Review of ​Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger

​Almost Like Being in Love by Steve Kluger is a novel told through journal entries, letters, narratives, and other found documents about the budding love of Travis and Craig. They’d met in 1978 as seniors in high school when Craig was a baseball player and Travis had pined for him. They fall for each other so by the time school ends, they find an apartment in New York City together before both departing for college on different sides of the US. Travis goes to USC to study history, while Craig goes to Harvard for law. The narrative fast-forwards to twenty years in the future where Travis is teaching how baseball and US history intertwine while failing at finding the one. Craig at this point has been dating a hardware store owner, Clayton, for 13 years while also being an attorney. Travis begins to think about their magical summer together so decides to look for Craig, eventually turning up at Craig’s mother’s practice as a gynecologist. As Travis hitchhikes, he meets a woman named AJ in St Louis who falls in love with Gordo, Travis’s straight roommate, while driving Travis to Craig. Travis finally meets up with Clayton when the couple is on the rocks because Craig is debating whether to run for Assembly or not. Travis convinces Clayton to let Craig do what he wants, though Travis is heartbroken that his true love isn’t single and is holding onto a ring Clayton gave him. All the while, Craig is representing a custody case which eventually turns in his favor. Travis meets Craig at a restaurant and while they don’t get together then, the narrative fast-forwards another six years. By that time, Craig is a congressman, Travis is a famous author, AJ and Gordo are together, and Clayton has found someone else. So in the end, Travis and Craig are back together and happy.
 
Kluger, in addition to the unique way he presents the narrative, is funny in this novel. He has a lot of zingers, fun little fights between Travis and Craig, and makes a love story in which I wanted all three of them to be together. The one little gripe I had was that it felt like Clayton’s departure was glossed over. And while it was apparent Craig and Clayton had a rocky relationship when Craig wanted to run for Assembly, I would’ve expected a little more discussion on the matter. Though, in the end Travis and Craig are what matter. A delightful read.
 
Final Rating: 4.5/5