I would have liked to see more closure with Noah and Angela because the ending felt quite rushed. Jake was such a lovable kid and Noah was such a great dad to him. I also felt that the spice was a bit overdone in the last half of the book because I would have loved to see more development between Ramin and Noah after they go back home. I would want to read a book about Arya because he was so iconic!

adib khorram's new romance is sweet & steamy & funny & heartfelt.

it was so fun to watch the romance that formed between old high school friends noah & ramin. it is clear that the book was written with a lot of care and intention. the flashbacks to high school were emotional but really set the stage for what happens between them. oh to have a high school crush again!!! the dynamics between noah and his ex-wife angela and their son jake was sweet but also pretty realistic iimo. and honestly! romances in Italy will always be fun and a hit for me.

and can we have a moment for this cover!! i love it.

out 02sep!!

thank you to Read Forever & netgalley for this ARC!

i really liked this!! love adib khorram's writing, and while i enjoyed his adult romance debut, i didn't LOVE it. so happy that i liked this one so much more! i think the writing and the plot were stronger.

i will always love an Italian summer romance so a lot of this worked for me. even the single dad trope, which i'm not really a fan of, worked for me here. the characters, the relationship, and even the kid were all v sweet!

also enjoyed how smutty this was, but i think it should have gotten more freaky ☝️

I need to start by saying I adore Adib Khorram's writing. My deepest wish after finishing <i>I'll Have What He's Having</i> was for Ramin and Arya to get their own books. I was thrilled to see Ramin get his HEA. Much of this contemporary romance was a joy to read, starting with the vicarious trip to Italy and the resumption of both crush and friendship for Ramin and Noah who haven't seen each other since they graduated high school. The reasons it didn't work better for me are specific to me; I'm sure many people will find much to love.

This isn't a true second chance romance but it almost functions as one between the mutual unrequited crushes (because neither was out) and flashbacks to when they were friends in high school. I am pretty over flashbacks these days so they didn't add to the story for me at all. I would have gotten so much more out of Noah and Ramin talking about what they remember from that time, which would have showed them deepening intimacy as adults. But to each their own.

Ramin and Noah reconnect in Milan, of all places. Noah is there because his ex-wife wants to move there and they're going to let their son Jake decide whether he stays with her and with Noah in Kansas City. Meanwhile, Ramin is fresh off of a failed proposal and breakup. They both have their own insecurities; Ramin deals with body dysmorphia so bear that in mind if that's a sensitive issue. Both men are in therapy so there is a fair amount of therapy speak but they're both clearly works in progress so I didn't mind it.

What I did mind was <spoiler>Jake needing an emergency appendectomy while Noah is away with Ramin being used as the dark moment. I never care for secondary character's illnesses being used in that way and I didn't like how it was executed here. It made it even harder for me to believe Noah and Ramin's purported depth of feelings. Ramin was literally about to propose to Todd before he booked this trip and now I'm supposed to believe he's in love with Noah after only 11 days?? Noah ditching Ramin during the dark moment only proved my skepticism. I didn't need a declaration of love to believe these two had a connection. In fact, the romance would have been stronger without it. Go back to Kansas City and date! They're living in a dream Italian world. And again: only 11 days. Yes, yes, they were friendly in high school but they hadn't spoken in 20 years before this.</spoiler>

Also, I just have to put this here: <spoiler>Noah and Angela keep wondering what's gotten into Jake on this trip but obviously it's because Angela is moving to Italy while Noah will stay in Kansas City and none of this was communicated well to him or Noah. Not great!!! I don't even have kids and I knew this.</spoiler>

This isn't a short book but some of the character work I expect from Khorram was missing here. For instance, it's not clear what Ramin's job is, how he feels about his work, or what it's like to work while in Italy. It's possible I missed it but I believe from the last book that Ramin's dad died but he only ever talks about his mother's death. That felt like an odd omission. We get a little about Noah's relationship to Christianity and how he made it his own but I would have liked to hear more about that transition and what that means for the way he's raising his son.

It would have been fun to get more time with Ramin's sapphic apartment landlords Francesca and Paola. In fact, I'd take a whole book about them. They were fabulous! It was also great to see how Ramin's friendships with Farzan, David, and Arya are strong even while he's overseas. I am chomping at the bit for Arya's romance now!

All in all, a mixed bag. I did really enjoy aspects of this book—I'm always going to have a good time reading Khorram's work, even if aspects weren't as developed as I hoped.

Note: While Noah has an exchange with Jake about not saying "dumb," ableist language is still used in the book, including "crazy" three times. I appreciated the author's attempt at educating readers but he still has work to do.

This was such a wonderful addition into the universe the author created with I'll Have What He's Having. I will always jump at the chance to see secondary characters get their own love story!

Ramin and Noah are wonderful characters. One of the things this book does really well is provides opportunities to see their past history through flashbacks. It's adds an additional layer of their relationship and character development. I typically don't enjoy dual timeline stories, but the flashbacks were brief in comparison to the present day and each one sort of fleshed out feelings between the characters further. It was a really nice touch. There's something about the way that Adib Khorram writes male relationships that seems so real and fully visualized. Like, I know these characters in real life and I think that always adds another layer to the story itself.

Ramin's own insecurities and the body dysmorphia discussions were wonderfully handled. I think it's a topic that a lot of queer men struggle with and I thought that adding that to Ramin's character and providing Noah as a supportive partner in that relationship and -DISCUSSING- it was very powerful.

The spice, too, was great. I like that there was a little bit of a dip into kink exploration which was a surprise for me. I was -not- expecting that, but I also didn't hate it? Haha. I liked how Adib Khorram sort of raised the bar further from I'll Have What He's Having.

I love this author and have enjoyed everything of his I have read. I CANNOT wait for the next one in this series.

Adib Khorram is truly a master at writing romance. His books are just so unapologetically queer and it just makes my heart so happy. This one did not disappoint! I loved the perspective of someone who knew he was gay forever basically, but just didn't have experience with queer relationships (it really connected with me!) and I also loved the exploration of mental health in this and parenting while also being in a relationship with someone else. I really don't think my review is coherent at all, this book just made me feel all the feelings.

I requested and received an eARC of It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram via NetGalley. In the past I've greatly enjoyed Khorram's YA novels, so I was excited to see this adult romance. Ramin Yazdani proposes to his boyfriend, but when things don't go as planned Ramin books a spontaneous trip to Italy to tend to his broken heart. The last thing he anticipates is running into someone he knows, let alone the boy he had a crush on in high school. Noah Barlett's life is in a rut. When his ex-wife insists that he join her and their son on an Italian vacation, he reluctantly agrees, never imagining that he will run into Ramin, the guy with the brilliant green eyes who always fascinated him in high school.

I straight up couldn’t get over how adorable this story is. I felt horrible for Ramin in the beginning of the story, so by the time he arrived in Italy I was rooting hard for him. I really love the different layers of his character. As a Persian-American high schooler in the wake of 9/11, Ramin faces xenophobia and Islamophobia in the flashback sequences. In both the past and the present, Ramin struggles with body dysmorphia to some degree. These issues are very well-handled by the author and gave Ramin a depth of character that made me feel even closer to him as I read the story.

The shared history between Ramin and Noah made this story so much sweeter. We get to see Noah struggle to understand his bisexuality during his teenage years and in his adult years he’s an absolute gem. I really enjoyed the strength of the relationship between Noah and his ex-wife! Khorram made sure to highlight some day-to-day frustrations between the two so that it never felt too forced. And Jake, Noah’s son, added a great dash of humor to the story. A+ for some very hot scenes between Ramin and Noah as well, there’s a moment in a train station that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. This was a terrific summer read that strikes an incredible balance between sweet and sexy!

This was such a cute concept but I did not connect with the characters. I loved the idea of having two different worlds come together into this romantic story but I didn't connect with the execution. The enjoyed the setting, locations, and relationships in this book but the jokes and descriptors felt over the top for me. The self-improvement/ soul searching topics discussed I felt were important to their relationship and added a layer of maturity to the characters. Overall, I think other readers would really enjoy this but I don't think Adib's writing style is for me.

This was so cute and it was my first book by the author and it had one of my favorite tropes. Can't wait to go back and reading Adib's other books!

A special thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It Had to Be Him is a beautifully crafted second-chance romance that blends heart and heat perfectly, set against the dreamy backdrop of Italy. Ramin and Noah’s reunion after twenty years feels deeply authentic, full of emotional layers from past crushes to present vulnerabilities. Khorram’s portrayal of body dysmorphia and complex queer relationships brings a refreshing honesty, while the chemistry between the leads sizzles without overshadowing their growth. The vivid Italian setting and well-drawn side characters enrich the story, making this more than just a vacation romance—it’s a heartfelt exploration of being truly seen and loved.

4.25 stars

I liked this significantly better than I'll Have What He's Having by this same author. It Had To Be Him is a sweet and cozy romance. Almost a second chance romance of sorts. Ramin and Noah were friends in high school who lost touch, and now they are almost forty and experiencing some big life changes that lead to both of them meeting again in Italy. While this feels rather insta lovey in terms of the book pacing, it makes sense for the story arc of these characters and their long history with each other, so that didn't bother me here. I really related to Ramin, especially with how he sees himself and his struggles there. Both Ramin and Noah are deeply relatable characters in a deeply relatable story. And we get to see some Farzan and David moments for anyone who enjoyed their characters. Overall, this was great, and I'm glad I gave this author another shot.

It Had to be Him was a refreshing break from the world. It was a sweet romance with just enough spice, a believable love story, and a likeable cast of characters. The book focuses on Ramin, who we met in book one, as he tries to reinvent himself after a failed proposal. I'm not usually a second-chance-romance kind of reader, but I loved the shared history between our MMCs and how easy it was to settle into their new relationship. I also got a kick out of Ramin teaching Noah how to be a dom. I may not know a lot about wine, but the book was accessible (though there were a few times when weird vocab was used) and enjoyable. Overall, the story was fun and endearing and I can't wait for book three!

Adib Khorram! The man that you are. It Had to Be Him is my first Adib Khorram story and he immediately was catapulted into my pantheon of favorite authors.

Adib’s characters feel like real life people going through real life things. He’s doesn’t shy away from the “uncomfortable” conversations for the sake of keeping the story as a “cutesy” romance book. That not only made me love the characters more, but fall in love with the story being told.

The pacing was perfect. Nothing felt rushed! The story and setting being day by day while on a vacation works so well here and allows us to be present with Rahim and Noah at all times and truly watch the relationship come together. All missing pieces are filled in with the flashback moments that display their emotional connection to each other. Can’t wait to see what Adib Khorram cooks up next! 4.5 ⭐️

This was a fun vacation read. Dual POV, mainly set in present day with a some pull back to their highschool years and past friendship. I really enjoyed Ramin and Noah’s budding relationship, how tender and supportive they were with each other in both past and present timelines. The scenario of them meeting again is so far-fetched but absolutely adorable, I ate it up!

I will say this book is SPICY, a lot more so than I would usually gravitate towards. I personally prefer stories with a lot more tension and pining that eventually lead to more, everything in this book felt like it happened fast. But again that is a personal preference. Overall, I really enjoyed this story, the characters were lovable, Ramin literally has the best group of friends.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

All opinions are my own

Pub date: 2 Sept 2025

Thanks to Grand Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had a lot of fun with this one. Some readers might find the plot a bit repetitive, but I actually thought that worked well, the author captured the cyclical nature of intrusive thoughts and the patterns that many, especially queer people and other marginalized people, experience. That internal nagging voice felt very real.

I usually prefer stories that push forward rather than relying heavily on flashbacks, especially in second-chance romances where the past can weigh things down. But here, the flashbacks were short, relevant, and well-paced, they deepened the story without dragging it.

One thing that did sit a bit oddly with me: Noah, one of the main characters, repeatedly refers to his ex-wife as “fat.” While I appreciate the book’s broader efforts to address body image and body dysmorphia, it felt off that he used the word multiple times when she herself never claimed it as part of her identity. It wasn’t necessarily negative, but it stood out to me as jarring.

That said, I really appreciated how the book handled MM romance. I tend to gravitate toward stories written by own voices authors because they tend to capture the unique dynamics of MM relationships more authentically, and this one really nailed the emotional complexity, the highs and the lows.

Overall, it was refreshing to read about male characters who were emotionally open, sweet, and vulnerable, dealing with real-world challenges like co-parenting and mental health without falling into tropes.

A small note: I wish Ramin’s cover illustration actually reflected his body type as described in the book. Also, they’re dressed for winter on the cover, even though they’re sweating through a heatwave for most of the story—bit of a mismatch!

Book Review: It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

Adib Khorram’s It Had to Be Him is a lush, heartfelt, and incredibly sexy second-chance romance that had me grinning, sighing, and occasionally tearing up. It’s a book that grabs you with a meet-cute in a gelateria and keeps you invested with its raw emotional honesty, complicated pasts, and characters you root for hard. It’s not just a love story—it’s a story about what it means to be seen, wanted, and chosen when you’re not at your best.

We start with Ramin, who’s just been dumped—brutally and publicly—after proposing to his boyfriend. The reason? He’s “boring.” The rejection hits him hard, not just because of the humiliation, but because it plays directly into the insecurities he’s carried for years about his body, his queerness, and his worth. So he does what any gay man with a credit card and a need for reinvention might do: he books an impulsive, two-month solo trip to Italy. He’s determined to become exciting, desirable, and unrecognizable from the man who got told he wasn’t enough.

Enter Noah. Single dad, newly divorced, and still trying to figure out where he fits in the world. He’s not exactly thrilled to be vacationing with his ex-wife and son in Milan while she explores moving their family across the ocean. But then he sees Ramin—his high school friend and, though he couldn’t admit it at the time, his first real crush—and everything tilts.

What follows is a romance that simmers beautifully before it boils over. Ramin and Noah keep running into each other in Milan, each interaction peeling back more layers of who they are now and who they used to be. The chemistry is there from the start, but what really got me was the emotional depth Khorram brings to their dynamic. These are not perfect people. They’re soft in some places, bruised in others, and still figuring out how to be loved in ways that don’t hurt.

One of the standout themes in this book is body image. Ramin’s struggle with body dysmorphia is treated with care and realism. He’s not some glossy romance archetype—he’s vulnerable, self-critical, and learning how to see himself through eyes that aren’t cruel. There’s a moment that absolutely gutted me when Ramin thinks, “It wasn’t about being wanted. It was about being seen. And he wasn’t sure which one scared him more.” That line sums up so much of what this book is doing. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about being brave enough to let someone see the parts you hate and still choose you anyway.

Noah, meanwhile, is quietly revolutionary. He’s a nurturing, attentive father, unlearning toxic masculinity while exploring a new chapter in his sexual identity. His scenes with Jake, his son, are tender without being cloying. He’s doing the work to be a better parent than the one he had, and that growth bleeds into how he shows up for Ramin. When Noah fumbles—because of course he does—it doesn’t feel like cheap drama. It feels like what happens when two people with baggage try to build something real.

The steam in this book is very real. Yes, there’s a train station scene, and yes, it earns every drop of sweat you’ll break reading it. But what sets these scenes apart is how Khorram writes consent, kink exploration, and emotional intimacy. The sex isn’t just hot—it’s character-driven. It’s two people learning how to ask for what they want and realizing they deserve to receive it.

Italy is more than just a romantic backdrop here. It’s woven into the narrative with loving detail—every piazza, every glass of wine, every scoop of gelato adds texture and warmth. But unlike other “vacation romances,” this one never loses sight of what’s waiting at home. There’s a groundedness to the story, a sense that real life still has to be dealt with once the vacation ends. That tension—between the fantasy of escape and the weight of reality—is handled masterfully.

Side characters shine too. Ramin’s friends (Farzan, David, Arya) are vivid and hilarious, with their own arcs and emotional depth. Jake, Noah’s son, is written like an actual child—funny, frustrating, and deeply human. Even Noah’s ex-wife Angela is layered, not reduced to an antagonist or a stereotype. Everyone in this book has their own wants, needs, and flaws, which makes the entire world feel lived in.

If I had any critique, it’s that a couple of the emotional arcs toward the end wrap up a little fast. There are big life changes on the table—international custody decisions, career shifts, family reckonings—and some of them could’ve used more page time. But the emotional beats still hit. And the ending? The ending is a perfect blend of hope and realism, one that trusts the reader to believe in a love that was earned, not just wished for.

It Had to Be Him is a romance for anyone who’s ever felt like too much or not enough. It’s for the queer kids who grew up thinking they’d never get a soft, steamy, happy ending. It’s for the ones still figuring out how to be loved without apology. This book sees you. And it tells you that you’re worth choosing—again and again.

I REALLY enjoyed this book! It was so fun and cute and I felt like giggling and kicking my feet when reading! It also went by SUPER fast like I was surprised how quickly I was reading it. Honestly, my one complaint with this book right now is that it isn’t out now! I need people to be reading this fun lil romance having the time of their lives in the summer!!!!!

If you love a single parent romance, mature character (they're in the late 30s), or friends to lovers, you will adore this book! Reading a lot of YA and new adult romance, you get used to a level of immaturity in your characters and how they resolve conflict. So much of this book works because they're reuniting after 20 years. Our main characters are both at a point in their lives where they need to reconnect with themselves and find who they are and the best part is they help each other with this! Oh and let me tell you, Noah is new to queer relationships and is learning who he is in the bedroom and the spice is spice-ing!!! I just can’t explain how amazing this book way- it was soooo good! Please everyone read this!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever and the author for an ARC for my honest review :) This book is expected to be published on September 2, 2025.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 2, 2025

Mature M/M romance with the doors wide open. This tries to be very sex and body positive but it feels a bit forced. There were inklings of chemistry but it fizzled out for me. Lots of smut but in the end I had a hard time believing these were nearly 40-somethings instead of in their early 20s. Fun setting in Italy…if you want a steamy summer read with good food and wine, this could be it!

Well this definitely was not what I expected but that is certainly ok!! Admittedly, I am not the audience for reading MM spice and while I don’t mind it at all, I do skim over it to make sure I’m not missing something but also not getting invested in those scenes. I mention it because there were plenty of spice scenes which were very detailed. It’s refreshing to see the content in a fairly regular romance novel as many of the MM romances I have read of late, particularly from Forever Pub, have shied away from open door and descriptive sex in their MM/Achillean romances.

Anyway, one of the drawbacks was that last third of the description for the book is just not accurate. Or rather if that was the intent then that was an execution problem.
Each man is definitely going on some sort of journey within themselves but most of that the reader has to imagine as you don’t see that process on the page. There is not sense of urgency of when their vacations end or seeing Ramon try to change himself. He does worry for a hot minute at the beginning that he will be too “boring” for Noah, his high school crush but then it shifts to him not wanting to intrude on a family vacation.

I do like the care it took in writing positive relationships and boundaries as it could teach a reader a thing or two. The body positivity is also a great addition, especially from a male author.
This book comes out September 2, 2025 so if you’re looking for a fun Achillean Romance with plenty of spice and her to go along on an Italian vacation, this books for you!

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary eARC from Forever Publishing through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My general rating system is below. Since I primarily read ARC books I rate according to how I think like minded readers will receive the book. I will round up or down depending on many factors and try not to let my personal wants affect a books ratings.

⭐️ Hated It but pushed through as so don’t DNF ARCs I have received.
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, content issues, poorly edited.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but it had something that stopped me from rounding up. Usually the book may have much more potential than what was given. I recommend it but with reservations.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I Really enjoyed it or think others will. These are solid reads that I definitely would recommend for a variety of reasons.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! These are books that remain rent free in my head for well after unfinished the book. It can be for a variety of reasons from being very well written or just the vibes that captured my mind. These books are also ones I would probably read again.