Abroad: Book Two

I love these kiddos

When we last saw Nick and Dex at the end of Abroad: Book One they had a lovely (and steamy) HFN ending. In some ways it would have been easier to leave them there, but Liz Jacobs doesn't let them (or the readers) off the hook that easily in the second half of the duology, taking them through the agonies and ecstasies of a new relationship in which neither character is brave or self-assured enough to be totally honest. Add in Nick's cultural differences and utter panic at the thought of coming out to his Russian-Jewish mother and you have the stage set for a lot of missteps and misunderstandings. Not always an easy read, but the good parts are so tender and beautiful, and the sex (there's lots of it) is a necessary part of the relationship development.

Izzy's story takes a bit of a backseat in this installment, and after the cliffhanger ending with Natali her love life takes a surprising direction. Despite the limited page time, she remains for the most part the glue that holds all of the other characters together. Points awarded to Jacobs for letting Izzy explore the “bi” in bisexuality.

I don't usually read “New Adult” books because most of them feature characters who are so much more fabulous and confident than I ever recall being in my 20's (Christina Lauren's books are a prime example). But Abroad 2 was so spot on in its portrayal of the uncertainty and insecurities of young adulthood that at times it was painful to keep turning the pages. If you're looking for a fluffy M/M romance, this isn't for you, but if you don't mind going back to the age when the future was one big, giant question mark (equally horrifying and exciting), then you will appreciate the strong writing, dialogue and characterization.

In two novels and approximately 400 pages, Jacobs manages to include a broad spectrum of queer representation, but it never feels preachy or didactic, or like she is working off a QUILTBAG checklist. I hope she is just getting started on her promising career; might I suggest a spin-off novella about Jonny and Lance and their search for an anti-capitalist paradise?