Alabama Summer, C.K. Alexander
Rating: Not Rated
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Gay Romance
Tags: Stereotypes, Closeted Character
Length: 125 Pages
Reviewer: Cindi
Purchase At: amazon.com
This review contains spoilers. My apologies for the length of this review.
Disclaimer: I live in the southernmost part of Alabama, Mobile. Alabama Summer is set in South Alabama, though I’m not sure if the name of the town is given in the book. I am not one to read books based in my state, much less this close to where I actually live, so I had an idea of what to expect before I sat down to read this book. Unfortunately, I was correct. As a result, I am choosing not to rate this book on here or on Goodreads or any other site.
Jimmy and Chase have been a couple for over ten years. They live in the northeast, far away from Jimmy’s small home town in southern Alabama. Before Jimmy escaped the south for college, he kept his homosexuality secret from everyone who knew him. I’m not sure, however, when his mother was told though it could have been mentioned in the book and I missed it. No matter. Eva (Jimmy’s mother) is very aware of the fact now and she’s not pleased. Unfortunately, she has major health issues and she has no other children so she is forced to call Jimmy to come home to help take care of her. Jimmy has not been back home in years and he’s terrified of going back to his homophobic home town, even for a little while. Chase is an amazing partner and immediately makes arrangements to go with Jimmy to do what needs to be done to help his mother.
Jimmy was an all American boy growing up. He was popular in school and had enough sports trophies to prove it. He was the Homecoming king and never wanted for friends. There were always people around him, including his high school sweetheart Monica whose heart he ultimately broke without giving her the main reason for the break up: he’s gay.
The initial visit back to Eva’s house goes exactly as expected. She immediately dislikes Chase and makes it clear that she is not happy with the lifestyle of her son. Eventually she and Chase come to an understanding as long as it is understood that Jimmy and Chase WILL NOT sleep in the same bedroom if they are to stay at her house. Surprisingly, I liked Eva. A lot. She may not have understood or accepted that her son was gay but she reluctantly took it for what it was and she did it with a bit of humor. I enjoyed watching her and Chase together. Jimmy, on the other hand, was an absolute ass. I’ll come back to that.
After an argument with Eva over the sleeping arrangements during the first visit, Jimmy and Chase go to a rundown motel not far from Eva’s house. After the characters CONSTANTLY go on and on about the heat of the motel room (and southern Alabama in general) something happens the next day that completely sealed my opinion of Jimmy. Afterward, my dislike continued to grow and was no better when I got to the end.
I have to say this before I go any further – yes, it’s hot in the southern portion of Alabama. It’s hot. It’s humid. It’s absolutely miserable if you are not used to it. Seriously, we get it. These two characters must have mentioned the heat 100 times in a very short book. So, for those who didn’t get it already after reading it on almost every single page of the book? South Alabama is hot in the summer and often in the winter. That’s life here. Chase not understanding it, I get. Not Jimmy. He was raised in Alabama.
The moment I realized that I would hate Jimmy was when he and Chase were checking out of the motel to head back to Jimmy’s mother’s house. The clerk on duty was Monica, Jimmy’s old high school girlfriend whose heart he broke years earlier because he was scared to tell her he was gay. At no point did he acknowledge Chase’s existence with the exception of introducing him as a “friend”, not a boyfriend. This behavior continued throughout the book. Chase would get his feelings hurt but Jimmy didn’t seem to care. He was not, under any circumstances, going to acknowledge that Chase was anything more than a buddy. This comes to a head later when Eva needs someone to care for her in her home and the person they hire is Monica. She makes it very clear that she is single and interested in Jimmy. This is in front of Chase. Instead of finally manning up, he basically just plays along not caring that he’s hurting Chase in the process.
Fast forward a bit and also a step back. Jimmy had been invited by Monica to go out with her and their old high school buddies. The invite was extended when Jimmy and Chase were checking out of the motel. The invitation was no big deal really. It’s what happened later that was. When it came to the day of the ‘get together’ Jimmy took his “I’m ashamed of our relationship” way too far by telling Chase to go out somewhere else that night while he went out to pretend to be the straight boy with Monica and their high school buddies. Chase, the same man he’s been with for over ten years. Chase, the man who had more patience than most characters I’ve seen. Chase, who FINALLY got fed up and walked out.
“I expect you to grow the fuck up,” Chase growled. “I expect you to act like a man and not shirk away from your responsibilities. You’ve done it since the moment we got here. You ran out on your Momma because you didn’t like her rules, and now you’ve told your ex-girlfriend that I’m just a friend, not the same goddamn lover you’ve had for ten years. What the fuck is wrong with you, Jimmy? Does crossing the Alabama line make you suddenly like every other redneck down here?”
There are no words for how I felt about Jimmy during all this time. I absolutely hated the guy. Chase I liked for the most part though he does throw out a few comments that were ridiculous (see quotes). I wasn’t pleased that he ended up going back back to Jimmy but I did understand it as there was a medical emergency involving Eva. This was after Jimmy had been outed by a homophobe from his old high school. Outed. He didn’t come clean on his own and probably never would have had this public outing not occurred. This happened when Jimmy went out with his friends during the friend thing mentioned above – this, after he had run Chase off because he couldn’t admit he was gay. The book ended okay for the most part though I read the entire thing believing that perhaps Jimmy wasn’t quite as gay as he claimed to be because he seemed to have a thing for Monica all these years later.
This isn’t good, Chase thought.
God, she looks good, Jimmy thought.
Yeah, I’m thinking he still has a thing for the old girlfriend at this point.
Those are my opinions on the love story. Now on to my real issues with this book and why there is a nice, big disclaimer at the top of this post.
While reading this I expected the southern stereotype which is why I avoid books set here. I’m used to it so I figured it couldn’t be as bad as I thought. We southern folks laugh at those who automatically assume that because we talk a little slower or whatever that we are slow and stupid. However, this book takes the old, southern stereotype much too far.
The story of Jimmy and Chase aside, I was extremely offended by this book as a whole. I mentioned in my disclaimer above that the book is set in South Alabama, where I myself live (born and raised). The way Alabama is described in this book is laughable on one hand and downright offensive on the other. As a straight woman with a straight husband and three straight sons who live in the state of Alabama, I can assure you that the Alabama depicted in this book is not the Alabama that I see every day of my life. Oh, and to point something else out, this particular straight woman from South Alabama is currently collaborating on two LGBT reviewing sites (this one being one of them, obviously). So, I can say it’s pretty much a given that all Alabamians are not like those in Alabama Summer. Sure, there are some who are but isn’t that in every other state as well?
“This is the seventh circle of Hell,” Chase told him. “You actually grew up down here?”
“I’m surprised some place like this even knows what the internet is.”
“I thought it never got cold here,” Chase said. “Does it snow in hell?”
“That’s about as likely as two gay men having a pleasant day in the state of Alabama.”
If you’re looking for a book that has almost every single incorrect stereotype about the state of Alabama, I highly recommend this book. If you are interested in a book set in my state that is actually factual in regards to a lot of the population of the state, I suggest finding another one. This was offensive to me as a true Alabamian who understands that the George Wallace era was decades ago. It would be nice if this author had realized that instead of using that horrible time in my state’s history and based his/her characters and the state as a whole on people from that time. It would’ve been real nice had it been told based on how things are now – you know, in the 21st century. But then again, then there wouldn’t be a story.
One thing this book did not have? Southern-speak. Odd, considering the rest of the book. Not one “y’all” in the book that I recall, though I could be wrong.
It should be noted that I am not one of those southern girls who takes offense over every little thing. I laugh along with most folks and have no problem with being joked with about my southern heritage. But when an author takes a book and makes it all about the sheer (supposed) stupidity of where I live and turns it into the entire story? Yeah, I get offended.
Overall, with the above being said, I did not like this book at all. Jimmy is extremely unlikable and even Chase, who I did like a little, made a few comments that gave me pause. There are editing issues scattered throughout that became distracting. Even knowing the setting of the book going in, I did read it with a very open mind. Had the book not been set in my state, it still would not have worked for me.
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I think this book is insulting. I can’t wait to get to Alabama with my gay son, who is really looking forward to it. He doesn’t seem to think it is the ‘seventh circle of hell.’ I speak to my fair share of southeners, I collect them actually, and not one homophobe among them. But you are right, they can be anywhere, irrespective of state. Good, honest review, Cindi.
Thank you. I think what angered me the most was that on every page something was said about EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN ALABAMA being the way the author described. No, it’s not like that at all (as you know). There are homophobic idiots everywhere and sure, parts of the south (and my state) have not progressed as much as we would like. But to label the entire population of Alabama that way pissed me off. You know me. You know my family. You know that we will welcome you and your son with open arms. You know why? Because we… Read more »
I don’t like generalisations and I don’t like stereotyping. So I hear you loud and clear. It isn’t right and it isn’t good writing. Not on my TBR that’s for sure!