If you go in expecting no similarities between 1 & 2, you'll be fine. DA2 was a decent game, but whereas DA1 was open world and would let you do be who you wanted, and do what you wanted, DA2 you have to be human, and it forces you through the same story with very little creativity allowed.
Also, Anders is a bitch. One wrong comment when your trying to be nice to him, and the next thing you know, your face-first in a pillow. I enjoy seeing Same-Sex options for romances. I don't like that in DA2 if you wanted Hetero Romance, you had to jump through a million hurdles.