Boyfriend 101: A Gay Guy's Guide to Dating, Romance, and Finding True Love
Professional counselor Sullivan supplements his breezy advice with anecdotes from his clients to coach gay readers looking for Mr. Right. As the "101" title implies, this is a beginner's guide with Sullivan starting at the ground level ("What is a date?"). His baby-steps approach covers potential opening lines for small talk with strangers; a three-page list of qualities to help narrow the focus of what your Mr. Right needs to possess; and locations for running into eligible men. Sullivan's banal scripted "one-minute encounters" should encourage even the most tongue-tied that it doesn't take clever observations to open a conversation. Some of Sullivan's advice seems so rudimentary that it seems designed for shut-ins rather than someone new to gay dating. One of the things not to say on a first date is "My father was a drunk," while Sullivan says men like to hear "Your butt is awesome," "I'm so proud of you" and "You make fabulous coffee." Sullivan's advice is more constructive when dealing with relationships: dating someone with a different HIV status; integrating your "inner teenager"; working through internalized homophobia; and suggested communication strategies for couples. The book ends with a useful resource guide that lists online matchmaking services, gay organization links and reference directoriesCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.