Crucify my Love: Gay Book Reviews: [132-ENG] Review: For What It's Worth

Series: #lovehim

Volume: 5/?
Publisher: May Books

Genre/s: YA LGBT romance

Length: 88 000 words

Pages: 350

Read in: English
Review copy format: epub

Rate:✮✮✮✮✮✮

Micah and Rory are a happy, sweet and loving teenage couple who can't imagine their lives without each other. However, the harmony of their everyday life is disturbed when unexpectedly Rory's old crush, Justin, comes from Australia with the intention of studying in the college while staying as close to Rory as possible.
Suddenly the old feelings revive, although the present ones do not fade, and the matter gets even more complicated when the completely new and totally unexpected feelings between the three boys are born.
Micah's, Rory's and Justin's world turns upside down, all because of love.

"For What It's Worth" is another volume of the wonderful and addictive series "#lovehim" by S.M. James. As you can easily guess, once again we have the opportunity to read a novel full of numerous advantages, from which I chose a few that I would like to write a little about. The first one is the story presented in this part of the series. As it usually happens in the case of "#lovehim", the love story is the most important element of the plot, but it is not the only one we come across while reading the novels. In "For What It's Worth", S.M. James raises many very important topics, some of which are related to feelings, such as friendship, jealousy, love, while others are mostly based on the more psychological side and touch such problems as being lost while coming of age, inability to let the past go, and also anxiety. I admit that some of the events in this novel are clearly a fiction, but as we're reading the YA novel they make it all the more interesting for the readers, especially for those in the age of our characters.

I've mentioned the characters and I want to stick to this topic a little longer. What I really like about "For What It's Worth" is that Rory, Micah and Justin are so different that it's probably impossible to make this difference between them even greater. Each of them is created while taking into account the character traits that make them who they are, and at the same time, are some of the reasons each of the boys is loved by the other two. What I think is equally important is the fact that S.M. James doesn't really focus on what links our three boys and makes them perfect for one another. Instead, the novel shows us that our boys are, in one way or another, like each other's opposites, thanks to which they complement each other in different spheres of life, although even together they are not perfect. And that's it for me. However, I also like to mention that I love the fact that Rory, Micah and Justin are not ideal in terms of personality or appearance, and yet knowing their flaws they consider each other beautiful inside and out.

Another advantage of the novel is undoubtedly the topic of polyamory, which is rather rarely seen in YA novels. What is important, however, is the way in which S.M. James presents this topic, as it's done in a really fantastic, full of acceptance and free of judgment way. A big plus of this motif is the fact that the characters come to the decision to start a polyamorous relationship by themselves, after prior search for the right solution to their love dilemmas. The boys are looking for answers to their questions and carefully think about different solutions to finally give the one that speaks to them, which seems the most appropriate a chance. What's more, Rory, Micah and Justin accept the option of a polyamorous relationship quite quickly and without any problems, while not judging it even when they look at it from the perspective of the society. However, they bear in mind that other people may see their love in a completely wrong way. And I like it all very much. The boys are aware of the possible reactions of others, but they still do what they think is right.

In this review, I would also like to write a few words about the problem with which I identified the most when reading "For What It's Worth". Namely, Rory's difficult choice regarding his life path. Questions like "who should I become in the future?", "what should I do next?", they accompanied me throughout my adolescence and to tell the truth, even now I often ask myself the same questions, although at my age I already chose a career for myself (I had to) and I slowly live my life. So, I am aware of the fact that many young people have similar problems and that is why I am glad that this topic has been raised in the novel. I think that the way this problem is developed and completed in the novel, although in this case it is probably not the best term, is also very important. Some problems can't be solved for good, some discussions don't end, and they can only be postponed. The future is unknown and in some respects that is how it works for Rory.

To sum up, "For What It's Worth" is a really well written, very interesting, uplifting novel, that shows the way towards acceptance and happiness, even if the path to it is not entirely conventional. This book tells us that we are perfect with all our strong points and flaws, that sometimes not everything goes like we want it to, but it all can work out still. This is a very positive novel that I highly recommend.

Headcanon: The boys decide to buy a cat, mainly because Justin feels the need to spend time with animals.

Fanfiction idea: Rory participates in a skateboarding competition. His boyfriends are there to support him. It turns out that Rory has a small fan club of loyal fans. Justin and Micah are a little jealous, so after the competition, they decide to show Rory's fans that their boyfriend is already taken.

AU idea: Rory, Justin and Micah met in a dream and after years of "dream dating" decide to meet. However, it turns out that they live on three different dimensional planes and to be together they would have to find a way to move freely between their dimensions.

MOODNOARD IN PROGRESS

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Here's some more about:

Book Title: For What It’s Worth

Author: S. M. James

Cover Artist: Story Styling Cover Designs

Release Date: February 27, 2020

Trope/s: Opposites attract, pseudo love triangle, friends to lovers, fish out of water

Themes: Polyamory, coming of age

Heat Rating: 2 flames

It is a standalone story.

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Blurb

They say there are no rules in love, but will three be a crowd?

Rory García is terrible at making choices.

Dating Micah has been the best decision Rory’s ever made. Micah calms his wild side by bringing Rory back down to earth. They’re perfect for each other.
But when Rory’s Australian crush randomly shows up to stay with him, Rory’s torn between the boyfriend he maybe loves, and the guy he thought he was over.

Micah Holtz is the most loyal boyfriend in history.

Since the day Micah first saw Rory, he fell hard. There’s never been a moment where Micah’s doubted his feelings and when they finally start to date, Micah plans to hold on with both hands.
But then Justin arrives from Australia and Micah finds his single-minded attention starting to slip…

Justin Anderson has a plan for everything.

Showing up on Rory’s doorstep is the most adventurous thing Justin’s ever done. He’s lowkey sick with nerves, but knowing Rory’s there makes it all worth it. Until he finds out Rory has a boyfriend. Which was never part of the plan.
Suddenly Justin’s back to his usual game of second guessing everything, including Rory’s flirting and Micah’s lingering looks.

When Micah’s childhood haunt is set to be torn down, the three of them join forces to try to save the historic building. But will the teamwork add cracks to an already unstable friendship, or bring them closer than they ever imagined?

Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US
Amazon UK

Excerpt

Justin pretends to shudder. At least, I think he’s pretending. “Kill me now.”
“Nah, you’re way too pretty to kill.”
Those mismatched eyes meet mine and we’re just a pair of awkward losers staring at what we can’t have. I should probably take my words back and make out like ha ha jokes but I’m not joking. I spent way too many late nights thinking about that face … before Micah, of course.
Justin being here serves to remind me that the world is a fucking big place.
We switch off the TV and I scoot closer, craving him like fucking air and I still can’t work out exactly why. “You’ll be totally fine. Just be yourself. You won Micah over easy enough, and me, and Ari.”
He scrunches up his little nose. “Sure, my friendship group has grown to three, what an achievement.”
“Excuse me Mr. Sarcasm, but how long was that group at one for?”
Justin doesn’t answer, just screws his lips up to the side like he gets my point.
“Exactly. A fucking long time. And now you’ve tripled that number in just a few short months, like are you kidding? You’re on a roll, you charismatic piece of shit.” The name calling comes naturally to me, and at first I worry Justin won’t take it in the affectionate way I mean, but he cracks a smile that brings up those little dimples on either side of his chin and damn I want to touch them. “Plus Ruby and Grace think you’re the cutest thing ever.”
Justin shakes his head like he doesn’t believe a word coming from my mouth but he’s still smiling. “Just Alexis to go then.”
“With how much I talk about you she already thinks you’re best friends so there’s nothing to worry about there.”
“Talking about me, hey?” He’s leaning against the back of the couch, head tilted toward me. The teasing that flickers across his face is just beautiful. His hazel eye is on this side and I love how he looks slightly different depending on which side I look at him from.
“When I got back from Australia, Alexis literally banned your name from conversations.”
His lips twitch. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not. She was allowed to punch me every time I said it.”
“How many bruises did you get?”
“All down both arms.” I smirk. “Totally worth it.”
A laugh hiccups from him and he opens his mouth to say something, then stops.
“No, no.” I lean in closer. “You’re not allowed to over think, remember? Whatever you were going to say, say it.”
That gorgeous tint starts to rise on his cheeks as he swallows.
“Say it or I’ll tickle you.” I’m totally lying, but I wish I wasn’t. Every time he’s around I’m itching to get my hands on him and if that means tickling him like we’re in middle school, I’ll fucking do it. But what I won’t do is make him uncomfortable.
He buries his face into his hands. “Now you’ve made it into a thing.”
“And I’ll keep making it into a bigger thing until you tell me.” The fact he’s avoiding it just makes me even more curious. And once I get my mind stuck on something, I’ve got to know.
His hazel eye peeks out at me. “I was just going to say …” His side expands as he takes a deep breath. “That if I had any friends, they would have banned your name too.” His face disappears into his hands again, but he can’t hide how his neck goes all read. “See? Dumb.”
I slide closer, until I cross that invisible barrier he keeps locked in place and lean down so my face is near his. “Justin?”
“What?”
“Look at me.”
He hesitates a second before he lifts his face, sucking in a sharp breath when he realizes how close I am. Something skitters across my chest as he pins me with his rare eye contact. I’m barely aware of my lips moving until I hear my own words.
“Nothing you ever say is dumb.”