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bookschaosnart's review against another edition
2.0
Male slut Jamie & Virgin masseuse Levi develop into friends and then more while also helping each other resolve past trauma. I thought the past trauma was handled weirdly and the religious aspect bugged me. It felt a bit like trauma porn.
vale_leah's review against another edition
4.0
Recensione presente su http://www.romanticamentefantasy.it
Levi e Jamie non potrebbero vivere due vite più diverse.
Mentre Levi ha una vita sociale molto attiva e non si lascia scappare nessuna occasione per divertirsi, Jamie vive praticamente come un recluso, isolandosi dal mondo e dal contatto con la gente.
Ma dietro questi loro comportamenti così distanti, troviamo una causa comune: la famiglia.
Quella di Jamie, in passato, gli ha fatto del male, sia fisicamente che psicologicamente, facendo di lui la persona che è oggi: sola, perseguitata dagli incubi e da traumi che non se ne vanno mai.
La famiglia di Levi, pur essendo una famiglia piena d'amore, lo ferisce nello spirito e nel cuore, non riuscendo a conciliare la sua omosessualità con i profondi valori e insegnamenti della propria fede.
Jamie ha bisogno dell'amore di Levi per vivere nel presente, lasciando finalmente il passato al suo posto, mentre a Levi serve avere Jamie nella sua vita per poter essere completo, per diventare una persona migliore, degna di essere amata.
In qualche modo, che solo l'amore sa fare, si guariscono vicenda.
A mio giudizio, è una storia molto bella, anche se drammatica in molti punti.
Quello di Jamie e di Levi non è un percorso facile e indolore ma un libro, a mio parere, deve saper emozionare e scatenare delle reazioni, sia che siano positive sia che esse siano negative.
E Marie Sexton si è dimostrata, ancora una volta, brava in questo.
Vi lascio con una citazione del libro che riassume perfettamente il significato del titolo.
«penso che lei voglia distinguere le cose come se ci fosse solo il bianco e il nero, rendendoci tutti o peccatori o santi. Ma non è così semplice. Penso che lei abbia bisogno di accettare che forse siamo tutti qualcosa di diverso. Forse siamo tutti una sorta di via di mezzo.»
http://www.romanticamentefantasy.it/recensione-po-santi-po-peccatori-marie-sexton/
Levi e Jamie non potrebbero vivere due vite più diverse.
Mentre Levi ha una vita sociale molto attiva e non si lascia scappare nessuna occasione per divertirsi, Jamie vive praticamente come un recluso, isolandosi dal mondo e dal contatto con la gente.
Ma dietro questi loro comportamenti così distanti, troviamo una causa comune: la famiglia.
Quella di Jamie, in passato, gli ha fatto del male, sia fisicamente che psicologicamente, facendo di lui la persona che è oggi: sola, perseguitata dagli incubi e da traumi che non se ne vanno mai.
La famiglia di Levi, pur essendo una famiglia piena d'amore, lo ferisce nello spirito e nel cuore, non riuscendo a conciliare la sua omosessualità con i profondi valori e insegnamenti della propria fede.
Jamie ha bisogno dell'amore di Levi per vivere nel presente, lasciando finalmente il passato al suo posto, mentre a Levi serve avere Jamie nella sua vita per poter essere completo, per diventare una persona migliore, degna di essere amata.
In qualche modo, che solo l'amore sa fare, si guariscono vicenda.
A mio giudizio, è una storia molto bella, anche se drammatica in molti punti.
Quello di Jamie e di Levi non è un percorso facile e indolore ma un libro, a mio parere, deve saper emozionare e scatenare delle reazioni, sia che siano positive sia che esse siano negative.
E Marie Sexton si è dimostrata, ancora una volta, brava in questo.
Vi lascio con una citazione del libro che riassume perfettamente il significato del titolo.
«penso che lei voglia distinguere le cose come se ci fosse solo il bianco e il nero, rendendoci tutti o peccatori o santi. Ma non è così semplice. Penso che lei abbia bisogno di accettare che forse siamo tutti qualcosa di diverso. Forse siamo tutti una sorta di via di mezzo.»
http://www.romanticamentefantasy.it/recensione-po-santi-po-peccatori-marie-sexton/
jagiaquinto's review against another edition
5.0
I was leery about this book because some reviewers had stated that the mental disorders featured were strong and I sometimes have triggering feelongs about certain things but what I come to realize is that I love this book so much and I identified with Jamie so much (similar but not the same experience) that it hurt my heart to hear the issues he dealt with. The author was incredibly accurate on her portrayal of the nightmare he went though and trama that still lingered and speaking as someone who has first hand knowledge I can plainly say this this was powerful.
On the side note yes there is heavy religion talked about in this book but it was part of the overall story and wouldn't have felt right if it didn't play such a big role in the story. The title of the book wouldn't have made sense otherwise. Religion was almost a third character right along with Levi and Jamie. Constantly there being a force in their lives.
Bravo. Bravo for an amazing book.
On the side note yes there is heavy religion talked about in this book but it was part of the overall story and wouldn't have felt right if it didn't play such a big role in the story. The title of the book wouldn't have made sense otherwise. Religion was almost a third character right along with Levi and Jamie. Constantly there being a force in their lives.
Bravo. Bravo for an amazing book.
tinkcourtney's review against another edition
5.0
Sweet and profound
There is something so amazing about seeing a guy who only ever has casual, meaningless encounters truly fall for someone and become so tender and gentle, putting their needs above his own. And that gentleness was needed, because the other character was pretty traumatized.
This book was beautiful, and I loved seeing the friendship between Levi and Jaime gradually grow and deepen into more. The inability of Levi’s family to accept his “sinful lifestyle” was frustrating, so it was good to see at least most of them eventually coming around.
I loved this passage that the title was taken from:
“I think you want very much to make this black and white—to make us all out to be sinners or saints. But it’s just not that simple. I think what you need to accept is that, just maybe, we’re all something else. Maybe we’re all something in between.”
There is something so amazing about seeing a guy who only ever has casual, meaningless encounters truly fall for someone and become so tender and gentle, putting their needs above his own. And that gentleness was needed, because the other character was pretty traumatized.
This book was beautiful, and I loved seeing the friendship between Levi and Jaime gradually grow and deepen into more. The inability of Levi’s family to accept his “sinful lifestyle” was frustrating, so it was good to see at least most of them eventually coming around.
I loved this passage that the title was taken from:
“I think you want very much to make this black and white—to make us all out to be sinners or saints. But it’s just not that simple. I think what you need to accept is that, just maybe, we’re all something else. Maybe we’re all something in between.”
ankysbookbubble's review against another edition
5.0
I did not expect this book to be so good. I read till 4 AM last night and had to force myself to stop because it was so beautiful and I just couldn't stop.
Levi and Jamie's story was beautiful, with all its struggles and pains. Levi's character was very annoying at the beginning, which is why I loved how much he developed and changed for the better through the story. Same goes for his family, too.
Overall, I absolutely loved reading this book and I'm glad I didn't judge it by its cover.
Levi and Jamie's story was beautiful, with all its struggles and pains. Levi's character was very annoying at the beginning, which is why I loved how much he developed and changed for the better through the story. Same goes for his family, too.
Overall, I absolutely loved reading this book and I'm glad I didn't judge it by its cover.
paperpotato's review against another edition
4.0
NOTHING BEATS MARIE SEXTON *froths at mouth*
Good:
I absolutely love the way Sexton portrayed Mormons
Story about a reltionship between two opposites
Bad:
Levi seems too "perfect" after he falls for Jaime
Still not as good as her "Promises" in the Coda series.
The best thing about Sexton's books is that she uses types of characters that you could actually meet one day. In this book, the personas might be a little exaggerated but they're still as 3D as they get.
Good:
I absolutely love the way Sexton portrayed Mormons
Story about a reltionship between two opposites
Bad:
Levi seems too "perfect" after he falls for Jaime
Still not as good as her "Promises" in the Coda series.
The best thing about Sexton's books is that she uses types of characters that you could actually meet one day. In this book, the personas might be a little exaggerated but they're still as 3D as they get.
yuusasih's review against another edition
5.0
Yes, I am fasting, and yes, I read this while I'm fasting. But whatever. Reading is harmless and I skipped the sex scenes so I didn't feel that much guilty to God. And yes, I'm religious person but not that religious, so think whatever you want. Besides, this story have that religious theme in it so I would just put this into my religious reading.
Okay, enough with my guilty rant.
For several early pages, I found myself hard to caught myself in this story, with it has some non-con scenes blasted at me from the beginningno, I'm not reading the aerlier pages while I was fasting, it's days before that and that scenes made me hesitant to continue reading this, and made my reading progress came painstakingly slower than my usual pace. But when Jamie got into the scene, it started getting better and better, and I found myself absorbed in this story.
This story contain sensitive issues, religious and its view on homosexualism. I found this book interesting with the way Marie Sexton rolling smoothly in the issue with Levi's family, the compromise was good for both part, and I found myself didn't mind. I also thought hard in the same issue since I know that gay is not merely nature, but also nurture, they born with that condition. So is God that cruel to let them being a sinner even since the day they were born? This book gave a fine compromise, though not the same with my own perception, but I know that was the most for strictly religious family like Binder's.
This book also dealt with psychology issues; trauma, sexual-abuse, etc on Jamie's part. As a psychologist student I found myself delighted with the issues presented. Jamie was a mess-up man, and we know that affection is the best solution for his problems.
So yeah, 5 stars for this brilliant story. Such a great experience in reading.
Okay, enough with my guilty rant.
For several early pages, I found myself hard to caught myself in this story, with it has some non-con scenes blasted at me from the beginning
This story contain sensitive issues, religious and its view on homosexualism. I found this book interesting with the way Marie Sexton rolling smoothly in the issue with Levi's family, the compromise was good for both part, and I found myself didn't mind. I also thought hard in the same issue since I know that gay is not merely nature, but also nurture, they born with that condition. So is God that cruel to let them being a sinner even since the day they were born? This book gave a fine compromise, though not the same with my own perception, but I know that was the most for strictly religious family like Binder's.
This book also dealt with psychology issues; trauma, sexual-abuse, etc on Jamie's part. As a psychologist student I found myself delighted with the issues presented. Jamie was a mess-up man, and we know that affection is the best solution for his problems.
So yeah, 5 stars for this brilliant story. Such a great experience in reading.
missysreadingcorner's review against another edition
5.0
This was by the far the best romance novel I've read (or listened) to this year. I really enjoyed the development of Levi and Jamie's relationship throughout the entire book. I loved seeing the interaction between Levi's family and himself. While I still do read books, I'm glad I chose the audio version of this one because the narrator (John Solo) is good at bringing stories to life and showing the emotions in all the characters. When Jamie told Levi about the sexual abuse, I cried. I have never cried reading or listening to a romance novel ever but that scene got to me. The relationship between Levi and his faith was beautifully executed. The final moment between Abraham, Levi and Jamie made me smile because Abraham was able to see there are worse sins than what his son is committing. Unlike a lot of M/M romance novels I've read, it wasn't a porno. The main characters didn't fall into bed and just have sex with wild abandonment. This novel had a plot. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a good romance novel with a real plot.