By: Kelly Malambri/Columnist
Alan Hovey has had many relationships with females in the past, but he has always found sex with men more enjoyable.
In Daren Krupa’s “Such a Nice Boy,” Hovey’s female coworker Lindsey Ronan changes all of this when she strikes him with love at first sight. In a troubled marriage herself, and wary of a man with a homosexual past, Ronan faces as many challenges in entering their relationship as Hovey does.
The novel is a story of their trials and errors in search to find happiness in relationships that know no bounds. Through his work, Krupa presents a great allegorical story that is much needed and appreciated in a time when campaigns about “NOH8” and sexual acceptance are rampant everywhere.
In the beginning of the novel, which took Krupa 11 years to write, his dialogue is slightly hard to understand as the book progresses his regal and inspiring message about borderless love coming alive.
As she speaks about the way many choose to hide their true feelings in relationships and throughout life, Krupa’s character Ronan projects part of his message regally: “Reality changes, so we renegotiate our happiness. We sell out. We pretend not to see. We think we compromise and compensate but we rationalize and slip deeper into emotional bankruptcy.”
Krupa beautifully develops Hovey as he falls in love with Ronan and her son. In building his relationship with her young son, Hovey finds he enjoys playing the father-figure role, and discovers more about himself than just the truth about his sexual preferences.
Ronan and Hovey are both developed even further as they are faced with the decision of leaving their current lovers, which neither of them are satisfied with, in order to pursue a relationship that reflects who they truly are.
In this sense, Krupa has created a coming-of-age novel that all can relate to, as readers explore who they are in their personal lives and who they are in their familial lives.
The book does contain expletives that the conservative reader should be weary of, but the book is brave in that it discusses what many are afraid to, and it should be recognized for that reason alone.
As it explores the decisions we make about our sexual preferences, Krupa’s novel suggests that we should not be timid or allow ourselves to be influenced by others, like when Ronan and Hovey explore their messy relationship.
I feel this message is one that should be understood by all as we try to stay true to ourselves in our day-to-day lives and respect the fact that others are simply trying to do the exact same thing.
Cover to Cover is a bi-weekly book review column. Look for it every other Monday this fall.
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