Love is like a friendship caught on fire. – Bruce Lee
One thing I love about reading is discovering a “new to me” author. After reading M/M books for a few years I thought I had read or at least heard of most of the best authors in the genre. Then one day, Lisa sends out an email telling us that she has a book by Anyta Sunday that needs reviewed. I haven’t read anything by Ms. Sunday before, but Lisa tells me she is great, so I figured I would give it a whirl.
The three main characters in this story are Sam, the loveable almost 30 yr old. Luke, who is Sam’s very attractive next door neighbor. Then there is Jeremy, Sam’s 14 yr. old son who is walking a path that could lead him exactly to the same place Sam is in, if things don’t change.
I almost instantly fell in love with Sam. Once I started reading about Sam’s life I could relate to what he was feeling. Being 14 and having sex for the very first time and it changes your life forever. On his fifteenth birthday Jeremy, his son, was born. So, there went college, parties and just basically being a kid. Our twenties are the time in our life where we go a little wild, experiment sexually and basically find out who we are deep down. Sam had made a list of all the things he wanted to experience before his 30th birthday. So now, with three weeks to go he is determined to complete the list.
Luke has been Sam’s next door neighbor for the last seven years. Luke and Sam are the best of friends. However, we soon find out Luke wants more. Luke had to leave town for an extended period to assist his mother through a cancer scare. While he was away he realized that he’s in love with Sam. The biggest problem with this realization is that he has never informed Sam that he is gay. Before leaving to help his mother, Luke found Sam’s list, and Luke is determined to help Sam complete his list.
Jeremy, oh sweet little Jeremy. I like Jeremy a lot. He is a normal teenager and his main goal in life is to figure out how to spend as much time as possible with his girlfriend over the summer. First he is going to have to get his mother to stop with the condom on the banana training. Since his parents made him when they were his age Jeremy doesn’t get any opportunity to be alone with Suzy. So he comes up with the great plan to pretend to be gay to throw his parents off the trail.
Most of the items on Sam’s list are the usual things twenty-somethings do. He dyes his hair, pierces his ear and walks out on a check in a restaurant. Luke helps him tick one more item off his list, swimming with the great white sharks. The final item on the list is on one hand the best and on the other hand the worst. Luke wants to tell Sam he is not only gay, but in love with him. Before he gets the chance Sam proposes an agreement to “experiment” with Luke sexually. Luke agrees and the situation is equal parts heaven and hell for Luke. Finally, when he can’t take it anymore Luke confesses all to Sam and his greatest fear is realized. Sam doesn’t know what to do with the information and through a series of misunderstandings, the two men end up estranged. Luckily for Luke and Sam, Jeremy’s mother raised a wonderful young man who figures out, eventually, that the world does not revolve around him. Jeremy comes up with a plan that will either bring Sam and Luke together or will end their friendship for good.
I know it may sound cliché, but this book made me laugh and it made me cry. Just witnessing the devotion Luke has to Sam and Jeremy is something we all hope for in a mate. I am excited that this is the first in a new series and I have the feeling I will be reading many more books by this author. I cannot wait to see what Anyta has in store for us and I hope that we may get to pop in and see Sam and Luke in the future. I highly recommend this book, and I will definitely be exploring Ms. Sunday’s books further.
Reviewed by: Jackie
You can buy Taboo For You here:
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