I’ll Have What He’s Having by Adib Khorram
This story uses dual-perspective storytelling and switches between the two protagonists: Farzan and David. Farzan is Iranian and doesn’t really enjoy his day job as a substitute teacher. He loves to cook and his parents own a Persian restaurant there in Kansas City, a restaurant that is a bit of a cultural nexus for the Iranian community. Farzan is thirty-five, the oldest of three siblings, and he feels like his two younger siblings have it much more together than he does. He’s single, rents an apartment, barely has a job, and feels like he always messes everything up.
The book opens with Farzan’s date canceling and not wanting to reschedule. So, feeling down on himself, Farzan reaches out to his best friends to soothe his hurt heart with french fries and drinks but they are busy. He ends up going solo to a new wine bistro in town, Aspire. It’s loud when he gets there and instead of repeatedly yelling his name to the hostess, he gives a fake name that he thinks the hostess will understand more easily: Frank Allen.
Meanwhile, David is a beautiful Black man and the wine director of Aspire. If he’s not working, studying for the Master Sommelier test is taking up his life. He intends to pass the test then move somewhere like Los Angeles or New York where he can make a name for himself. David takes a peek at the waitlist and sees the name Frank Allen and freaks out because Frank Allen is an important food critic, so he gives this unexpectedly attractive “Frank Allen” an amazing culinary experience, not knowing it’s Farzan. Farzan, of course, doesn’t know why this is happening and he just thinks this incredibly hot guy is being kind to him. They flirt ruthlessly and when Farzan finishes his meal, they end up doing more. Don’t worry, the mistaken identity stuff is cleared up before they have sex. They’re both smitten, but Farzan doesn’t do no-strings-attached, and David has a time limit on how long he’s staying in Kansas City.
I loved this book. I laughed a lot and there was even comedy during some of the sexy parts which I didn’t expect but I appreciated. It’s a light, fun read perfect for the end of summer.
