One Man Guy

One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva is a very cute, heartwarming story about falling in love, self-discovery, and learning to trust and be truthful. Unlike most stereotypical love stories, this one has twists and turns that will keep readers from getting bored or throwing up. This story teaches several lessons and entertains while doing so.
Alek is an average high-schooler; he worries about grades, has an outgoing best friend, and loves tasty food. Though Alek seems quite mediocrely average for an American teenager, his parents are anything but average Americans. His parents-- full blooded Armenians-- are very strict in maintaining their old, Armenian customs. This starts to become a problem when Alek is forced to go to summer school for getting a bad grade in his English class, which results in him meeting someone who’d change his life forever. This someone, Ethan, teaches Alek the importance of being truthful to oneself, and helps Alek discover his own identity. On the way to self-discovery, Alek and Ethan go on several exciting adventures. However, Ethan unintentionally brings several problems to Alek along with the amazing adventures he took him on-- such as the risk of losing his parents’ trust if they find out the secrets Alek has been keeping between himself, Ethan, and his best friend.
One Man Guy explores the true meaning of love, trust, and the clash between old customs and new interests. It delves into what it’s like to be something your own family isn’t fully supportive of, and teaches several lessons about learning to accept yourself and others. One lesson could be that for healing to happen, the truth must be told, enemies must be forgiven, and secrets shouldn't be so prominent in our lives. One Man Guy also definitely proves that love can be found in unexpected places, like between two boys-- one being a straight-A student and the other being a potential dropout.
I personally enjoyed this book; it could make someone with the coldest of hearts feel at least a little twinge of happiness inside. Coming from someone who usually hates cheesy romances, One Man Guy has a lot of parts that really make it stand out and be different from any other cheesy romance novel. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a love story that isn’t entirely heteronormative and stereotypical. One Man Guy is perfect for someone who likes unique, adorable stories with happy endings.