Taboo For You (Love & Family) (Volume 1)

I loved this book in spite of the fact that I am really not a fan of gfy. Sam and Luke were charming and adorable with enough depth to be interesting yet none of angst toward which I usually gravitate. I loved how the book started with their long standing friendship already well established. It's the kind of friendship where you're so comfortable with each other that you're as at home in their home as you are in your own. Where you're happy doing everything and nothing together. Where you finish each other's sentences and steal each other's fries. For me, their friendship was the heart of the story and it felt familiar and comforting and made my heart smile.While Sam and Luke's friendship made my heart warm and cozy, the evolution from friends to lovers made my heart race and my breath catch again and again. The sexual tension and chemistry was palpable and delicious and oh so satisfying.I'm not gunna lie, gfy will always make me squint my eyes and cringe a bit BUT this book made me think of my own journey with my sexual identity. Though my evolution and the realization that I'm bi/pan as well as demi (-ish?) (I still haven't got it all figured out), are different than Sam's, I could really relate to how slow he was to figure it out. I mean, it was right there in my face for 40 years before I finally had that "Oh! Duh! I'm bi!" moment, so I'm never really surprised when others are as clueless.Had I been in a different mood when I read it, I might have given Taboo For You less than 4 stars, but it was exactly what I needed in that moment. Yeah, I cringed, and no, I don't usually go for sweet and fluffy, but this endearing, palpitation inducing friends to lovers story made me happy. I would definitely read it again when in need of a cute pick me up.

This book was EVERYTHING. It was sweet and tender, it was o heart breaking my soul was crying out and yet it didn't feel angsty it just felt genuine and heart felt. Browsing Instagram I found this very fitting quote"You can ask the universe for all the signs you want but ultimately, we see what we want to see when we're ready to see it"In a way this sentence sums up the whole things. Sam and Luke have been neighbors and best friends for the past 7 years but it took a while away from one another and a bit of exploring for them to realize they already have much more. Seeing them getting closer and closer even if it was first an "experiment" was simply BEAUTIFUL. I can't remember when I read a sex scene that felt THAT tender. I'm sure they'll have more sporty sex in the future, but what they had in this one felt just right for the both of them, for what they are building together that compliments everything they already have.That being said, let's get back to the beginning shall we? When Sam was 15 years old, not even his girlfriend Carole, gave birth to their son Jeremy. One silly night together without a condom and there you go.. Raising him together yet separably have been their life assignment yet they both feel somewhat inadequate, especially as he is turning the same year they made their mistake.. and they REALLY don't want him to make the same one..Luke have been looking from the side and not really staying away from Sam and Jeremy who have been living next door to him for the past 7 years. They share so many great memories and traditions. Being together with them made him so happy, but he only realized just HOW MUCH while he was away a few months to help take care of his sick mother. Being away meant thinking about the two guys in his life, but mostly Sam. He always knew he was gay, he even dated briefly in the past but it never lasted and never made him want to be out of the closet but being away from Sam makes him take the plunge and confess to his family, and to everyone really. Well, expect for Sam (and Jeremy). It even gets worse when they find out Jeremy is gay..Jeremy isn't really gay, he is faking it to try and lighten up his parents' restrictions towards him partying.. He can't get a GUY pregnant so.. Why not pretend his best friend is also his boyfriend.. It mostly works out, but in the end, his parents aren't THAT stupid.. But you know what, even though Jeremy WAS at times unreasonable and annoying, I liked getting his POV (and not just Sam and Luke). We got more about Sam and Luke though him, as well as more of Carole and what's going on with her. Both her and Sam are turning 30 this year and it's time for a little change..Sam is FREAKING OUT about turning 30 which is why he made a list of things he SHOULD have done in his twenties and didn't get to do because he is too busy working like crazy as a waiter and taking care of his son. When he has two weeks left he realizes it's now or never.. But the list is GONE. Lucky he remembers what he actually wrote there...Luke has the list and though it breaks his heart he wants to give Sam EVERYTHING, the things that are on the list but also everything else. He wants to make him happy. He wants to see a guy who can live and enjoy himself and not just run around in circles trying to make his life work enough for Jeremy to be taken care of.Together they go through the list. Even the exploring a sexual taboo. That means exploring one another. Luke was second guessing himself at every turn it was a DREAM COME TRUE but it was also TORTURE. Sam was mostly confused. Everything with Luke felt so RIGHT but he kept the excuses because he just couldn't explain it to himself (Go Carole for explaining it THE BEST way ever). It took an effort from everyone but we did get our PERFECT Happily Ever After.I'll end with a quote from the book:"I want you to have everything I can give you" Luke says. "Everything you've never had and want"~sigh~HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I couldn't put this book down and now I can't wait to get into the second installment of Jack (and Ben). Jack being Luke's close friend and past partner.Tags: Contemporary (MM) RomanceMore @ Ultra Meital Reviews.

I have been reading some great Anyta Sunday books lately so I figured I would finally give this one a go.This is a very sweet "friends to lovers" story, with a gfy element.Sam is 29, about to be 30 and father of Jeremy, who's about to turn 15. Sam lost his virginity and got his girl pregnant at the age of 14, making him a dad at 15. He and his baby momma are not in a relationship, but hey are still great friends though. They are co parents and Jeremy spends equal time with them.Turning 30 is hitting Sam pretty hard. He never got to be a teenager and so all the stupid stuff that teenagers do, because he became a father at such a young age. He is going through his own sort of "midlife crisis" and he has even made a list of all the things he wants to do before he turns 30.Luke is Sam's 36 year old neighbour and best friend. They have been pretty close of 7 years, but what Sam doesn't know is that Luke is gay and has been in love with him for a long time. After finally coming out to his family, Luke figures it's time to tell Sam the truth about himself. He also hopes he can maybe convince Sam to give him a shot, especially when he finds Sam's "list". It does have Do something sexually taboo on it after all.He also wants Sam to have everything he wants though, so he tries to help Sam out wherever he can.I really enjoyed this story and I loved reading about Sam's son Jeremey as well. This book has pov's, Sam, Luke and Jeremy's.Now even though this book was cute, sweet, hot and even funny, I could not give it a full 4 stars. The reason for this is Luke and his secret. I really don't get why he waited so long to tell Sam. In my opinion he waited to long and took things too far. I get that in the beginning he was scared to come out and maybe push Sam away, but after or even before their first kiss...he should have told. He kept making excuses for himself and I didn't like that one bit. It started to drag and I just wanted him to get it out !!Other than that, I really did enjoy this story. The best part for me was Jeremy though...His pov really made me smile ;)

I actually read Taboo For You twice last year, but I have struggled to write a review. I love the story, characters, and it never fails to captivate me; in fact, just writing this, I want to pick it up again and read it again.Taboo For You is classic Anyta Sunday book with oh so slow burn and clueless boys. Sam's anxious about his upcoming thirtieth birthday and wants to do some reckless things he never got to do, because he became a father at the age of fifteen. His son, Jeremy, is anxious too, but to spend time with Suzy without his overprotective parents breathing down his neck. And Luke, the likable, reliable Luke who's been there for both of them for seven years, just wants to make sure that Sam gets to experience all the things he yearns for. I have to say, because I've seen comments about it, but there isn't a threesome and the taboo in the title doesn't actually refer to anything that's really a taboo. There's a quote that explains it perfectly that I like:"But it is... taboo, you know? No one really talks about it - it's sort of an off-limits subject. You can never know what someone's reaction is going to be, and that makes it hard for people to talk about and for guys to come out, you know?"And yes, it's referring to coming out and being gay.I love Taboo For You, because it's a captivating story about family and friendship. How it's never too late to experience new things and find love you were too oblivious to see before. I love it, simply because it's a sweet, funny romance that never fails to make me grin and smile. Sam and Luke are adorable!Absolutely brilliant and cute romance, and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

**Godreads review dated August 4, 2013**This was a really cute story, the sort that leaves you feeling all warm and happy inside. 5 stars from me!!Sam is a father, he became a dad when he was 15, and ever since has shied away from relationships. His son Jeremy divides his time between mum Carole and dad, everyone gets on really well, and it would seem that Sam's best relationship is with his best friend Luke, who's a teacher and is always ready, willing and able to help Sam and Jeremy out, as a good friend should. Luke of course is gay and has been in love with Sam it feels like forever, but the only person who can't seem to see that obvious little fact is Sam, in fact Luke went away for 6 months to try and get over Sam...but failed. As Sam's 30th birthday is looming, he jots down a list of Must-Do things he wants to do before his 20's finish, and there are some really weird things on the list like swimming with sharks...God forbid!!Luke finds the list, decides that he will help Sam realise some of his dreams, and carry on being a really good friend. What Luke doesn't realise is that Jeremy and Carole are only too aware that he's in love with Sam, and they do their best to help him. Jeremy meanwhile at 14 nearly 15 is having hormonal problems of his own, and to try and throw mum and dad off the scent and his secret 'meetings' with Suzy, pretends he is gay...with the help of his best friend Steven.I'll leave this story there, it's a really lovely one, an ah bless one, and as to whether I get my Happy Ever After, you'll have to find that out for yourselves. Many thanks Anyta. x

Oh man, that was so freaking cute! In a really, really, really good way, *SIGH*This had me captivated from start to finish. It was really well written and you just really FELT the connection between the characters. Absolutely brilliant friends-to-lovers story. I loved all the characters so much, even the secondary ones. I especially adored Luke, he was awesome :)The only thing I can really think of as a criticism is that I thought the gay-for-you aspect was a little unrealistic in Sam's willingness to try so much stuff with another man without seeming to be too worried about it - but really that was such a minor thing that was overshadowed by the awesomeness of the rest!4.5 heart-warming stars and a definite favourite read for me.

One of the best written books I've read in some time. I so thoroughly enjoyed this read that I can barely wait the time it takes to write this review before I purchase my next Anyta Sunday book.

I started this book early evening and finally finished at 4 am in the morning. I absolutely bloody loved this book. Anyta is a new author to me and I really loved the slow burn story of friends to lovers. I especially liked how the three POV' s included Jeremy (Sam's son)Would definitely recommend this book to anyone xx