Review: Tell Me It's Real by TJ Klune

Tell Me It's Real by TJ Klune
Dreamspinner Press
Novel: 350pgs
5+++ Pants Off

Blurb:
Do you believe in love at first sight?

Paul Auster doesn't. Paul doesn't believe in much at all. He’s thirty, slightly overweight, and his best features are his acerbic wit and the color commentary he provides as life passes him by. His closest friends are a two-legged dog named Wheels and a quasibipolar drag queen named Helena Handbasket. He works a dead-end job in a soul-sucking cubicle, and if his grandmother's homophobic parrot insults him one more time, Paul is going to wring its stupid neck.

Enter Vince Taylor.

Vince is everything Paul isn’t: sexy, confident, and dumber than the proverbial box of rocks. And for some reason, Vince pursues Paul relentlessly. Vince must be messing with him, because there is no way Vince could want someone like Paul.

But when Paul hits Vince with his car—in a completely unintentional if-he-died-it'd-only-be-manslaughter kind of way—he's forced to see Vince in a whole new light. The only thing stopping Paul from believing in Vince is himself—and that is one obstacle Paul can’t quite seem to overcome. But when tragedy strikes Vince's family, Paul must put aside any notions he has about himself and stand next to the man who thinks he's perfect the way he is.

Review:
TJ Klune is awesome wrapped in crazy, regurgitated as spectacular. Tell Me It's Real will most definitely be in my fave books of 2013, I laughed, cried, I laughed while crying, and most of all I fell in love with all the characters.

From the book starts you just know that you are in for some greatness and some crazy. If you have read and loved the Bear, Otter, and Kid series, then you know TJ Klune is a downright genius with words and giving you the feels. Meet Paul Auster, he's a little on the chub side (just a little), he has a two legged dog called Wheels, and his best friend Sandy who has a drag queen alter ego called Helena. For Paul, life is pretty much a simple things. Yes, he could do with going out a bit more, and maybe a boyfriend would be nice but no one wants his stocky physique and his no brain to mouth filter. Why even bother when he's been dealt the same card all his life, overlooked for how he looks, and ignored by anyone he's been interested in. Things aren't all bad in his Paul's life, his family is crazy but they love and accept him for who he is, and maybe there is someone out there for him but he's not willing to take that chance and get hurt in the end.

Until, a night at the club watching his Helena perform turns into the first night that a sexy jock sends him a drink (this must be some sort of joke) and he then spits said drink in sexy jocks head. To make matters worse, it’s his birthday and that bitch Helena has called him up on stage (their friendship is officially dead) but he does get a nicer look at the jock, but seriously he can't really be interested in Paul. Then comes Vince, sexy jock and so head over heels for Paul that it will melt your heart. Paul thinks Vince interest must be a joke, but destiny gives him no choice but to face Vince’s interest head on, and that where things get interesting all kinds of fun.

Seriously, this book is made of awesmazing. As I said, I laughed (out loud scaring my kids and looking all types of crazy) and I continued to laugh till the very end of the book. Mr Klune took a classic trope, and elevated it to another level, causing feelings of happy. What also makes this book special is that both Paul and Vince are relatable characters (just a little less crazy when it comes to Paul or maybe if you're like me it’s the perfect amount). With all his inane chatter and goings on, you could easily put yourself in Paul's shoes (Unless shit has been perfect for you, your entire life then in that case move on ahead). These characters are imperfect, charming, and they will steal a whole lot of your heart.

Which brings me to the dialogue, there is some questionable content, but I am not easily offenced (once again this is my word). SEX FACE >_< pretty much made everything alright in my book. Yes, the editing could have been done with some cleaner delivery (but don't take my word for that, cus I suck at grammar and stuff) and I kept wondering about all the vagina talk but when it comes to the vagina I have something to say....

As a proud owner of a vagina, I kinda think they're pretty cool. Yes, sometimes it can do some questionable things and I often think to myself "what the heck are you up to now?" but it’s the giver of life. And if a human head weighs 8 pounds, then guess what people vaginas push out that type of weight and some. So are gay men really afraid of the vagina? If yes, then duded guess what you came out of one (unless you came from a c-section) so that means there will always be one with your name on it. So if by any chance you get called a vagina, remember this, they give life and that’s where all the magic happens (sometimes) and there aren’t that many flaps but plenty of holes.

Tell Me It's Real, is as real as it gets. Giving the underdogs a voice, because we're not all model thin, we don't always say and do the right things, and because what you have on the inside is what matters most. Nothing wrong with wanting you ten pack abs, or eating healthily or not eating healthily, but the very core of who you are is what prevails. Paul & Vince could easily be me or you.

Should You Read It? Are you even considering not to? Because if you are, I have two words for you SEX FACE >_< or maybe BLOWJOB FACE *O*  *o*  *0* cus dicks come in all sizes :D

5 Pants Off