Review - I'll Have What He's Having by Adib Khorram

I'll Have What He's Having

by Adib Khorram

My rating:

Heat level:

Tags: Contemporary

Posted in Book Reviews on April 19, 2026

Farzan dreamed of being a teacher as a child. Once he grew up and became one, he was so good at it he burned out quickly. Now, he gets by substituting. It wouldn’t be so bad if his love life wasn’t also a disaster. David was a high flier in Chicago’s financial world, but he realized that wasn’t what he really wanted to do, so he quit and pursued his passion for wine. Now he’s studying for a master sommelier certificate. David is nothing if not single-minded in pursuit of a goal. When David and Farzan meet, the sparks fly, but with the two of them pursuing dreams that will take them in different directions, can they find a way to make it work?

There a bit of romantic comedy to “I’ll Have What He’s Having”, as the title might suggest. But once you get past the meet-cute start, there’s a lot more drama than comedy, and a lot more heat than you might expect. Most of the drama comes from the diverging paths the men are on. Both come from families that have instilled a strong work ethic and the desire to be successful in them. What both of them struggle with is that the definition of “success” can change over time, based on our circumstances, as well as the concept that there’s more to life than work.

We meet Farzan first. Much of his personality is about helping those around him. It started as a child when he, as the oldest, helped take care of his younger siblings while his immigrant parents built up their restaurant business. Farzan puts so much of himself into some of the things he does that even the smallest bump in the road can send him off the rails, doubting his self worth.

On the surface, David may seem to be more successful, but the two aren’t that different. Unlike Farzan, David may have a goal he’s shooting for when we meet him, but he’s so focused on obtaining that goal, and the career it will give him that he forgets to live along the way.

“I'll Have What He's Having” is available from independent booksellers through Bookshop.org.