In this raw and poetic memoir-meets-cultural critique, Eyal Cohen unpacks the emotional armor of contemporary masculinity as he navigates first love, vulnerability, and the quiet unraveling of a relationship in millennial New York.

What happens when a man falls in love for the first time? When he must be vulnerable and exposed for his love to flourish? Why does the promise of intimacy trigger inhibition? And how does his conditioning ignite his instinct to withdraw? Eyal Cohen explores these questions through interweaving vignettes that braid a young man’s experience of falling in love with the complexities of contemporary masculinity. Set against the backdrop of a millennial’s life in New York City, Cohen offers a fresh take on the true risks and rewards of falling in love. Through the lens of his budding romance with the mysterious “L,” Cohen delves into intimacy, communication, and toxicity, offering readers an unabashed and nuanced perspective on the young male experience today. Take the L creates space and provides the language for meaningful conversations for those looking to better understand the young men in their lives—whether they be peers, partners, colleagues, or sons. Through the telling of how his relationship blossomed and then unraveled, Cohen illustrates how love serves as a container for both our deepest wounds and our biggest transformations, calling us to consider how we learn about love from those we know, those we observe, and those who ultimately come to define the word itself.