Sarina Bowen’s Him (co-written with Elle Kennedy) stands as a landmark in contemporary M/M romance, particularly within the sports romance subgenre. Published in 2015, the novel follows two hockey players—Wes Michaels and Jamie Canning—who reunite at a summer hockey camp after a falling out years earlier. What unfolds is a nuanced exploration of male intimacy, internalized homophobia, and the courage required to choose love over legacy. This essay examines how Him uses the hyper-masculine world of professional hockey to challenge stereotypes about queer athletes, emphasizing vulnerability as a form of strength. 1. The Rivalry as Romantic Tension At its core, Him subverts the traditional rivals-to-lovers trope. Wes and Jamie were best friends and summer camp roommates before a confused, passionate night drove them apart. When they meet again as adults—Wes now an NHL star, Jamie a college champion—their unresolved attraction manifests as competitive banter and physical aggression on the ice. Bowen cleverly uses hockey as both a literal and metaphorical battleground: checking, shoving, and trash-talking become coded expressions of desire. The sport, often seen as a bastion of toxic masculinity, instead becomes the arena where the characters learn to communicate honestly. 2. Deconstructing the “Closeted Athlete” Stereotype Unlike many queer sports narratives that focus on suffering and secrecy, Him offers a relatively hopeful portrayal of coming out. Wes is openly gay among his teammates and family, yet he fears that pursuing Jamie—who has only ever dated women—will ruin their friendship. Jamie, for his part, undergoes a compelling arc of self-discovery. His attraction to Wes isn’t portrayed as a crisis but as a gradual, joyful realization. Bowen avoids melodrama: Jamie’s bisexuality is accepted by his brother, his teammates (once revealed), and the narrative itself. The conflict stems not from external homophobia but from internal fear of rejection, making the story intimate rather than tragic. 3. Friendship as the Foundation of Romance One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its depiction of male friendship. Wes and Jamie’s bond is built on years of shared history, inside jokes, and genuine affection. Their physical relationship develops naturally from this foundation, and Bowen dedicates significant page time to non-sexual intimacy: late-night conversations, pranks, and mutual support during games. This focus challenges the idea that male vulnerability is unmasculine. When Jamie admits, “I don’t want to be your secret,” he voices a universal longing for acknowledgment, regardless of gender or orientation. 4. The Role of Setting: Summer Camp as Liminal Space The hockey camp setting serves as a crucial narrative device. Removed from the pressures of professional contracts and family expectations, Wes and Jamie inhabit a temporary world where rules can be bent. The lake, the bunk beds, and the campfire become sites of reconnection. This liminal space allows the characters to experiment with their identities before deciding whether to carry their relationship into the “real world.” Bowen uses the camp’s closure as a ticking clock, heightening the urgency of their emotional decisions. 5. Critical Reception and Impact Him has been praised for its authentic dialogue, steamy yet emotional sex scenes, and refusal to punish its queer characters. It helped popularize the M/M sports romance subgenre on mainstream platforms like Amazon and Goodreads, paving the way for authors like Rachel Reid (Heated Rivalry). Some critics note that the novel glosses over systemic homophobia in hockey, but others argue that its utopian tone offers necessary escapism. Ultimately, Him succeeds because it prioritizes joy over trauma—a revolutionary act for queer romance. Conclusion Him is more than a steamy romance between two hockey players. It’s a careful study of how men love each other in spaces that forbid tenderness. By blending sports intensity with emotional honesty, Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy create a world where checking an opponent can be foreplay, and saying “I love you” is the riskiest play of all. For readers seeking romance that respects both athleticism and intimacy, Him remains a hat trick winner.