Boyfriends with Girlfriends

Boyfriends with Girlfriends explores the world of teen sexuality and all the questions and insecurities it entails. Lance is gay and his best friend, Allie, is straight. Sergio is bi and his best friend, Kimiko, is a lesbian. When they all meet for the first time the fireworks fly: Sergio is attracted to both Lance and Allie; Kimiko thinks Allie is hot; Lance really likes Sergio’s pecs but is worried about the bi appellation; Allie is excited that Kimiko is Japanese because she loves everything from Japan. The messages are not subtle but not overbearing either. Lance struggles with his preconceived notions and stereotypes about bisexual guys. Allie wonders if she might be gay or bi because she finds herself increasingly attracted to show more Kimiko and questioning her relationship with her boyfriend of two years. Ethnicity also complicates the already daunting issues of family acceptance and coming out in the Latino and Asian cultures for Sergio and Kimiko. The characters are realistic and wrestle with very real questions in their own minds and with their best friends and families. Booklist starred. show less

Lance and Sergio are ready for an open relationship that won't shred their hearts, but they each come with emotional baggage and different opinions on sexuality. Lance views bisexuality as a cop-out, so when he finds himself attracted to Sergio who is recovering from an intense relationship with a girl, Lance is unsure if this is a good idea. His best friend Allie is also battling with her own uncertainties between a two-year relationship with a guy and a budding friendship (or is it something more?) with Sergio's best girl friend Kimiko.

I would have to say that Boyfriends With Girlfriends left me with mixed feelings. I left with much thoughts to digest, especially in regard to the honest discussion between Lance and Sergio in regard to show more the "realness" of bisexuality. Boyfriends With Girlfriends makes for a great read if you are fairly unaware of GLBT and some of the questions/concerns/confusions they face. It paints a fairly positive portrait of supportive parents and friends with a some glimpses of the negative reactions. However, I cannot help but feel the book was a little too simple and straightforward - and I wish that there had been a teeny bit more drama or conflict among the characters. show less

The first 30 pages or so were incredibly cringey - choppy writing, stilted dialogue, a serious 'after school special' kind of vibe, and Lance's biphobic attitude really annoyed me. But it got better, I'm glad I stuck with it. The characters became less one dimensional and more endearing, Lance listened to Sergio and decided to believe him when he says he's bi, and Allie toned down the slightly creepy Japan obsession and started to like Kimiko for herself (though, unlike with Lance's biphobia, I'm not sure if Allie's 'ooh you're Japanese!!!' thing was meant to be read as a flaw). The story was sweet, the couples were cute, the ending was happy. The constant 'Sup', 'he he he', 'yee ha' and text speak never gets less embarrassing though.

I was expecting this book to be a heavy-handed treatment of biphobia, the sort of thing that happens when a YA author decides that there’s an Issue that needs to be Addressed in young adult fiction. To my surprise, it was actually a very enjoyable novel — fast-moving, funny, and sweet. It probably helped that though most of Alex Sanchez’s fiction focuses on gay boys, this novel gave equal time to the lesbian storyline.

Let me start out by saying that I was completely excited at the prospect of reading this book. I fully believe that Alex Sanchez's message is something that needs to be out there. He not only addresses the concepts of homosexual and straight, but also tackles the much debated idea of being bi-sexual. As a person who works with children, I know that there are a lot of young people out there sitting on the same fence that Allie and Sergio are in this book. Not quite sure what side they fall on, they are trapped somewhere in between and ridiculed for it. That being said, I really wanted to love this book. Sadly, it missed that mark for me.

The first thing that struck me when I opened Boyfriends with Girlfriends was the writing style. show more Written almost entirely in dialogue, the story skips between the viewpoints of the four characters in an almost manic way sometimes. In fact, certain conversations took place in just one paragraph. It was a little disconcerting to say the least, but the saving grace was definitely in the actual dialogue itself. Sanchez paints the reader some extremely accurate personality types for each of his characters, and that is what I fell in love with.

From the heart pattering gorgeousness of Sergio through Lance's eyes, right on down to the questioning thoughts of Allie, the dialogue really brings these characters to life. I was incredibly impressed with the depth and complexity that each character possessed. Kimiko, for example, isn't just a cultural stereotype of a Japanese girl. Instead she is her own shining personality, from her boyish clothes to her love of sweet adolescent poetry. I won't lie when I say she was my favorite character in the book. Each character however had their own charm, and I kind of transported back to high school as I followed them. These could be kids that I actually knew.

Sadly, my love for these characters couldn't overshadow the simple fact that the message Sanchez was trying to convey was being beat to death. Although I really enjoyed the snippy and witty dialogue, it seemed like all the characters ever did was discuss their sexuality and their relationships. I liked that I got to see a little further into each of them through that, but I would really have liked to know more about where they came from. It was hard for me to believe that four friends would just sit around all day and discuss nothing but relationships.

I'll be completely honest when I say that I nearly didn't make it through Boyfriends with Girlfriends. It wasn't at all the subject matter that pushed me away from the book, but rather the way that it was delivered. What it really reminded me of was an after school special. You know, the ones where the topic is attacked mercilessly until something happens and everything ends up just as it should be? Yes, sadly that is this book. I can't imagine that teenagers are going to appreciate such heavy-handedness in a book. Really I worry that this fact is going to keep such an important message, such great characters, from reaching the audience who truly needs them. Teenagers aren't always as forgiving with "in your face" tactics as adults. I only hope they'll finish the book and see the merit in it like I did. show less

This was a great story of relationships. All of them come with uncertainty, but especially when you’re a teenager. Throw in some confusion over your sexuality and it’s even tougher.

Lance and Sergio begin seeing each other. The boys best friends meet, Allie and Kimiko. Kimiko likes Allie but feels she’s out of her league. Allie begins to realize she’s attracted to Kimiko, but will she explore those feelings any further?

I liked this book a lot. The only thing that kinda’ bugged me slightly was Lance continually questioning where things might be going with Sergio. It was really a minor issue though. This book has great characters, a compelling story, and fabulous writing. I give this one 4 ½ kisses!

This is a terribly written book. The dialogue is laughable throughout, and Sanchez has no clue how teenagers actually talk. The storyline is all right, but I was constantly distracted by the cheesy and unrealistic dialogue.

The reason this book gets two stars instead of one is that it actually features a bisexual character (which is something that hasn't been done very often). I also appreciate that Sanchez has his characters attend church as a normal thing and without it being the cause for angst.