Customer Reviews

I'm Your Man

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I'M YOUR MAN is the third book published by that talented foursome known as Timothy James Beck. The three novels detail the lives of several friends, most of whom live in New York City, but are originally from Eau Claire Wisconsin. IT HAD TO BE YOU concentrates on the budding relationship between Daniel, a recently retired female impersonator, and Blaine, an up and coming advertising executive. HE'S THE ONE focuses on Adam, a hunky computer wiz, and Jeremy, a struggling actor and a former lover of Daniel's. In I'M YOUR MAN, Daniel, and Blaine, are once again the primary protagonists.

The story, this time around, is told from Blaine's point of view. Blaine and Daniel have broken up and the split was anything but amicable. Each said horrible things to the other, and both are terribly bitter. Of course they still love each other madly, so moving on for both is proving extremely difficult. Daniel, currently the most hated/loved villain on daytime's popular Secret Splendor, is filming a TV movie in Hollywood, while Blaine continues on in New York. Blaine is a mass of battling emotions. He really misses his ex-boyfriend, but he remains angry over a deception he feels Daniel perpetrated on him. He wants desperately to get on with his life but his feelings for Daniel just won't go away. When a mutual lesbian friend, Gretchen, suggests Blaine have a child with her, Blaine struggles with his decision. He and Daniel wanted to raise children one day and he feels guilty about going ahead with the plan on his own.

With humor and compassion, I'M YOUR MAN, deals with many issues facing the 21st century gay community. Family relationships, gay families, child rearing, transgender acceptance, public outing, and personal honesty and forgiveness are all tackled with equal sincerity. While slightly more idealistic in nature, I found I'M YOUR MAN to be reminiscent of the best of William J Mann, a personal favorite. There is an underlying honesty here that is rare in popular gay fiction.

In each subsequent installment the characters have evolved and grown, as have the writing chops of the authors. I'M YOUR MAN maintains the romantic warm tone of its predecessors, but it's definitely a deeper and more involving read. I heartily recommend all of Timothy James Beck's novels, but especially this emotionally fulfilling joyride.

I've been waiting for a year with something akin to baited breath for the release of I'M YOUR MAN, even though the preview I read in the paperback version of HE'S THE ONE made me a little nervous (more about that later). I'm happy to say that I'M YOUR MAN was definitely worth the wait.

I'M YOUR MAN is the third novel by Timothy James Beck (actually four authors: two named Timothy, one named James and one named Becky) that focuses on a group of gay men, most of whom have migrated from Eau Claire, WI to Manhattan. The central characters in this third volume are Daniel and Blaine, who were also at the heart of the first novel, IT HAD TO BE YOU, but with two major differences. Unlike the first book, which was narrated by Daniel, we see everything from the perspective of Blaine. And unlike the rollercoaster experience of budding love Daniel had in the first book, Blaine is dealing with a bad break-up with Daniel. (This is where my nervousness came in, because I loved Daniel and Blaine as a couple.)

I would liken TJB's three novels with another favorite series of mine, Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY series. While twists and turns in the plot are not as frequent as with Maupin's books, you have witty dialogue and richly drawn characters, full of both grace and flaws. And in this third volume, the characters have grown and filled out to the point that one wishes they were flesh-and-blood people that you could make part of one's circle of friends. In fact, when I have gone back and reread IT HAD TO BE YOU and HE'S THE ONE, it has felt something like revisiting old friends.

Also like Maupin did with San Francisco, TJB has made Manhattan a character rather than just a setting for the stories. As a New York City resident, I feel like I'm part of the story when Blaine bumps into Daniel at Whole Foods for the first time since their break up, or Blaine walks through Central Park, visiting his and Daniel's old haunts. Just as Daniel's subway experiences in IT HAD TO BE YOU and Adam and Jeremy's first meeting at The Big Cup in HE'S THE ONE lent a sense of realism to this frothy fiction, the attention to detail, I think, really brings this world to life. I also enjoy the pop culture references throughout the series, whether it's Daniel accidentally going into a Star Trek: The Next Generation-themed bar, Adam and Jeremy's "Evita" riff when they meet an Eva Perón look-alike (hopefully the Patti LuPone "Evita" and not the Madonna version!), or Blaine's tendency to be reminded of commercials in certain situations.

TJB's dialogue is witty and edgy at times, like Maupin's or Christian McGlaughlin's, but the sentimental and romantic passages or also well written. The dialogue rarely feels contrived; in fact, TBJ has a way of writing naturalistic conversation that still impart to the reader the exposition and plot points we need to know.

But I think what I like best about I'M YOUR MAN (as I did with the previous two novels) is seeing the arc of the narrator's development. Blaine, who has been somewhat closeted in the first two books, is only a little more open at the beginning of this story, but he grows to accept and embrace his own sexuality and the diversity of his community. Yet TJB makes this growth realistic. Blaine has to overcome his own internalized homophobia and has trouble doing so at times. His reactions when his ex, Daniel, dawns drag hark back to his hostility and discomfort with drag and the men who dawn it. Yet at least now he knows it is HIS problem, not the drag queens' and certainly not Daniel's. But Blaine is a changed man by the end this story, and his story is both engaging and authentic. (SPOILER: I was also thrilled that Blaine and Daniel reunite at the end!!)

I understand that TJB is at work on a fourth novel, but that this novel will not center on any of the characters I have come to know and love. While I welcome a "new universe" from these authors, I do hope they return to these marvelous characters again. After all, we haven't had a story from Jeremy's point of view, and I have a feeling that there could be an interesting story there (as long as it doesn't involve breaking up with Adam-I don't think I could take the heartache again!) And, hey, if it turns out that Jeremy shares my obsession with "Angel" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," that'd be another reason for me to love TJB's world. Until then, I'll have to keep satisfied by re-reading IT HAD TO BE YOU, HE'S THE ONE, and now, I'M YOUR MAN.

"I'm Your Man," the third book in Timothy James Beck's New York trilogy, is the story of Blaine Dunhill, a Manhattan advertising executive, and Daniel Stevenson, an up and coming TV actor. After a series of unfortunate misunderstandings, and regrettably nasty fights, they broke off their three year relationship. Blaine, still deeply in love with Daniel, is heartbroken.

Beck revisits many friends from the two previous novels, "It Had It Be You," and "He's the One." Gretchen, their lesbian financial planner friend, had decided she wanted to become a mother before her biological clock ran out. She knew that Blaine and Daniel had discussed the possibility of having children, and that Daniel had put the baby idea out of his mind because of his busy TV taping schedule. Gretchen knew that Blaine still wanted children, so she asked him to be her sperm donor. Blaine wasn't sure he was prepared for such a big step, but he and Gretchen both wanted the same thing--a father willing to be active in the child's life.

During a visit to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, his home town, Blaine sought the advice of friends, Adam and Jeremy. They reminded him that Gretchen was Daniel's friend first. How would Daniel feel about a child if there was the possibility of reconciliation? But, since he believed Daniel was no longer a part of his life, Blaine agreed. He and Gretchen decided not to tell their close knit group of friends about the baby until after the planned wedding extravaganza of their friends, supermodel Sheila, and photographer Josh.

Timothy James Beck's plot is full of twists and turns, starts and stops. The author is so adept at character development that we not only knew each character well, we even felt like we knew what they preferred to wear and eat. We knew where they lived and what their apartments looked like, though the author never wasted extra words on tedious descriptions. We readers experienced corporate board meetings, location photo shoots, and we walked the streets of Manhattan, absorbing its atmosphere.

"I'm Your Man," far more than a simple reading experience, is a visit with old friends Daniel, Blaine, Gretchen, Jeremy and Adam, and others. We experience their camaraderie as we root for Blaine and Daniel to reconcile, but will they?

Each of Timothy James Beck's novels is a complete and an enjoyable read in itself, but reading the novels in order of publication gives the reader insight into all the characters' backgrounds, and enhances the enjoyment of reading the three books. "I'm Your Man," is another grand slam of a novel-a highly recommended five star read."

For a fun experience, visit www.timothyjamesbeck.com and meet all the characters.

Hunky, cocky Blaine found the love of his life -- and threw him away by over-reacting to some news his honey should have told him himself. Daniel plays his cards too close to his chest and lost his honey when he withheld important information he should have shared early on. They were both thoroughly guilty for the break-up: one made stupid, inaccurate assumptions when he heard part of the information his honey withheld from him. Both remained deeply in love with the other, but neither had the courage to say "I'm sorry" and bring about the reconciliation. I was so frustrated with the inability of either to start the inevitable conversation and the dependency of the plot line on neither communicating well. Yet, by the end of the book, I'd decided that it was better that they didn't reconcile quickly, because the pain and aloneness forced Blaine to grow up (as Daniel told him to do). One of the joys of the book (in addition to the final scenes) was watching Blaine learn about himself and grow to be a big enough man to deserve Daniel at the end. I look forward to the future books in this universe.

Okay, before I begin, I'd like to point you towards my reviews of 'It Had to Be You,' and 'He's the One,' and to say, simply, "Go; Buy; Enjoy." It's not that you'd be totally lost reading these out of order (I came at the series ass-backwards with the ass book first, so to speak), but I would have to say that the third book won't have the same gut-punching beginning if you've not read the other two.

Namely, the position of Blaine and Daniel as ex-boyfriends.

It's not just that I've become something of a romantic since I actually manage to land one of those ephemeral 1% of sane gay men to date (no really, they exist!) - I read the other two when I was hip deep in single status, and they were quite an uplifting read. They had candy content, don't get me wrong (I mean, hello, everyone is described deliciously), but there were a few scenes that made me stop and think, which one doesn't often expect in fun reading. Most specifically, the "two saddest words" component of one of the tales ground me to a halt, until I finally found my own personal answer, and it has become a standard question I ask of people by the by.

Geez - am I still talking about the other two books? Right. On topic.

"I'm Your Man," starts with Blaine being single, Daniel being his ex, and the reader absolutely stunned that Timothy James Beck could be so heartless as to make us suffer through the notion of these two without each other. Sadists. But, like any good romantic, that horrible shred of hope kept me going past those awful first pages (they-broke-up/they-broke-up/they-broke-up hammering in my head all the while) and I found - as usual - that Timothy James Beck delivered a solid bit of work.

Blaine and his best pal Gretchen (also single, though in her case more repetitively and steadfastly so) decide that little swimmy Blaines and little ovulating Gretchens might be a nifty way to have child. The fallout in Blaine's life is a joy to read, as Blaine navigates a lot of what family is supposed to mean (and often doesn't). Blaine's a character you can slip into fairly well - his mental processes, though sometimes leaving you fit to smack his mythical head around for a few hours, make sense internally, and you can see why he is the way he is. It's also refreshing to read a gay character who isn't all that stereotypically gay conscious - the poor guy hasn't got a clue how to handle transgendered issues, has more than a little bit to learn about fashion, and can be more than a little bit ignorant. Even my usual slight friction with the perfectly sculpted super-hot muscle stud image didn't seem to rub the wrong way in this novel, which says a bit about how well he was written. Blaine goes to the gym a lot, so it's not like an Andy Schell novel where the hero fella suddenly has gym payoff when we've been with him every hour of almost every day and he's never even seen the inside of the gym.

The long and the short of it (and more long than short, I admit, as I fear I'm gushing at this point), Timothy James Beck gave me what I really wanted most: characters. Daniel is still Daniel - but an evolving Daniel. Ditto Blaine, and Adam, and Shiela, and all the other host of characters that make up the Beck world.

Personally, I'm ready for book four. I might even manage to read that one in more than a single day, to draw it out a little bit...

'Nathan

it's been a year since i had the second installment, he's the one. i couldn't wait. i emailed timothy james beck and told me to wait for last quarter of 2004 for the 3rd installment. and the wait paid off...

the 3rd book gave us the definition of love, hate, break up, guilt in the eyes of blaine dunhill. the alpha male who's an over achiever and always get his way. in this book, he and the love of his life, daniel, broke up. i was so shocked after reading the first chapter. i would never imagine them apart.

i highly recomend this book to all people, from all walks of life who believe that love can conquer all, that love can move mountains. because it did, it moved me. :)

This is the third book. I could not believe it when I was reading that Daniel and Blaine broke up. I think that this book is true to life in many ways. I can really see this happening in the gay world. Even my straight friends could related to it.

For a while I was mad at Blaine for not just telling Daniel how he felt. We go on this roller coaster ride with them. The part of the book that Daniel and Blaine go to the fundraiser that Blaines assistiant doesn't want him to go to made me cry. When the assistaint tells Daniel how much Princess 2DI4 ment to her. I felt like Daniel for a moment.

I hope that the writing team of Timothy James Beck get the chance to write more stories about these friends. I feel like it's about time that there are gay novels for adults to read that are filled with characters that we can relate to.

In this excellent third novel, Beck revisits many of the unforgettable characters from his previous works, "It Had to Be You" and "He's the One". For me, reading this book felt a little like going back home for the holidays and catching up with family and old friends.
This story has all the charm, wit, and memorably well-written characters of the previous novels, but also treads into some new territory for Beck. We get to see many familiar faces through a different set of eyes. The main character of Blaine, first introduced to us in "It Had to Be You", is now going through a darker, more serious time of his life, having recently become single again. From his point of view, we see many of Beck's earlier characters, and many new characters, as Blaine comes to terms with his new status, and debates making a life-altering decision with his friend Gretchen.
Without becoming too serious or weighed down, this story takes a realistic and slightly less lighthearted look at relationships...a subject with which Beck seems to have a keen understanding. I found it very interesting to see how he has grown as an author, and how his characters and their interaction with the world have grown with him.
Absolutely worth reading, for T.J.B. fans and new readers alike.

I'm actually friends with one of the writers, which is what got me started reading the TJB series. I've never been a big fiction reader, because the stories and characters don't seem REAL, but I found myself hooked on the characters in the first book, It Had to Be You, and have been glued to the books since then! You feel like you really know these people, and are affected by the outcome of the story. This is a great continuation of the story of Daniel and Blaine and friends, with heartache, longing, love, and all the intensity that keeps you rooting for these people, and I can't wait to see what they'll do next!

Being a silly romantic at heart, I kept postponing reading this book once I knew it was post Daniel and Blaine's break-up. But I love Daniel and just have to know his ups and downs even through Blaine's eyes. I missed Daniel's voice in "He's the One" and missed it again in "I'm Your Man". I did not enjoy "I'm Your Man" as much as I would have liked to. Partly because of the subplots. I skipped most of the parts on Sheila's & Blaine's career life and Blaine's and Gretchen'e effort to have a baby, which I found tedious. OK so I do not like Blaine betraying Daniel that way! I found myself picking up passages to read. Before this book, I have liked Blaine but this time finds this character annoying. I do not expect the protagonist to be perfect but his flings with Ethan and other "tricks" is plain stupidity. Daniel certainly deserves someone better. OK so I do not like the story line because it concentrates on the unhappy relationship between Daniel and Blaine. Luckily there is a happy ending or else I would not even have read it. You may call me shallow but I prefer to enjoy my books. However as a gay romantic "fluff" genre, "I'm Your Man" is better than most out there today. Still this is Daniel's world and I look forward to more of his story.