Sweetest Taboo

Sweetest Taboo #1

by Eva Márquez

Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart.

This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was: a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense – and sometimes reckless – fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship.

Join Isabel as she makes her way through this dark love story, hiding from teachers, lying to her parents, and defying the authorities to make a life with the man she loves. Watch as she discovers the wonders of love and romance, and the terrible betrayal of jealous friends. And cry with her when she learns the hard truth about life and the people in her world.

Sweetest Taboo is inspired by the true and tragic stories of students who fall in love with their teachers, and live with the hard truths of forbidden romances. In a world full of after-school specials on sexual predators, this touching book seeks a different path, casting both student and teacher in a gentle light, and showing that true love may lie at the base of even the most illicit romance.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Forbidden Love, Ebooks, New Adult, Contemporary Romance

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2012

About the author

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, daughter of European immigrants, Eva Márquez has spent most of her life outside of her home country. At the age of five, Eva accompanied her parents to the United States, where the family settled permanently. After graduating from university, she went on to complete graduate studies in International Relations in Spain. Eva received her Master of International Studies degree from the University of Sydney and went on to work in the global health field in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Eva currently resides in Southern Africa.

Reviews

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★★ ! I´m a huge fan af books with a forbidden theme, so it was pretty obvious that I was gonna love this, And I was not disappointed. Sweetest Tabbo sucked me in right from the first page and I couldn´t for the life of me put it down. And when I wasn´t reading it, I wished I was.

**

This is Isabel Cruz's story. She´s 15 year old and is just about to start high school. On her first day she immediately sets her eyes on Tom Stevens. He is her swimcoach and more then twice her age, married with kids. What starts out as an innocent crush on Isabell´s part, soon becomes reality when it turns out that Tom shares her feelings. They start an dangerous affair that threatens both of them if they were ever discovered. The ilicit relationship has soon taken over Isabel´s whole world and she spends the next few years sneeking around, hiding from the authorities and lying to her family.

Since this book is told from Isabel´s POV, we got to know her pretty well. I liked her from the start. She appeared to be very mature for her age, and seemed very smart in her decisions. She sometimes frustrated me and made some bad judgement calls, but they are forgivable bacause of her age. But we really didn´t get to know so much about Tom. He genuinely seemed to love Isabel unconditionally, always made her feel safe, never pressured her into anything and always, always said the right things. But how do we know that he isn´t some older creep that gets his kicks by going after younger girls? We don´t and I think that was the authors intention. We just have to wait to Tainted Love to find out (it´s partly written in his POV.) When Isabel gets older, even she begin to have her doubts, especially when rumours about him having affairs with other school girs starts. And really? how realistic is it that a man in his late 30s falls head over heels in love with a fifteen year old, with a child? But I don´t care, love is love as far as I am concerned and age doesn´t matter.

**

I loved Eva Marquez`s writing, it really was excellent and made me feel that I was in Isabel´s shoes. Stolen glances, lingering touches, secret letters, fear of getting caught, lying to everyone. The fact that this is written from diary entries was something that i thought would bother me. But it didn´t AT ALL, and I even forgot that it was. I was too caught up in the story. This book literally made my heart stop and I fould't stop reading. It is very rare that a book has such an affect on me. I think I can count on my two hands when that has happened. I can honestly say that I loved everything about this book and it gave me all the feels. Everything from pissed of to swooning and butterflies. I loved the age gap between Tom and Isabel. But if you have a problem to read about cheatin, then concider yourself warned. And the same goes if you have a problemn with teacher-student relationships.

[Summer Lane]

Sweetest Taboo was given to me by the author as an ARC in exchange for an honest review, so here it is!

This book is about an illegal romance. The romance between a teacher and an underage student, Isabel. Like any romance novel, it starts off with an innocent crush, secret glances and some hand-holding in the classroom...but wait. The male love interest in question is in his thirties, married, and has two kids, while the female MC is only a sophomore in High School. I know what you're thinking: 'somebody call the cops!' Well...hang on. As the story unfolds, Isabel becomes pressured to lie to her friends, her parents and even the law in an attempt to keep her affair with Mr. Married Man under wraps. Big no-no! The pressure finally boils over and what goes down is more dramatic than the love triangle on The Vampire Diaries. Okay, well....almost!

The reason that I didn't give this book a "star' rating was because I find it very difficult to rate a book that covers a subject that is so controversial. My personal opinion is that a relationship between a teacher and a student is bad news all the way. As a kid who has grown up around law enforcement, I can tell you that the number one place that sexual predators hang out is at schools. On the other hand, my grandmother was 17 years old when she got engaged to a 30-year-old man. They've been married for 55 years. But that was then and this is now. My grandfather was a moral, conscientious, upstanding Christian sailor in the Navy - not someone who was married, had two kids, and kept a relationship with an underage kid a secret. They were chaperoned, they attended church together, he asked her parents' permission to marry him and all that jazz. I'm talking old-fashioned class and manners.

In Sweetest Taboo, both main characters know that their relationship is wrong. They lie to everybody about it and Isabella begins to crack under the pressure. There's a lot of extremely graphic sexual content going on, so this book is NOT for children - in fact, I found that disconcerting because the book kind of gives off the vibe of being a YA novel. It's not. It's an adult book about an adult topic with adult situations. The writing itself was impressive. The author has a wonderful way with words and a fantastic ability to illicit strong feelings from the reader: a sign of great talent.

In conclusion, I couldn't generate sympathy for the main characters because their romance was not sweet. It was wrong and frustrating. The teacher was a married man who cheated on his wife (to me that is an absolutely unforgivable crime, no matter who's involved), and both Isabel and the Teacher were pathological liars. Controversial? Sure. Shocking? Absolutely. But I think it was insanely creepy to glorify sex between a married man and an underage high school student. That is a crime, plain and simple. In fact, it is molestation and at worst, rape. Besides, if you follow my reviews, you know that I do not like graphic sex scenes. I will always skip over them (silly? perhaps, but I like to leave some sliver of virtue for the characters in my mind's eye!).
I believe that age gaps make no difference romantically if there is a true connection between any two people, but there is a huge difference between engaging in self-destructive, pathologically lying behavior and simply being in love and acting responsible about it.
But Eva Marquez has effectively done what she set out to do: create a jarring and extremely controversial story about the love affair between a minor and an adult. How you feel about it depends on your personal beliefs.
So is this a good book? Yes, it's well-written, but the subject matter is not my cup of tea.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars. Sweetest Taboo is a fictional memoir about Isabel Cruz, a fifteen year-old high school student, and her illicit affair with a married teacher, the coach of her high school swim team, Tom Stevens. I am unsure even how to categorize this book - it is not a traditional romance nor is it even young adult. What I found very profound and interesting was that Sweetest Taboo addresses the topic of a student/teacher relationship from the student's point of view, and allows the reader to actually understand that there can truly be love found in this type of illegal relationship.

The relationship between Tom and Isabel is not easy for them. Tom is married and has two children. Isabel struggles with the knowledge that although Tom proclaims he does not love his wife, that his wife is a glorified roommate, he still returns home to her daily and falls asleep next her every night. Tom also gives no indication that he plans to leave his wife for Isabel, even though he proclaims he truly loves her, and that she is his sweetheart.

Beyond that, the relationship between Tom and Isabel is very illegal, Tom being in his late 30's, Isabel begins the story at age 15. They must constantly be on guard to keep their relationship hidden from family, public and the authorities. The couple must address such issues as illegal underage sex, adultery, jealousy, the risk of being exposed and the overwhelming emotion of love that they share.

Eva Marquez did an amazing job writing this memoir, addressing a taboo topic from such a different perspective, and exposing the hidden feelings and issues that couples in this situation face. The story ends suddenly without resolve, but readers quickly learn that this will be a series and the second book is due out in 2013. This was a different type of read, and I highly recommend it!

[Eva Márquez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I am the author of this debut novel, I am unable to provide an unbiased review. However, I have taken the liberty of including two recent reviews of my book provided by two successful women in the literary industry.

“Eva Márquez delivers a story full of the fresh emotions and uncertainties all first loves face, but with the added burden of secrecy, bringing to life a beautiful and tragic love story.”
~ Teal Haviland, author of Gabrielle Rising, of The Reaping Chronicles.

~~~

“All love stories have their fair share of ups and downs, but few stories cross the lines of social judgment like Eva Márquez’ Sweetest Taboo. Isabel Cruz follows her heart rather than the rules of society, and finds love, tragedy, and a maturity far beyond her years. Through her actions, she forces us to readjust our own judgments in the name of love and fate. Beautiful language and complex characters make this a wonderful, heart-felt read.”
~ Carrie White, Glass House Publishing

[Frankie Ness · Rating 4 out of 5]

NOTE: Thanks to Kayla Graham for the Eva hook-up.

Whoa! This book got me all hot and bothered in a different way. I'm so conflicted over this story I am having a hard time articulating myself. SWEETEST TABOO by Eva Marquez is one of those books that will get you conflicted, provoked and divided. And for teens, this is NOT a story fit for readers 18 and below despite the heroine being a teenager.

I will have to split this review in two: The writing and the story.

THE WRITING - Eva captured the voice of a teenager very well. Isabel is naive and a very trusting idealist. It's quite easy to relate to Isabel's misguided way of thinking. In her world the universe revolves around her feelings, thoughts and wants. It's selfish sometimes but she's a 15yo girl. She can't help it. Eva didn't complicate Isabel's character and the source of her emotions, it was straightforward and very honest. Isabel owned up to her feelings and dealt with it the best way she knows how.

I am not privy to the backstory of this story (Eva's motivation or inspiration for writing this) but if one of her goals is to write something that will challenge my thoughts and moral stand on the matter, she did accomplish that wonderfully. I found myself mulling the story and having an internal debate looking at it from different angles with the hopes of finding some neutral ground.

So for that, THANK YOU to you Eva, it's very rare that I have an internal discussion with myself over a book. I spent the morning thinking about Isabel and Tom and the validity of their relationship.


THE STORY - the blurb and previous reviews says it all. This is a story that will spark up a lot of debates and controversy. I don't even think there's a middle ground, it's either you love SWEETEST TABOO or hate it.

Now most of us have experienced extreme admiration or strong attraction to an older person, whether it's a teacher, a family friend, a mentor, etc. As far as this is concerned, I can empathize with Isabel. But what really bothered me was the rationale behind her relationship with Tom.

First of all, imagining Tom Stevens as Bradley Cooper didn't work (I pictured Isabel as Victoria Justice or Selena Gomez). When Tom made the first move to take Isabel's crush on him to the next level, that's where it went downhill for me. He's the adult, he should have more self control over the issue. As the story progress, I just feel he's creepy and emotionally manipulative. Using Isabel's extreme attraction to him as leverage to get to her. Overall I find Tom emotionally immature and very creepy. The part where he tailed Isabel on her way home after breaking things off with him scared me. It didn't feel love anymore, more like obsession. And in real life, that turning point in this kind of relationship is the part where things get literally deadly.

As the romance unfolded, Isabel was the more logical and reasonable between the two. She's the one planning their rendezvous, protecting him and his reputation, justifying his actions and their illicit love affair, lying to people and asking her friends to lie for her to protect Tom. There was a complete role reversal in Tom and Isabel's relationship which didn't make sense to me. What it accomplished to do is cement the fact that some men are pigs and they let their ding-dongs do the thinking for them.

There's just all kinds of wrong going on in this story, cheating, lying, unprotected sex and all that. The only reasonable character in the entire story was Sarah, Isabel's friend who ratted out on her putting Tom under investigation. I feel she's the only one who had enough clarity to see that Isabel and Tom's relationship is Wrong.

Anyway, I can rant all day long but I guess I've made my point. I will not rate this because I honestly don't know how I will do that or where I'll base my rating on. I love the writing and though I didn't like the story, I didn't hate it either. Would I recommend it? Maybe but only to a few select people. Will I tell my friends to skip it? No but I'd caution them to proceed with an open mind.

Overall, I do love the fact that Eva Marquez wrote something that got me all fired up. It took a lot of courage to publish a story like this and obviously, Eva's got guts of steel to do that and promote it personally. I admire her balls for writing something like this and not be concerned about the backlash because there is and there will be more, I'm sure of that. As for the story, maybe if Isabel was 18 and not 16 when this story happened or if Tom acted more like an adult rather than a smitten 16yo teen, I might have a different opinion.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

****This book was part of a blog tour, I received a copy for my honest review****


I am really not sure what to say about this book. I started out nervous,I finished it anxious and nervous and all in between I yo yo-ed between uncomfortable, shocked, angry.

This is a very thought provoking story and I am sure there will be many of you out there who will not be able to see it in the light it was supposed to be portrayed. I am not sure myself if I do.

So let's review the simple things. The writing is very good,the words just flowed and I didn't have any difficulty hearing the voice of Isabel in my mind.

I loved that it felt like it was based in the nineties, Marquez did a really good job of setting the scene.

The music titles for each chapter was a real plus for me. I grew up and went to school in the nineties and I recognized all the songs and it really got me in that nineties frame of mind.

Okay, now let's do the hard stuff.

At the beginning of the book there is a preface from Claire Stevens that tells us that this is based on a true story, in fact it is based on her mother.

She explained that her mother wanted to show the world that these sorts of relationships although frowned upon aren't always what they seem. Sometimes love is at the core of relationship.

Now I am a person who does see the gray areas, I am not all black and white.So I started this book thinking I was going to be open minded and not judge. However the further I got into this book the more I just couldn't let go of certain things. Tom Stevens (see the name link there, the plot thickens) is more than double her age,Isabel is fifteen and he is in his late thirties and he is MARRIED! He also has two children. He gets jealous of Isabel spending time with other boys but he goes home to his wife and children. He says he doesn't love his wife, but he won't leave her. Does this sound right to you? Also Isabel is very immature, to me, she flounces about telling everyone of her affair. Arrggghhh.

I understand that this is a taboo topic, the relationship between a teacher and a student. So I understand that it is bound to be full of things to provoke you, make you think, make you angry. The reality of this particular topic to me is that Isabel is still a child. I know at fifteen I thought was grown up and worldly wise, but I was not.

I thought through reading this book I would see things in a different light, but I didn't. I still feel that this is line that should not be crossed until the minor is of an age to make the decisions with some worldly experiences behind them. I also think that cheating is never acceptable.

So , I bet you are wondering what the four star rating is for since I have just bagged the story. Well the fact is I still like this book and just because the authors views are not mine doesn't mean I think she wrote a bad story. It wasn't, it was very good. Engaging, I read it cover to cover in one sitting.

I am going to very soon dive into the next in this series... so as you can see, I haven't been put off.

My advice to you would be to read this book, but go in knowing that it will definitely not be all sunshine and roses and that it will provoke you into some sort of emotional response. Be prepared, but try and enjoy, it is not an easy read, but it is a good one

[Nickle Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in Night Owl Reads.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book as part of the book tour. All opinions are my own and is influenced by one.

The first time I laid my eyes on the cover, I knew I just had to read it. It appealed to me even before I found out what it was about. I think it's a simple but cute cover. When I found out that this was about the romance between a student and her teacher, I had to think twice before signing up, but I did anyway because I was intrigued.

Disregarding the age difference and the situation, I liked the romance between Tom and Isabel, I believe it was real and no one was forced to be in it. But the nature of their relationship isn't just frowned upon, it's illegal. Not only Tom is married and has children, he's also Isabel's swim coach. I can't imagine this in real life but I know that it happens.

In the epilogue it was mentioned that when a relationship such as this get public, the adult is judged to be the manipulative one. While that is true, I didn't think Tom manipulated Isabel in anyway, but I do think that he had a good sense in the beginning to not act upon a student's crush/admiration but chose to give in to it anyway. What if Isabel only had a crush? Can we say that because Tom approached her about it that she was manipulated into falling in love? Admiring a teacher is normal, in my opinion, at some point in our lives we experienced it, but the adult in the relationship should know the difference between right and wrong. There's nothing wrong with falling in love but there is a reason why student-teacher relationship is not right. I think it was also selfish of Tom to start a relationship Isabel in her young age. She didn't get to experience a normal teenage girl's life with boys her age, but then again, she had something greater. I'd like to think that what they have was true, people will say it's wrong, I guess Tom could have waited a few more years before pursuing her but it would have been different.

In the duration of their relationship, we see Isabel mature and ask herself questions about her relationship, and make tough decisions in the end. That's one of the things I liked in this story too, she learned from her mistakes and clearly had bigger dreams for herself.

While I was reading, I kept thinking of what was going on in Tom's head? It would have been nice to know what he really feels and think about their situation. But in fairness to him, his love for Isabel was real and not just a fling. The ending left me wondering what Isabel chose, but I assume she decided to get back together with him.

I gave this book 4 stars because I liked how the story was delivered, it was easy to digest and I finished it in one sitting. The romance felt real and I was with Isabel when she felt happy, sad, and betrayed. I'm happy to be part of this tour and chose to read it, I learned something new and understood people in this situation a little better. I do not condone it, but I will think twice before judging people in such relationship.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear. I hate it when this happens: I sign up to an ARC or read-to-review and discover that I don’t like the book so much and then have to decide whether I should be nice or be honest. I appreciate the work that goes into writing a novel and I don’t wish to offend the author, but, no offense intended this is a subject not to be trifled with and so I am going to be honest and state why I have a problem with this book. My intention is not be mean and this is just my opinion (others are available).

Review: I was intrigued by the controversial subject and I could see one of two possible approaches to the topic. (1) Make it a controversial love story or (2) Make it a cautionary tale. I have no problem with either and I went in with an open mind, not wanting to make moral judgements. The book starts with a prologue (which, by the way, reads more like a preface) explaining that the novel is a work of fiction based on a true story and implies that the approach taken is option (1) a controversial love story.

The story is told from the point of view of Isabel Cruz the female protagonist who, at 15, meets and falls in love with one of her high school teachers, Mr Stevens - a married man with 2 daughters in his late 30s. Isabel soon discovers that the feelings are mutual, as Mr Stevens makes moves, which become bolder and more frequent, in her direction, sending out signals that this is the case. They start to communicate when he suggests to her that she should write him a letter telling him how she feels. Isabel writes the letter, holding nothing back, after which they begin their illicit affair.

Here’s my problem: Although I have little doubt that Isabel was in love with Mr Stevens, I was not convinced that Mr Stevens was in love with Isabel. Surely, love isn’t just about ‘chemistry’, physical attraction, hearts skipping-a-beat and all that stuff. Surely, love is also about simply wishing that person well, caring about that person’s well-being, putting their needs before your own. Isabel was a young and naïve teenage girl. Mr Stevens was a mature experienced man in a responsible position. I get that sometimes people fall in love under difficult circumstances and they have no control over their feelings. I get that they find themselves torn and tempted and this can be frustrating beyond belief. However, we all have free will and we can CONTROL our behaviour. It’s not easy, it takes restraint and strength, but it can be done. And yet consideration of the consequences barely came up for either of these two (although I consider Isabel to be blameless). Not once did I get the impression that Mr Stevens was conflicted, that he was concerned about the consequences of the affair for Isabel, for his wife or for his children. He did constantly tell Isabel about the consequences for HIM (the risk of HIM losing his job, HIM losing his family, HIM going to prison) and the implication was that she should be grateful that he was willing to take the risk for her – which of course she was.

In my opinion, for this to be a convincing love story, it needed both characters to be sympathetic and Mr Stevens was not. Instead, quite frankly, he came across as a creepy, predatory, inconsiderate and above all SELFISH scumbag from start to end. Also, since this is a love story, is some romance too much to ask for? There were plenty of meetings in classrooms and dark rooms and in trucks where these two lovers could kiss and fondle each other. Did they ever take the time to get to know each other? To just talk? Okay, Mr Stevens allowed some conversation on the sofa the first time Isabel came to the house when his wife and kids were away before they got down to business. The next visit she barely gets past the threshold before he says “Are you ready for bed?” My point is: this book seriously lacked romance in the true sense.

If this had been a cautionary tale that ended as such situations usually do, I would have given this book 3.5 stars. As a controversial love story however, for me, it fails miserably because there is a lack of EVIDENCE to show that the male protagonist, Mr Stevens, was truly ‘in love’ with Isabel. Instead his behaviour suggested that he was a man approaching a certain age who was bored and not happy with his lot. He wanted (maybe even needed) a distraction from his miserable life and Isabel just happened to be there.

On a positive note: Full marks for originality: the subject was a good one and well worth tackling. Both the male and female protagonists as characters are realistically portrayed and therefore believable – very well done indeed! No doubt there will be some readers who may have had a similar experience and will relate - more likely than not without a Hollywood ending. I liked Isabel. She was strong and smart – a true heroine. I liked the stuff about her family and would have liked to have had more about them in the book. I liked the title of the book and the chapter titles. It was clever to use love song titles in that way. I liked the book cover, very apt and very pretty.

[Stephanie (Bookfever) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweetest Taboo by Eva Márquez was giving to me by the author herself for review. When I first read the synopsis and watched the book trailer I knew I wanted to read this book because it looked and sounded like a great read but on the other hand I was a little unsure if I should read it because it's not really in my genre of books (since mostly I read paranormal books) and kind of out of my comfort zone because it's about a teach-student relationship but I accepted the review request anyway and I'm really glad I did. At first I didn't plan to read it right away but in a few weeks but since I leave for a two week vacation on saturday I knew I wouldn't be able to wait that long and decided to read it all at once since Sweetest Taboo wasn't that long. I managed to read it in a matter of a few hours.


I loved the authors writing and the narrator's voice right away. The words flowed really well. The story as the synopsis suggest was really intense for me but I liked that. It was a nice break from the books I normally read (paranormal, dystopia, etc...) that can seem a little unbelievable sometimes. The story of Sweetest Taboo you know can happen, is happening and will happen. But that was what's so great about the book. The reality of it.


I love how you could totally see the change in Isabel, the narrator. From a kind of insecure fifteen year old to a confident 18-19 year old who could make heart breaking decisions to do what's best for herself. That was probably one of my favoite aspects of this book.
Another thing I immensely loved were the titles. They were all song titles and me the music lover that I am couldn't help but smile at them.


I have a hard time forming opinions about Tom, the teacher in question. I mean the man was married and had two daughters! Cheating is never alright no matter the circumstances. In the beginning I felt a little uncomfortable with how he began to come closer to Isabel but that disappeared as I got more into the story so I guess it was just me needing to get comfortable with this kind of book. At some point I liked him because I thought he was sincere to Isabel at least but at other points I wanted to scream at both him and Isabel for what they were doing. They were both really selfish and doing dangerous things. They lied to their loved ones all the time but I do understand (not that it makes it alright) why they did it. For love.


At times I really felt for Isabel. I could feel her heart breaking and mine did a bit too. That's how hooked I was by this story. I really felt this book in my heart. And the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was because the topic isn't something I would usually read. But I did enjoy this book immensely and I'm really grateful to the author to have given me this chance to read this book that's normally not in my comfort zone.
This book has some romance and sexual content but how could it not? I realize it's not for everyone so if you're reading my review and planning on reading Sweetest Taboo and you do not like sex scenes here's a heads up. But nevertheless I do encourage you to read this book. You won't be disappointed!


Sweetest Taboo is a great, edgy and tragic love story that will hook you until the very last word with its intensity and controversy.

[Ruth B · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can qualify love? When the concept about romance and love has changed through time and what was right 50 years ago is unthinkable today is hard to say what is right and what is wrong. We can boast around about us being open-minded; however we have to know the all story before we can judge.

Sweetest Taboo is the story of a 15-year-old girl that has a relationship with a teacher more than twice is age. During three years they sneak around and have an intense relationship that breaks all rules and is forbidden by society.

Isabel falls in love with an older man, who is married and have kids. Tom is her swim coach and a school teacher. The moment they set sight on each other everything in their world is turn around.
The book is told by Isabel's point of view and because of that I can say that she is a mature girl for her age but like every teenager her emotions are a roller-coaster and every feeling is ten times more potent than for any other person.

She has to deal with being a teenager, with her parents wanting to get back to Chile and with been in love with Tom. The fact that she has to deal with it in private, alone and in secret is really exhausting. Being in love as a teenager is hard enough to anyone and if you add the age difference and that you and the other person shouldn't be together your whole world seems darker.

Anyone who has been or still is a teenager would feel relate to many of the things Isabel has to live. Maybe you will pass from hate to love as I did, because the book has that effect, is takes you from one point to the other.

Eva creates a wonderful world, where the lines between fantasy and reality are really thin. A relationship that causes different emotions in the reader and makes you shiver to the core. She has the ability of being objective and you never feel like she is trying to convince you that the situation is right or wrong.

The whole point is bringing to the table a situation that we may see or not in our daily basis and to make us question about it.

I loved it and I would recommend it to all readers who enjoy reading "controversial" stories, stories about real people and stories that will let you thinking about your idea of love and romance.


*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. ***

[Julie Ramsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweetest Taboo


Isabel, a 15 year old High School student. She is a good student from a average immigrant family and in an average High School. She joins the swim team and meets Mr Stevens. Mr. Stevens is a young 30's something teacher. Good looking and teaches upper class men in math and photography. Liz, Isabel's best friend, has no clue why Isabel has a crush on him. He is a teacher. Even if he liked her, she can't have a relationship with him. The relationship would be more than just taboo. Will Isabel and Mr Stevens get together? Will they have a relationship that is the Sweetest Taboo?


In this review, I can't say too much, without giving away too much of the story away. This was a story I would not have read on my own but I am really glad I did. It is a book that makes you think about what is taboo and why. Although I do believe a relationship like this is wrong, what young girl doesn't have a crush on a adult figure in there life. A coach, teacher, instructor, or who ever, we all have been there, girl or boy. This is the story of that type of relationship. Sweetest Taboo, is ultimately the story of a remembered young love and a teenager growing into adulthood. There is a couple brief sex scenes and because of these I can't classify the story as a young adult. But, I know the readers who are going to relate to the story the most, are young adults. I would recommend 16 - 18 and up(depending on maturity), do to the subject matter. Very good story, keeps you interested through till the end. I think what surprised me the most, is as reading you really feel for the characters. So although, I don't condone this type of relationship, the characters of the story become like reading about a close friend or like Eva portrays in the beginning of the book, like reading someones secret diary. A truly TABOO situation. Really cool read!

Complimentary book for a free review. come see this review and more on juliesbookreview.blogspot.com

[ѦѺ™ · Rating 5 out of 5]

You give me the sweetest taboo That's why I'm in love with you - Sade, Sweetest Taboo


Isabel Cruz is fifteen when she sets her sights on Tom Stevens, a teacher/coach at her school who is also married and has children. sparks fly and soon, Isabel and Tom engage in a passionate, forbidden affair...
author Eva Marquez's novel deals with a relationship between a student and her teacher. it is edgy, intense and controversial.
from the get go, i approached this book with trepidation and curiosity at the same time. as my reading progressed, i felt a myriad of emotions ranging from disgust to disbelief, from anger to sympathy. it was only when Isabel turned eighteen that what i was feeling negatively finally gave way to understanding and relief.
emotions are fragile things but they are also natural and each of us carry them within us the minute we are born until we breathe our last. we are also endowed with an intellect that guides the choices and decisions we make. for Tom and especially for Isabel, displaying their emotions and using their intellect respectively waged a constant battle for supremacy. in the end, love won out but at such a high cost.
whichever way one looks at it and for whatever reasons there may be, society treats any form of intimacy between minors and adults as scandalous and illegal but it happens and it cannot be simply dismissed.
i have to admire Ms. Marquez, though, for the courage it took her to zero in on a delicate subject matter and write about it with sensitivity and without mincing words.
Isabel's story is a cautionary tale and that is the reason why i think this book is a significant contribution to young adult literature. it looks at us - young and adult readers - directly in the eye and speaks the truth straight to our faces. love just happens in the most unexpected places and between people of different generations.
what we do with this truth is left for us to ponder on rationally and to choose a course of action that is acceptable and beneficial for everyone involved.



Disclosure of Material Connection: i received an eARC from the author. i did not receive any payment in exchange for this review nor was i obligated to write a positive one. all opinions expressed here are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist or the readers of this review. this disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Shweta Choudhary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ratings-4

Well, I don't know how to express my feelings here. I have read only two books related to Student teacher relationship and this book was totally different. It explored a love story between a girl who is just a child of 15 and the guy is in middle 30. The other part is that the guy is married with kids. He used to be her swim couch and a photographer. This book explores how far a relationship can go between a student and a teacher so. what all risks they take to be together. The risks they know if they get caught will land into much trouble. He would be the Molester and she the victim. The whole society has already passed a judgement for such relationship.

Its never explored that a Love can actually happen and guy doesn't always use the girl to get what they want.

The girl Isobel is how teenager should be. Little immature and age for crushes. Her love for her older guy starts with Crush and which keeps on growing into something else. And when she comes to know her feelings are returned then the story starts about the taboo, forbidden romance between those two. The love that keeps on growing . There are lot of insecurities around which has to dealt.

My personal view on this book is loved it . I have always loved student teacher relationship books. Read it. highly recommendable. Loved the tension,love, heartbreaking romance between characters .

[Jessica O'Gorek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so, I had no idea what to expect when I got this book. It was actually the first book I have read in a year because I have been so busy writing mine! I must say I was pleasantly shocked. It was different, different in a good way! The main character, Isabel, is a very mature teenager who is 15 going on thirty. I have always been intrigued by older guys myself so I was drawn to this story. I also have unconventional ideas about the expectations that society places on us and wanted to hear it from another point of view. That is exactly what I got out of it. I was let into a teenager's mind and she shared her deepest darkest secrets with me. Unabashed and fast paced, I couldn't wait to see where Isabel and Tom Stevens ended up and I am in sweet anticipation for book two in the series, Tainted Love, due out in March 2013!

I don't even have a rating system yet, but if I did, I'd give this read 5 stars for character development and 4.5 stars for the suspense/romance factor. 5 for ease of reading and 4 for plot.

Beautifully done, Eva!


Sweetest Taboo is Book One of a contemporary YA romance series. Book Two, Tainted Love, is scheduled to be released on March 5, 2013! Stay tuned for excerpts, cover and trailer reveal!

[Kelly 'Perusing Princesses blog' · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW – Sweetest Taboo – Eva Márquez

Isabel Cruz was only five years old when her Chilean parents left their homeland and relocated to California in the United States. Along with her older Brother, they both settled in quickly to the American ways.

Isabel was fourteen when she first saw him as she strolled across her high school campus at Royal Oaks. With his dirty blond hair, hazel eyes and 6ft toned physique, Isabel was immediately enthralled with this man. There was just one problem. This man was Mr Tom Stevens - a teacher, and the school swim team’s head coach. He was also old enough to be her Father.

As time developed and Isabel approached her fifteenth year, she was asked by her close circle of friends to join the swim team, as it also meant a closer look at the beautiful man, she couldn’t resist the idea and immediately obliged.

At only fifteen, Isabel knew that lusting after a teacher was wrong, but she couldn’t help throwing out the coy smiles, the blushes when he responded and when she had a chance to get to know the man himself, she couldn’t resist the opportunity. As her admiration because obvious, Mr Stevens made the decision to approach Isabel, he wanted her to be honest with him, and advised her to write him a letter, highlighting her thoughts and feelings.

Taking on board his advice, Isabel writes everything down and hands him the letter the next day. When Mr Stevens tells Isabel that he feels the same way, their student/teacher relationship starts to blur, and a line eventually crosses as they both decide to rendezvous in his classroom ‘after-hours’.

Isabel cannot speak a word to anyone about their affair, for this is the ultimate sin, a forbidden rule that if word got out, Tom would lose everything, and Isabel would be branded the girl who destroyed not only his career, his family, but his freedom…

When a confidante of Isabel’s takes an offensive view to the happenings between her friend and her teacher, she makes a decision, and one that could potentially do just that… destroy everything!

*

This is an honest account of a love that is so forbidden, it defies every moral, every school regulation and every law. But… what if that love was so potent, so incredibly consuming that each party couldn’t pull themselves apart even if they knew it was the right thing to do?

To say what happened between Tom Stephens and Isabel Cruz was wrong, would be an understatement. Yes, it’s wrong! Tom is married with two Daughters, and as much as he loves Isabel, he cannot lose her, because he truly believes Isabel is the love of his life. Isabel has never known what it is to Love before, and Tom invades her core, plant’s himself deeply within the confines of her heart, and shows her what it’s like to be possessed, mind, body and soul. But with this comes consequences, and it’s not surprising that as time passes, the thought of him still cohabiting with his wife becomes an issue that wedges itself between them.

Even though Isabel is young and holds an air of naivety, I felt at times, she was actually the ‘older’ one. She constantly worried about Tom and their situation, and, at times, felt the need to distance herself.

Is Tom a sexual predator?

No, I don’t think so. I believe him. I thought it was obvious that he truly loved Isabel.

Should he have let her go?

Absolutely!

But I’m not here to judge! I am here to give an honest review on a book that was actually written incredibly well, and pulled me in from the preface and made my decision for me, that I would judge this book solely on its honesty, and try to look at the subject matter subjectively. Yes, there was one moment that I felt very uncomfortable with – it wasn’t the deed itself, which was inevitable, but where it took place. But understandably, this is a work of fiction based on true events so I can appreciate that maybe a few things were embellished, but it doesn’t mean that these things don't happen!

Relationships between Students and Teachers occur more frequently than people are led to believe and Eva Márquez has taken the taboo, and written it in the form of a woman’s memoir. Is it sweet? Well that’s up to you to decide, because some people will like this book, others will hate it, some will sympathise with it, but I for one thoroughly enjoyed it.

Overall a very satisfying read and I look forward to the sequel to find out what happened next…

4 STARS.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is also published on Always a Booklover

Sweetest Taboo. A name that intrigued me from the start, coupled with a story that was beautiful and amazing. While reading this book, I was completely hooked. Initially, I thought that this book would merely consist of how she fell for him and vice versa with a lot of flirting and tension along the way. But from the moment I read the prologue, I knew it was going to be something different, and I truly enjoyed it.

I find that I am able to identify with Isabel in many ways. Maybe its because like her, I’ve always preferred older guys. Or maybe I just like the way she approaches the relationship between her and Tom. It was truly something very down-to-earth and very realistic. I found myself believing most of what had gone on in the book, which did add to my enjoyment of it. As for Tom, I do think that he is incredibly sweet. Through it all, he always stuck by Isabel, and while I do admit that even I doubted him for a while at the end, I’m glad to say I was proven wrong.

The love between Isabel and Tom, while not commonly witnessed, is something very believable. The taboo nature of the relationship made the book even more interesting to read about, simply because not many books talk about so taboo a relationship. And perhaps its just me, but I’ve never seen anything wrong with an adult having a relationship with a minor. As long as the minor made her own decision and what they have is real, I think its beautiful either way. After all, love knows no age, so why should we use something so minor to stop two people meant for each other from being together?

I really liked Isabel while reading the book. I felt that even at a tender age of 15, she did know her own mind. She wasn’t a normal immature teenager. Yes, there were times when I couldn’t stand her behavior, her thinking. But other than that, I found her extremely mature. Especially how she handled her relationship with Tom. As difficult as it was, I thought she dealt with it amazingly well, given that she was at that age.

I did especially love what Isabel did towards the end of the book when she finally took a stand. No matter how difficult it was, she decided to say, enough was enough and made that stand. I also love how we saw she matured throughout the entire book, going from a somewhat self-centered teenager (but still rather mature), to someone who truly cared about others and finally took a stand for herself.

There’s nothing much I can really talk about the plot. Essentially, it explores the relationship between Tom and Isabel, and at the same time, giving us more detailed views into their characters as the book progressed. I found it to be simple, yet good. It effectively conveyed the story without using excessive descriptions or other ‘good’ words. Simply put, the story was told to us, honest yet beautifully.

There was something I didn’t really get though. I felt that there should have been a little more about how Tom fell for her. I mean, it did seem a little weird that all of a sudden, a teacher could fall for his student. Personally, I felt that maybe more emphasis was needed on that part, because I think this is one instance where ‘we are meant for each other’ or ‘we’re soul mates’ just doesn’t cut it. Yes, none of these phrases were actually used, but the meaning was implied.

Overall, I really did like this book. I did wish it was longer though, so more aspects of their love could be explored. This is certainly a book that shows that love defies all boundaries, even age. Sometimes, love just happens, and it can happen at any age, at any time. Truly, this was an excellent romance, one that I think should be read! Am definitely looking forward to the sequel next year! At least, that’s what Ms. Marquez’s website stated!

P.S. Do forgive me for this review. I’m not feeling entirely well, and hence, am unable to really think properly! I did want to complete a review before I slept though! I do realize there’s quite a lot of repetition here so I do apologise!

[Lana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** I received this book as an ARC from the author: Eva Márquez. This in no way affects my review. Might contain some minor spoilers.***

I’ve been struggling with how to start this review, because I feel torn between really liking it and just being completely confused and thinking: “This isn’t right.”

Isabel Cruz, a fifteen year old high school girl, falls madly in love with her teacher, a married man, father of two young girls, who happens to be twice her age. An illegal romance. Some of you might frown or think it’s disgusting, but at some point in the story, I totally forgot that Tom (the teacher) was indeed so much older. Why do you ask? Well, I took a little part from the book in which Isabel describes Tom:

“Tom, on the other hand, had always been kind, forgiving, and thoughtful. He was many years older (…) but had treated me with admiration and respect, and more like an equal. He’d never frightened me or made me feel uncomfortable in his presence, and certainly never made me feel unsafe.”

And that’s exactly why. Tom treated her as an equal, he never pushed her to do things she didn’t want to do. He didn’t manipulate Isabel into falling in love with him or spending time with him. They both felt the connection; they both knew that there was no turning back once they started it. Their connection was based on love, and love only.

That’s why I think this book stands out. It shows that, even though it’s a teacher-student relationship and in this case, the man is much older, love can conquer all, no matter how many people are against it.

There were times that I liked their relationship (I’m not okay with it, but they seemed genuine about each other), and than a few pages later, I wanted to scream at them for being so…human? I don’t know; I guess love makes you blind. I liked that both main characters knew from the start that what they were doing, was wrong, and I loved how the author dealt with it.

The writing style is very fluid and the story is fast paced. You’ll be through this story in no time. The author has a way of describing situations and feelings that made me feel like I was actually standing right there with the characters. I loved how you could tell that Isabel was growing up from an insecure fifteen year old to a confident nineteen year old.

At the end of the book, it felt like I’d been through an emotional rollercoaster and there were many times I felt my heart clench just like Isabel’s’. There were times that I was angry at how she was handling things, and even though she’s a stubborn girl that acts far beyond her age, she had a tendency of being a real teenager. But I don’t blame her.

This book covered a lot of issues: the lying, the sneaking around, betraying trust, the cheating, hurting people you love, lying to the cops…at some point it all had to blow up, and blow up it did, with a serious bang!

Though, one thing I won’t ever tolerate is cheating. What Tom did to his wife, even though he didn’t want to marry her in the first place, was wrong. Cheating is never right. Though, it’s reality. This book deals with reality. Relationships like this happen all the time. I feel obligated to say that this book contains some sexual content, but it was written in a way that felt right for Isabel and Tom.

I’m only wondering now, what happened to our lovebirds…how did they deal with their relationship being in the open, how did their environment take it, did they make it after all? But those are just questions the reader in me wants to know, I’m curious like that. ^^

This book had me hooked from page one, and even though it might not be a book that you would pick up because it isn’t in your comfort zone, I strongly advise you to read it, and then decide afterwards if you liked it or not. I know the subject is very controversial, and I have no doubt that there will be a lot of talk about it, so either you like it, or you don’t. But I went into this read with a very open mind and I do not regret it.

Thank you, Eva Màrquez, for given me the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

[Arlene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew when I started reading this book that I was going to have a difficult time reviewing it. Even as I sit here trying to commit some words to my reaction, I know I’m not going to be able to succinctly say everything I want to express about how I felt. This book is controversial and shocking, yet intriguing in a car-accident sort of way. So, hats off to Eva Marquez for causing me readers conflict in what I would say is an intriguing read despite its sensitive subject.

In the Sweetest Taboo, we meet Isabel who is a sixteen year old girl who falls for her 30-something year old swim coach Tom. Through the course of a few years, they engage in an illicit and illegal relationship, and this first book in the series shares their story from Isabel’s perspective.

My three star rating is not reflective of how I felt of the main characters, Isabel or Tom. In no way did I condone their actions and I didn’t feel there was any sense of romanticism to their story. Witnessing the relationship from Isabel’s perspective, we hear directly from her that she sought Tom out and persistently pursued his attention. He claimed to be in a loveless marriage with what he considered to be his “roommate” rather than his wife. That does not condone his actions in any way, though, because he clearly stood in a position of power being her coach and an adult. The story conveys that Isabel knew she was pursuing a married man with two children, but at the end of the day she’s still a child herself. At times, I felt Tom was playing on a teenage crush with emotional strategies that I don’t think Isabel was qualified to counter. He knew it was wrong and he continued to engage, which made it difficult to sensitize myself toward him or Isabel.

Isabel’s behavior throughout the novel was tough to overcome. She lied to her parents, friends and authorities; she manipulated her family and Tom several times throughout the book; and she pursued two adult males in the course of the story (both of which were in committed relationships). I could never quite understand her actions, and I couldn’t chalk it up to low self-esteem because we heard the story from her voice and she clearly wasn't lacking in that regard.

The Sweetest Taboo did not appall me because it’d make me ignorant to the fact that these sort of relationships occur, which we know they do. We’ve seen it on the news, heard rumors about them in the hallway. I guess what struck me as shocking was hearing the story from a minor’s perspective and witnessing the many lies and manipulative techniques she employed at such a young age. It felt like it came so easy to her with very little remorse or emotional reactions. She seemed so skilled in her craft that I was shocked more than sympathetic toward her.

Overall, the Sweetest Taboo is a very sensitive topic where I never really connected with the characters, but that didn’t stop me from being drawn to the story itself. I wouldn’t go so far as to label this a “love affair” but rather a “tragic mistake.” I finished it one sitting, and I can only attribute that to Eva Marquez’s ability to depict a very intriguing story with captivating words. Marquez truly caught my attention.

[Between the Bind · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars from Between the Bind

This story is one that is most certainly not for everyone. Obviously the content is controversial, however I believe that Eva Márquez wrote with an honest and delicate hand, allowing the reader to experience something from a point of view we would never normally have.

*minor spoilers*
In the opening pages, Eva expresses how this story is inspired by a true story - that of her mother. A woman whom she has the utmost respect and love for. This isn't a story glorifying the relationship between a married high school teacher and student, but one of discovery, heartbreak, healing, and learning to believe in yourself through and through.

This book begins with a 15-year-old girl, Isabel, having a crush on her lead swim coach, Mr. Stevens. After quite some time daydreaming about what it would be like for Mr. Stevens to notice her, Isabel is surprised and excited when he finally does - by handing her favorite towel to her after practice. This obviously means that he's been watching her before and after practice because one, he's aware of where she puts her swim-bag and two, he knows which towel is her favorite.

What begins as an innocent crush soon begins building into more when Mr. Stevens invites Isabel to his classroom after practice - and that is when she begins calling him Tom.

The intimacy between Tom and Isabel is slow building and respectful while still remaining slightly disturbing and uncomfortable. Even in the most innocent moments, I worried for this young girl's heart and the pain to come with the end of this relationship.

Isabel does prove mature for her years, debating the choices she's making and always thinking that she and Tom would come to an end for one reason or another. She never played the victim and stood strong for her beliefs throughout. Even the "love" discussion was honest and straightforward, refreshingly so. These reasons and more helped develop respect for Isabel's character.

Tom, even when he was the "perfect gentleman," did give me a bit of the creeps. Although his character was nothing but respectful and open with Isabel, it was difficult for me to not imagine my father or husband making such a "terrible" decision. However, Tom's love for Isabel will surprise the reader and take you places that you are surprised to be. I found myself really feeling sorry for him one moment and then wanting to smack Isabel for continuing their relationship.

There was so much to this story that I enjoyed reading. The realness of these characters just jumps off of the page and engrosses the reader from the first chapter. I even enjoyed the perspectives of Isabel's friends - especially Liz who was hilarious and amazingly supportive.

Overall, this is a story that allows the reader to delve deep into an issue that occurs much more frequently than what's on the news. I am so happy that I added this book to my bookshelf, and would most definitely suggest this read to anyone with an open-mind for understanding and development.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words to describe the different feelings I have for this book. It was exciting, confusing, heart-breaking and stressful. This book intrigued me from the get-go, how can you not be curious about the story of a 15 year old girl who falls in love with her teacher? Make no mistake, this book tackles a very controversial topic and this story is not to be confused with what we often find on the movie of the week on the lifetime channel. What you can expect from this author is a beautifully written story about a man and a girl who happen to develop feelings for each other, eventually falling in love. Was it a normal love story? Not at all!!! However it's still a story about love, the complexity of their union and the limitations that surround their relationship.

As I read this story, I was hooked from the very first word and I was lost in the world that is everything Isabel and Tom. It's not too often I read a story and suddenly I mistake myself for the lead gal in the book. Don't get me wrong, it does happen but not as often as I'd like and in this case it did! I became Isabel. I felt as though I was experiencing everything for the very first time. Everything from the adolescent body changing to the thoughts about a man who invades your mind, your heart and you can't concentrate on anything else.

Just as Isabel did, I too fell in love with Tom. While there were things he did that were questionable, I found myself moving past those poor choices and trying to understand what he was thinking. Although, I was coming up short as to why I loved him because after all, he’s a married man but there was something loveable about him. There was so much about Tom that moved Isabel and that’s why she remained in a relationship with him for as long as she did. But there was a lot about his situation that broke her heart but she handled it like a grown woman in an adult relationship.

While I loved this book a lot, I found myself at odds. How can I love a book about an illicit love affair? What’s wrong with me? Am I justifying the relationship and making excuses for Tom? There were moments that I secretly wanted for Tom and Isabel to make it. Is that even possible? Is Tom as genuine as he seems? There were so many moments that I felt equally as confused as Isabel, asking the same questions she asked herself!! I was still asking myself questions even after I was done with the book!!!

This is a controversial book that deals with a very serious topic, a teacher that engages in a relationship with his young student. I’ll admit I enjoyed feeling completely conflicted while reading this book because after all, that is the intent of the author when she wrote this and she did it successfully!

My final two cents: Even though I felt guilty for enjoying this book…I can’t wait to read the sequel because I can’t wait to find out what happens next!!!

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Isabel Cruz is fifteen when she joins the swim team and comes face to face with her swim coach Tom Stevens. It's not love at first sight but to her friends she makes no secret of the fact that she likes older men and Mr Stevens is the man who has caught her interest.

I've read quite a few books where the subject matter is the incredibly taboo teacher/student affair. It's a little bit of a weakness of mine. I've said it many times before but I love to see how an author can take such a socially frowned upon situation and make the reader become invested in and like the characters. Sweetest Taboo is different from others that I've read for quite a few reasons...

1. The teacher in this book is much older than what I've read before. Tom Stevens is in his late thirties and Isabel is just fifteen.
2. He is married.
3. He is a father.

I've always been a big believer in everyone having someone to love and having someone to love them in return. There is nothing quite like that feeling. Age really isn't a big deal for me as long as it is a loving and committed relationship based on love and respect. And it's a fact that the heart wants what the heart wants. We can't do anything about that. You can't choose who you fall in love with. What you can choose is whether or not you act on those feelings. So I struggled a little bit with this book and the three things that I mentioned above. What makes a married man, a father, choose to cheat and betray?

As far as Eva Márquez and her writing, I couldn't fault it. Incredibly well written and easy to read. An amazing topic and storyline which grabbed me straight from the minute that I read the book description. As far as the characters, Isabel was strong and mature for her age but there were definitely times when the teenager in her was very evident. As for Tom, I don't think I ever doubted his feelings for Isabel, but I think I wanted him as the adult to have more restraint and to have a bit more backbone as far as his wife and children were concerned.

So as far as a rating, I'm breaking it down to how the book made me feel and it without a doubt had me experiencing so many emotions which is what I want in a book. The writing was great and in the end despite the raging war that went on inside my head, I really liked Isabel and Tom. However it wasn't until the very end of the book that I was able to breathe a bit easier and admit that to myself. I'm also looking forward to reading the sequel and seeing where the author takes Isabel and Tom.

For me , this book is a definite 5/5 stars!!

Review first posted at YA Book Addict... http://youngadultbookaddict.blogspot....

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweetest Taboo
There was not one thing I didn’t love about the book. The author had a way of writing that will get the reader upset, yelling at the book, and then crying. That is the way that you know how good the author is! Anyone can paint a picture but this was like a 3d landscape.

Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. Tom was her swim coach and she had a crush on him. Coming from a very traditional family Isabel was reserved until Tom said “write me a letter”. She was not sure what to write, but she wrote from her heart. Now at this point I am so deep into the story that I read for an all-night marathon! She was 15 when they started meeting. Before anyone goes on about the subject matter, let us not get carried away! She is old enough in my opinion to make a choice. She does and so does he. They really do love each other and there was nothing in the past. NO molestation, no psych consult, and no father issues, it was love. This is one of the most taboo kinds of love there was, a relationship between a student and her teacher.

Read it NOW and go with Isabel as she explores a dark love. She goes on in turmoil, hiding and lying to be with her “one and only”. Another reason I LOVED the author is that she didn’t let people judge Isabel. What I mean is that if everyone found out and told her to stay away from Tom, then she would just go to him even more. Isabel internalized all of her feelings and made her own choices As for Tom, things are not what they seem to be. I think it is refreshing to get worked up about a subject or book when you do, it was told correctly. I was not bothered by the age or the fact that he was older and married with two kids. Men will be men and I do think it was love and not anything more sinister.

I hope that you all love it as I did. Yes I think Tom really is in love with this 15 year old girl, and Isabel is equally as in love. The sequel is Tainted Love and it was a little bit better! Release date MARCH 2013 (doing the happy dance)


About the Author
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, daughter of European immigrants, Eva Márquez has spent most of her life outside of her home country. At the age of five, Eva accompanied her parents to the United States, where the family settled permanently. After graduating from university, she went on to complete graduate studies in International Relations in Spain. Eva received her Master of International Studies degree from the University of Sydney and went on to work in the global health field in Sub Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Eva currently resides in Southern Africa.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to start by saying this review is JUST my opinion and my opinion alone. Yes some of the content in this book is very controversial.I personally LOVED this book. First off I have to say that student and teacher relationships are just a part of life. I am not sure why this is happening but all over students are falling in love with their teachers. There have been so many news reports on this and no matter what the consequences are the relationships are still happening. Is it scary hell yes but love is such a crazy emotion that no one can describe it to it's core.

Isabel Cruz is in high school and she sees a teacher named Tom Stevens. For her it is love at first sight and she peruses him like no ones business. It does not matter to her that he is a teacher and that he is married with children. She sets her eyes on tom and she does not stop until she has him.Isabel is willing to give Tom any and everything she has and at first tom fights her off but he soon finds himself liking her and wanting to be with her.

Tom knows he should stay clear of Isabel but he is not the one chasing her. In fact she is chasing him and making it harder for him to resist. Yes she is a child but feelings are feelings and quite frankly you can't control feelings. Yes you can try and ignore them but what good does that do. As Tom and Isabel merge into the danger zone which for me was when they both crossed the line they could not return from which is when they became intimate with each other I was afraid for them because once they crossed that line they had to lie and hide and that just gets complicated. Isabel was determined to have her man and at any cost. It did not matter to her about family or friends or the authority. They both lied to keep the relationship going. But in the end will they stay together or will they be separated?

[Koalathebear Koalathebear · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possibly one of the worst books I've ever read. It was just really bad ...

Edited to include more details:

One of my issues with this novel was that it wasn't entirely apparent what it wanted to be. From the cheery green cover and the girl making a cute shoosh gesture, it looked as though it might be a romantic young adult novel, from paragraph two of the description it looked as though it might be a critical expose of a real life taboo relationship between teacher and student. By the final paragraph of the blurb, it looked as though it was a quasi-biographical book.

Unfortunately, the blurb was actually quite an accurate reflection of the novel which proved to be an indeterminate mix of different genres. If it had been entirely biographical some of the clinical writing style might have made more sense.

I confess that I also didn't find the story line particularly romantic, which I get the sense it was supposed to be.

Tales of illicit love are usually written in slightly more compelling terms. I also didn't particularly like any of the characters - perhaps if I was still a teen I'd have found Tom more attractive and appealing than I did. As it was, he really just came across as an unfaithful husband and father with a serious problem who took advantage of a vulnerable girl - rather than a likeable hero overwhelmed with the power of love ... It was baffling to me that anyone, even an impressionable teen would be attracted to him give his lies and infidelity.

In order to overcome the distaste that someone might feel about the 'taboo' nature of the novel, the characters and writing needed to be much more immediate and compelling than they were.

[Tana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review for Sweetest Taboo by Eva Marques

I was given this book to review thanks to the author Eva Marques and Young Adult Reads Group on Goodreads. So thank you!

Now this book is controversial considering it is about a romance between a young girl and her teacher. How do you I rate this book is what I am finding difficult. Yes the author is talented, her writing is good and I would probably read her next book. But the hard part is how do I publically say I found this book good or great when it to me sexual abuse?

So this is my problem, in reading this story the author is trying to show us readers that Isabel had some control in this relationship and that she did in fact love Tom (Mr.Steven’s) and it does appear she had some power in this relationship. But in saying that she was a minor and he was her teacher and even though their love was taboo I am not sure I can say it was sweet.

But as a reviewer I am going to say that I will give it a 3 star rating and it probably does deserve a 4 star but I cannot get past the underlying issues.

Eva Marques writing is good and I do look forward to reading your next book.

So thank you for giving me the opportunity to read the Sweetest Taboo.

[Andi Tubbs · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave this book another shot, and read it. Here is my take. It is poorly written. Instead of showing the author tells the story. The characters are not developed. It did not hold my attention. There are lots of grammatical errors. I can't in good conscience recommend this book.

[Claudia Castaño · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soon my review!! :D :D

[Book Recs by Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh I love this book, the writing was just beautiful but the one thing that is making me question things is why end the book like the way it did??

[Shannon Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally take a couple of days after reading a book before I actually write the review. It could be that I'm lazy at times, or it could be that I want to allow the book's elements to marinate for a little while so that I can give it a truly thoughtful response. I like option two better...sounds better. But it's probably a mixture of the two. All that being said, I just finished reading Sweetest Taboo at 1:35am tonight, and here I am at 1:42am writing the review for it. This review is also going to hop over several other books and be posted immediately for no other reason than that it had a truly impactful message for me and I absolutely loved it.


I've always had a pretty firmly held opinion about teacher to student relationships...mostly when we're talking about high school. Once someone's in college, I pretty much feel like they're consenting adults and whether they have a relationship with a professor is something they have the intellect to reason out on their own. But with high school students, it's more, yes, taboo, because the idea is that a kid in high school is more vulnerable, more easily preyed upon by sexual predators, and that teachers, having a position of authority over them, are able to then exert that authority in an unhealthy way to provoke the student into elicit activities and relationships that they're not mentally equipped to deal with. Does it always follow that this assumption is true, however? This is the question thoroughly explored in Eva Marquez story, Sweetest Taboo.


I went into this story knowing exactly what my take on this subject would be. I've watched multiple new stories, Dateline episodes and other documentaries about teacher-student relationships that were outed and ended up being prosecuted, and I pretty much felt that this was always wrong, despite the fact that I could name at least two such cases where, after the sentence was served, the relationship picked right back up where it left off, and the now "of age" student is still in a relationship with their former teacher. In this book, Marquez explores the possibility that these relationships don't always have to be criminal, or of a sexually predatory nature. What if you have a young student, girl or boy, who knows exactly what he/she wants, and a teacher who would never do anything to hurt that student, would in fact protect them, do anything for them, and that the ultimate sex act isn't what the relationship is based on? What if it was based on nothing but an emotional connection that ultimately leads, instead, to a special love?


I absolutely loved Isabel. This is a smart girl. She's mature for her age, despite the fact that there are a couple decisions that she makes early on that are impactful, and that do show her age. The way she feels about her teacher, Tom Stevens, is firm and deep. Teenaged kids fall in love with other teenaged kids all the time, and no one has any trouble accepting the fact that it is truly love. So why, when the person they love is much older, is it not looked upon in the same light? Isabel's relationship with Tom starts slowly, builds over the course of years, and it takes just about that long for them to even take their relationship into the ultimate physical act. It is clear that their love is pure for each other. Is it not possible that there might be times when such relationships are an exception?


Tom's character was sweet, gentle, caring. There were times that I found him to be a little weak, but even he recognized this in himself, and there are things he does to change that. The journey these two take over the course of the book was engrossing, and I couldn't help myself as I ended up rooting for them. You just wanted so badly for them to get to be together as you read.


I have to give props to Eva Marquez. Her writing of this book was masterful. To be able to take such a taboo (yes, there it is again) situation and actually make her reader think of it in a new light, takes some talented handling. People are probably going to either love this book or hate it, depending upon the strength of their convictions. But I can guarantee, that regardless of their resulting opinion, the book WILL make them think, and it just might change their mind a little. Bravo to Marquez for taking on such a controversial topic and handling it with such sensitivity and bravery. It was utterly captivating to read, clearly, as I started it and finished it in one sitting. I am dying to read the sequel, Tainted Love!

[Paige (TheBookVulture) · Rating 4 out of 5]

One teacher. One student. One very illicit affair.

We all dream about it; having the perfect relationship with that special someone who loves you unconditionally. The moment fifteen year old Isabel Cruz first saw Tom Stevens, she wanted him. The problem? He's old enough to be her father and has a wife and two children. And he's her teacher. Yeah, just a small problem. But when Tom reciprocates her feelings, the two begin a very dangerous, very forbidden romance.

But between hiding from the watchful eyes at school, lying to both her parents and defying the authorities, does it become too much for Isabel to handle? Or can she and Tom navigate through the very taboo nature of their relationship, and find peace and happiness?

Yes, the overall rating I gave this book is four stars. I actually awarded one of those stars for the prologue alone, simply because it's so awesome. The other three were for the body.

The prologue was easily the best part of the book for me. It is written so that it connects the reader to the author, and makes them feel like part of the story. It is narrated perfectly, almost conversationally. Even though no characters were introduced in the prologue, I instantly felt connected to the characters and ultimately, the story on a whole.

I can normally read a book of this length in a day. But there was something about this book that made it hard for me to sit down and read it for hours. I still can't exactly pinpoint exactly what it is. After reading the prologue, my expectations for the rest of the novel shot straight up. I was honestly hoping that the entire book would be written in the same fashion. Maybe it was because I really didn't find Tom appealing in the slightest. And I'm not saying that because of his relationship with Isabel. There's something about him that just rubs me the wrong way. (Okay, that sounds really bad in context...).

A lot of young adult books contain sex scenes, and in my opinion Sweetest Taboo contains some of the better written ones. I love the fact that during their first time, Isabel doesn't even get close to climax because the pain is almost too much for her. I actually love this because that's what it's like for a lot of people. Tom does pleasure her in other ways, so it's not all painful for Isabel.

When in love, age is just a number. It means nothing. There is only one thing about their relationship that I disagree with. And that is the student/teacher side of it. When a teacher and student pursue a relationship while both attending the same school, I disagree with it because the teacher could easily give the student advantages when it comes to assignments, tests and exams. If they pursue the relationship when the student has graduated, I have absolutely no problem with it. I disagree 100% with the sentences and punishments handed out to those involved in student/teacher relationships. While the student gets seen as the innocent victim, the teacher either gets jail time, or for those lucky enough to avoid that, gets registered as a sex offender, ruining any chances of getting back into teaching. This is one thing I love about this book. Although the relationship is illicit, everything is consensual. It's not exactly romanticizing taboo relationships, but in fact making people rethink them.

Honestly, I love books about taboo relationships. I love that there are authors out there willing to write about these illicit romances. In this book, I adore the prologue. I love the way certain scenes were written. I love the ending. Sweetest Taboo is a good book. For me, it wasn't great, but I will definitely be re-reading it.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.