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wake
a love story that ripples deep
Waves
Dylan’s anchor line was cut a long time ago. His life can be packed up and moved on at a moment’s notice. But when the one thing he holds on to—his beloved improv studio—starts to go under, he knows he needs to find safe harbour.
One year. Room and board.
All Dylan has to do is pretend to be someone he isn’t. Play a role that matters far more than it should.
Currents
A charged glance with a stranger outside a Wellington theatre.
A pull he can’t explain, leaving him breathless and disoriented.
Trent is intense, private, and grieving something he refuses to define.
Living together drags and lifts in equal measure. Secrets that feel dangerous. Late nights where thoughts sink too deep. Shared meals, a silly chicken, a riotous grandpa.
A slow, intimate pull towards shore.
Undertow
But grief can drag you out too deep.
Dylan finds himself caught between truth and tenderness, between who he’s pretending to be and who he might finally become. When the past surfaces, they must face what they’ve each been running from . . . and the love they could have if they stop.
~ ~ ~wake is an intimate, slow-burn gay romance about grief, found family, and the courage to stay anchored when the sea keeps pulling you away.
It’s a story of emotional healing and quiet devotion, of two men learning that love doesn’t rescue you from the storm. It teaches you how to stand in it.
Perfect for readers who
• forced proximity
• grief-to-healing romance
• emotionally restrained slow burn
• found family warmth
• mature, literary contemporary love stories
Waves
Dylan’s anchor line was cut a long time ago. His life can be packed up and moved on at a moment’s notice. But when the one thing he holds on to—his beloved improv studio—starts to go under, he knows he needs to find safe harbour.
One year. Room and board.
All Dylan has to do is pretend to be someone he isn’t. Play a role that matters far more than it should.
Currents
A charged glance with a stranger outside a Wellington theatre.
A pull he can’t explain, leaving him breathless and disoriented.
Trent is intense, private, and grieving something he refuses to define.
Living together drags and lifts in equal measure. Secrets that feel dangerous. Late nights where thoughts sink too deep. Shared meals, a silly chicken, a riotous grandpa.
A slow, intimate pull towards shore.
Undertow
But grief can drag you out too deep.
Dylan finds himself caught between truth and tenderness, between who he’s pretending to be and who he might finally become. When the past surfaces, they must face what they’ve each been running from . . . and the love they could have if they stop.
~ ~ ~wake is an intimate, slow-burn gay romance about grief, found family, and the courage to stay anchored when the sea keeps pulling you away.
It’s a story of emotional healing and quiet devotion, of two men learning that love doesn’t rescue you from the storm. It teaches you how to stand in it.
Perfect for readers who
• forced proximity
• grief-to-healing romance
• emotionally restrained slow burn
• found family warmth
• mature, literary contemporary love stories
235 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 7, 2026
26 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Anyta Sunday
96 books2,754 followersSpecialising in slow-burn romances where emotions reign, intimacy lingers, and chemistry sizzles—stories that leave you holding your breath and cheering for love, with just a splash of spice to sweeten the journey.
Check out my website:
Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/?page_id=386
Für deutsche Leser:
http://www.anytasunday.de/
In italiano:
http://www.anytasunday.it/
Check out my website:
Contact: http://www.anytasunday.com/?page_id=386
Für deutsche Leser:
http://www.anytasunday.de/
In italiano:
http://www.anytasunday.it/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 9, 2026
Rain or shine, sleet or snow, couldn't stop the way we flow / Welcome to my miracle, when I'm diggin' on your lyrical / Your melody's my remedy, lemon squeeze to my Hennesey (Energy – Natalie feat. Baby Bash).
Have you ever told a joke in a dream that was so insanely funny that you laughed yourself awake? And then as you were racking your brain trying to remember the set up to this hilarious punchline, you realize… nothing said in the dream was remotely funny or even made any kind of coherent sense. Yeah well, that’s kind of what reading wake by Anyta Sunday was like for me. Every time I happened upon a particularly well-written line that'd almost get me, I'd always immediately be like, "wait no, I still don't understand." It's not fun getting blue-balled by a book, I'll tell you that much! Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate this book… but I kind of wished that I did? See, wake isn’t bad in the sense that it was able to draw out any anger on my end, but rather it just left me completely befuddled. And that's really irritating because if I hated this book then I could just talk shit and move on, but instead I have questions that I need answered! And considering I wrote a whole ass questionnaire for this shit, I think it’s fair to say that this book will linger in my mind for a lot longer than I was hoping. That can be interpreted as some kind of twisted back-handed compliment, right? Because I was hoping I'd have liked this considering almost every contemporary book I’ve read this year has fallen completely short with me and I've got to be due for a win sometime soon, right? But hey, if I didn’t like it, then I didn’t like it, and it would do nobody any good if I sat here and lied my ass off about how much of an emotional triumph this book was. Because it wasn't. My biggest problem with wake is how flow-y and airy the writing style was, and because Anyta Sunday had such an aversion to putting down a concrete idea on the page, it felt like any time I though I'd reached some kind of understanding, I found that I was instead just grasping at straws. Which is frustrating because I can tell there’s emotion put into this book, every other glowing review for this book is proof of that fact, and it's not fun to be that kid who forgot to do the reading and is just winging it. Have you ever watched The Walking Dead? Yeah well, I remember at the height of the show’s popularity, the writers fancied themselves philosophers and would infuse almost every line of dialogue with this pseudo deep bullshit that sounded less like what a person would actually talk like and more like some nonsense you’d find on some "good vibes only" Pintrest board. Thanos ass dialogue chasing the trend of being quoted on some BookTok influencer's bio rather than focusing on clarity of purpose and naturalistic story telling. Seriously, this is the part where I would have started describing the plot, but I literally can’t because I deadass have no idea what happened at any point in the story.
Let me get this straight, I'm under the impression that some guy hires another guy to pretend to be his brother (?) and then they fall in love? All in an attempt to trick one of the guy's grandfather?? For some reason? A chicken dies!?!? I don’t know, I really don't. And trust me, I'm not one of those people who take pride in their ignorance and laziness when it comes to interpreting the text because I'm pretentious as fuck, so the fact that I was never able to conquer my confusion really stings. Drat! So yeah, I’m well aware that this level of misunderstanding the work proves that I’m totally ill-equipped to write a review for the damn thing, but hey, I did read it, didn't I? I put the work in, I just couldn’t make heads nor tails of it. In fact, I’m going to need somebody to make one of those eight hour YouTube essays about this book real quick because I’m floundering here! I could watch it while I'm doing something else maybe. So, since I can’t speak to whether or not wake by Anyta Sunday was good (I can only say that I didn't like it), I figured I could talk about something that I did like! I truly believe that if you wanted to read a book about someone whose different way of thinking is reflected in the prose and colors the narrative in a way that's both unique and sensitive, then may I direct you towards Half-Drawn Boy by Suki Fleet? It’s powerful, understated, and quietly resolute in what it wants to say. Which is basically the exact same way I wanted to describe wake, but alas, I can't. I mean, I know I’m just repeating myself at this point, but I can’t get over the fact that the writing was so vague and loosely connected that I felt like I was listening to a Harry Styles song! Just stringing together words, all ChatGPT core. That reminds me, remember 2019’s Joker where Arthur Fleck’s doing terrible stand-up? Well, I’ve got some written material for you about wake! And here, we, go: understanding this book is like trying to talk to someone while you’re drowning underwater. Zing! This is the kind of book that you would write at 3 am when you suddenly have that late night clarity of how to change your life… and you're also on tranquilizers. Badum tsss! This book is written like someone got a hold of their very first thesaurus and went ham on the Word Document. Bazinga! Okay, I’m done. Look, I’m sure a lot of people will love wake and it’s very possible that I’m just a dumbass. I mean, the person I did this buddy read with also had to explain the ending to Enemy starring Jake Gyllenhaal to me (something about guilt manifesting into a giant spider or whatever), so if you want to, you can totally disregard all of my opinions. Go ahead, I won’t mind! But as of right now, I’m thinking that at its best, wake is within a Maniac Magee, Forrest Gump's jogging distance of Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and at its worst… it’s ghost written by Gabbie Hanna. Oof and yikes.
Between shakey kisses, I murmur against his jaw. The feeling is too big. I press my mouth to his ear. There are no adequate words. “I love you” is the closest thing.
Have you ever told a joke in a dream that was so insanely funny that you laughed yourself awake? And then as you were racking your brain trying to remember the set up to this hilarious punchline, you realize… nothing said in the dream was remotely funny or even made any kind of coherent sense. Yeah well, that’s kind of what reading wake by Anyta Sunday was like for me. Every time I happened upon a particularly well-written line that'd almost get me, I'd always immediately be like, "wait no, I still don't understand." It's not fun getting blue-balled by a book, I'll tell you that much! Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t hate this book… but I kind of wished that I did? See, wake isn’t bad in the sense that it was able to draw out any anger on my end, but rather it just left me completely befuddled. And that's really irritating because if I hated this book then I could just talk shit and move on, but instead I have questions that I need answered! And considering I wrote a whole ass questionnaire for this shit, I think it’s fair to say that this book will linger in my mind for a lot longer than I was hoping. That can be interpreted as some kind of twisted back-handed compliment, right? Because I was hoping I'd have liked this considering almost every contemporary book I’ve read this year has fallen completely short with me and I've got to be due for a win sometime soon, right? But hey, if I didn’t like it, then I didn’t like it, and it would do nobody any good if I sat here and lied my ass off about how much of an emotional triumph this book was. Because it wasn't. My biggest problem with wake is how flow-y and airy the writing style was, and because Anyta Sunday had such an aversion to putting down a concrete idea on the page, it felt like any time I though I'd reached some kind of understanding, I found that I was instead just grasping at straws. Which is frustrating because I can tell there’s emotion put into this book, every other glowing review for this book is proof of that fact, and it's not fun to be that kid who forgot to do the reading and is just winging it. Have you ever watched The Walking Dead? Yeah well, I remember at the height of the show’s popularity, the writers fancied themselves philosophers and would infuse almost every line of dialogue with this pseudo deep bullshit that sounded less like what a person would actually talk like and more like some nonsense you’d find on some "good vibes only" Pintrest board. Thanos ass dialogue chasing the trend of being quoted on some BookTok influencer's bio rather than focusing on clarity of purpose and naturalistic story telling. Seriously, this is the part where I would have started describing the plot, but I literally can’t because I deadass have no idea what happened at any point in the story.
Let me get this straight, I'm under the impression that some guy hires another guy to pretend to be his brother (?) and then they fall in love? All in an attempt to trick one of the guy's grandfather?? For some reason? A chicken dies!?!? I don’t know, I really don't. And trust me, I'm not one of those people who take pride in their ignorance and laziness when it comes to interpreting the text because I'm pretentious as fuck, so the fact that I was never able to conquer my confusion really stings. Drat! So yeah, I’m well aware that this level of misunderstanding the work proves that I’m totally ill-equipped to write a review for the damn thing, but hey, I did read it, didn't I? I put the work in, I just couldn’t make heads nor tails of it. In fact, I’m going to need somebody to make one of those eight hour YouTube essays about this book real quick because I’m floundering here! I could watch it while I'm doing something else maybe. So, since I can’t speak to whether or not wake by Anyta Sunday was good (I can only say that I didn't like it), I figured I could talk about something that I did like! I truly believe that if you wanted to read a book about someone whose different way of thinking is reflected in the prose and colors the narrative in a way that's both unique and sensitive, then may I direct you towards Half-Drawn Boy by Suki Fleet? It’s powerful, understated, and quietly resolute in what it wants to say. Which is basically the exact same way I wanted to describe wake, but alas, I can't. I mean, I know I’m just repeating myself at this point, but I can’t get over the fact that the writing was so vague and loosely connected that I felt like I was listening to a Harry Styles song! Just stringing together words, all ChatGPT core. That reminds me, remember 2019’s Joker where Arthur Fleck’s doing terrible stand-up? Well, I’ve got some written material for you about wake! And here, we, go: understanding this book is like trying to talk to someone while you’re drowning underwater. Zing! This is the kind of book that you would write at 3 am when you suddenly have that late night clarity of how to change your life… and you're also on tranquilizers. Badum tsss! This book is written like someone got a hold of their very first thesaurus and went ham on the Word Document. Bazinga! Okay, I’m done. Look, I’m sure a lot of people will love wake and it’s very possible that I’m just a dumbass. I mean, the person I did this buddy read with also had to explain the ending to Enemy starring Jake Gyllenhaal to me (something about guilt manifesting into a giant spider or whatever), so if you want to, you can totally disregard all of my opinions. Go ahead, I won’t mind! But as of right now, I’m thinking that at its best, wake is within a Maniac Magee, Forrest Gump's jogging distance of Benjamin Alire Sáenz, and at its worst… it’s ghost written by Gabbie Hanna. Oof and yikes.
Between shakey kisses, I murmur against his jaw. The feeling is too big. I press my mouth to his ear. There are no adequate words. “I love you” is the closest thing.
March 25, 2026
Oh man, no one is sadder than me that this didn’t really work for me 🥺
I have a feeling this is one of those books you either get or you don’t - and sadly, I fall into the second category.
Because objectively, there’s nothing wrong here. The story, the characters, the themes - they’re all there. But the way it was told just never quite let me in.
A lot of that comes down to the fragmented storytelling and the writing style. It has this very magical, dreamlike quality, which I can absolutely see being intentional but for me, it made everything feel just out of reach. I struggled to grasp what was happening, who these characters really were, what had already happened versus what was unfolding in the moment.
I couldn’t fully feel their supposedly instant, special connection, because I was too busy trying to orient myself. Where are we? When are we? How much time has passed? What exactly is being said - or left unsaid? Nothing is straightforward, and while that ambiguity is clearly part of the design, it left me feeling like I was wading through fog, constantly trying to make out shapes that never fully came into focus.
And that’s the thing: I was so occupied with piecing together the prose, the atmosphere, the scattered narrative clues, that I lost sight of the actual emotional core. Of who these characters are. Of what this story is meant to make me feel.
There were moments where that fog lifted and the Anyta Sunday I know and love shone through: the quirky, endearing characters, that sense of lightness even alongside heavier themes, the vivid sense of time and place. But those moments felt fleeting rather than foundational and made the switch back to ‘what actually is going on here??’ even more difficult.
That said, I can absolutely see this working for other readers. It handles heavy themes with care - grief, shared trauma, the way emotions can build and build until they spill over, leaving everything scattered and raw and with that fragile hope of finding someone who will sit with you in that mess and help you gather the pieces again.
You can also really tell how much Wellington must mean to the author, because the sense of place felt really intimate and personal. And the ending was lovely 🥹
All in all, though, this felt very different from Anyta Sunday’s usual storytelling and writing style. I struggled to find the elements that have drawn me so strongly to her books in the past and I’m genuinely sad about it.
I think I need to go reread one of my old Anyta Sunday favorites now 🥺
Thank you to GRR for the chance to read this arc, this is my honest opinion!
I have a feeling this is one of those books you either get or you don’t - and sadly, I fall into the second category.
Because objectively, there’s nothing wrong here. The story, the characters, the themes - they’re all there. But the way it was told just never quite let me in.
A lot of that comes down to the fragmented storytelling and the writing style. It has this very magical, dreamlike quality, which I can absolutely see being intentional but for me, it made everything feel just out of reach. I struggled to grasp what was happening, who these characters really were, what had already happened versus what was unfolding in the moment.
I couldn’t fully feel their supposedly instant, special connection, because I was too busy trying to orient myself. Where are we? When are we? How much time has passed? What exactly is being said - or left unsaid? Nothing is straightforward, and while that ambiguity is clearly part of the design, it left me feeling like I was wading through fog, constantly trying to make out shapes that never fully came into focus.
And that’s the thing: I was so occupied with piecing together the prose, the atmosphere, the scattered narrative clues, that I lost sight of the actual emotional core. Of who these characters are. Of what this story is meant to make me feel.
There were moments where that fog lifted and the Anyta Sunday I know and love shone through: the quirky, endearing characters, that sense of lightness even alongside heavier themes, the vivid sense of time and place. But those moments felt fleeting rather than foundational and made the switch back to ‘what actually is going on here??’ even more difficult.
That said, I can absolutely see this working for other readers. It handles heavy themes with care - grief, shared trauma, the way emotions can build and build until they spill over, leaving everything scattered and raw and with that fragile hope of finding someone who will sit with you in that mess and help you gather the pieces again.
You can also really tell how much Wellington must mean to the author, because the sense of place felt really intimate and personal. And the ending was lovely 🥹
All in all, though, this felt very different from Anyta Sunday’s usual storytelling and writing style. I struggled to find the elements that have drawn me so strongly to her books in the past and I’m genuinely sad about it.
I think I need to go reread one of my old Anyta Sunday favorites now 🥺
Thank you to GRR for the chance to read this arc, this is my honest opinion!
April 30, 2026
Anyta is my favorite author on planet earth. I love her words, worlds and delightful use of metaphor. Her writing is just gorgeous. It’s so transcendent and dream like while being funny and charming. But this time around, I felt incredibly disconnected. Wake stands out to me as being the most dream like - can’t quite make heads or tails of what’s going on exactly - of all of her works. The water metaphor is incredibly fitting - because I felt like I was drowning in surrealism instead of gently floating downstream. I was treading water! Lost upstream with no paddle! Okay okay I’ll stop the water talk. The typical Anyta charm peeked through at times. The metaphor usage! The slight brushing of limbs between mcs feeling as intimate as a kiss! The lines that leave me in awe with how beautiful they are! The chicken! The hat detective bit! I laughed and laughed and laughed. But the romance left me wanting. I did find the parts about grief and family to be incredibly moving. That ending… I sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. Overall, I just wanted more from this narrative style. To feel like at some point I would be brought in to the fold. I’m so sad I didn’t love this!!! Regardless of my own enjoyment of the book, I love that she tried something new. I will just have to reread Rock again. 🥰
April 9, 2026
That was so lovely. The writing was gorgeous, wave-like, a back and forth between people and places, and the growing relationship between Dylan and Trent was nearly heartbreaking in its fragility. “Purple prose”the author called it as an in joke between the two MCs, but she’s damn near literary in this one.
April 8, 2026
This is a beautiful story about grief and coming to terms with it—and of course, it's also about love. The way the story unfolds is great.
But unfortunately, I’m one of those who had a hard time getting into it and connecting with the characters. I struggled quite a bit with the writing style, trying to get the hang of it. There were several parts of this book where I didn't really understand what they were trying to say or what I was supposed to take away from it. That's why I couldn't get as deeply into this—nor get as deeply connected emotionally as I would have liked.
Despite that, I’m giving the book 4 stars because, overall, the story is beautiful, this offers something different, characters are great, the plot is excellent and I liked the ending as well.
Also, before reading this book, I never would have guessed that I’d be writing this sentence in my review of it, but; the chicken’s funeral was a wonderful, unique way to add to the theme of grief in this book.
“Love doesn’t end at death.”
’ Grandpa,
Missing you.
Love, Me. ’
But unfortunately, I’m one of those who had a hard time getting into it and connecting with the characters. I struggled quite a bit with the writing style, trying to get the hang of it. There were several parts of this book where I didn't really understand what they were trying to say or what I was supposed to take away from it. That's why I couldn't get as deeply into this—nor get as deeply connected emotionally as I would have liked.
Despite that, I’m giving the book 4 stars because, overall, the story is beautiful, this offers something different, characters are great, the plot is excellent and I liked the ending as well.
Also, before reading this book, I never would have guessed that I’d be writing this sentence in my review of it, but; the chicken’s funeral was a wonderful, unique way to add to the theme of grief in this book.
“Love doesn’t end at death.”
’ Grandpa,
Missing you.
Love, Me. ’
April 16, 2026
LOVE. This was a beautifully written story! I’ve seen others complain that the author’s writing style was different in this book, which makes me roll my eyes because people are also always complaining when an author’s books seem to follow a similar writing style or format. Personally, I LOVE 💕 it when an author has a very defined writing style, it’s like a familiar hug. These are the authors and books I reach for most often when I need some comfort and a distraction from how awful the real world is these days because I know what to expect.
That being said, I also LOVE ❤️ it when a writer steps out of their box and tries something new! Either way is OK with me. 🙂 Anyta Sunday wrote a beautiful book that’s different than her other work which IMHO is brave and wonderful. BRAVO to her!
That being said, I also LOVE ❤️ it when a writer steps out of their box and tries something new! Either way is OK with me. 🙂 Anyta Sunday wrote a beautiful book that’s different than her other work which IMHO is brave and wonderful. BRAVO to her!
April 7, 2026
Wake is a beautiful, beautiful love song in a love story.
Dylan and Trent lost their loved ones once upon a time, and struggled to find themselves again.
I don't know how to describe this story, but it's beautiful.
That sometimes, forgiveness and acceptance are two things that make our lives bearable, and not drowning in sorrow.
Anyta writes wonderful stories and characters, but Trent and Dylan (and Grandpa!) are easily become my favorites.
Read this book.
Dylan and Trent lost their loved ones once upon a time, and struggled to find themselves again.
I don't know how to describe this story, but it's beautiful.
That sometimes, forgiveness and acceptance are two things that make our lives bearable, and not drowning in sorrow.
Anyta writes wonderful stories and characters, but Trent and Dylan (and Grandpa!) are easily become my favorites.
Read this book.
April 23, 2026
I hoped for sth like "Rock". I craved another extremely emotional, slow burn romance with great characters and unbelievable amount of feelings.
Turns out my hopes were too high 🤷
As much as I love Anyta Sunday's books and adore her (normal?) writing style this book is written differently. I liked the idea of a book written in a way that feels like the ocean, waves etc. Unfortunately, I liked it only in theory, because in reality everything that was supposed to sweep me off my feet irritated me and made me 'lose interest.
The story is interesting and MCs are likable but I was not invested enough into the story to keep my fingers crossed for them.
To sum up, this is an okay read but definitely sth different from the author's usual books.
Turns out my hopes were too high 🤷
As much as I love Anyta Sunday's books and adore her (normal?) writing style this book is written differently. I liked the idea of a book written in a way that feels like the ocean, waves etc. Unfortunately, I liked it only in theory, because in reality everything that was supposed to sweep me off my feet irritated me and made me 'lose interest.
The story is interesting and MCs are likable but I was not invested enough into the story to keep my fingers crossed for them.
To sum up, this is an okay read but definitely sth different from the author's usual books.
April 10, 2026
Lovely
Listen, this turned out much better than I expected. There were things going on that went right over my arrogant head. When I thought I figured it out, I was wrong. I was so worried that I wasn't going to like the direction the main story took that I completely missed the sub plots. Is it too much to say that her writing felt like gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze on a sunny day? Her writing is loose and poetic almost hard to follow, like it's skipping words sometimes. If you can get into it, it's so unique and beautiful, and chock full of metaphor.
Listen, this turned out much better than I expected. There were things going on that went right over my arrogant head. When I thought I figured it out, I was wrong. I was so worried that I wasn't going to like the direction the main story took that I completely missed the sub plots. Is it too much to say that her writing felt like gauzy curtains blowing in the breeze on a sunny day? Her writing is loose and poetic almost hard to follow, like it's skipping words sometimes. If you can get into it, it's so unique and beautiful, and chock full of metaphor.
April 8, 2026
Introduction
Wake is a new novel from Anyta Sunday, and fans of her work will be enthralled with her latest story. Readers follow characters who fight their way to the surface, finding their way out of their own grief, coming together to find love as they surface. This story is deep and meaningful, and readers will empathize with the characters’ journeys because, in the end, we all experience grief in our lives.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Wow, just wow!
Every now and then, a book really blows me away with the feelings it brings to the surface. Wake is such a book. Much of the figurative language in the story revolves around the ocean, in fact, exploring the ocean’s volatility, isolation, renewability, and the human reaction of fear, of looking out onto the huge horizon and fearing what one does not know and cannot see. The ocean is used as a metaphor for both main characters’ deep grief. Wake is used as a double entendre. The first meaning evokes images of coming to the surface, as if waking from a long slumber. The second meaning is found in life’s uncertainties and how events will rock you in their unavoidable wake.
Anyta Sunday Fangirl
I love Anyta Sunday’s writing style and storytelling. You could even call me a Sunday fangirl, of sorts, so I am pleased that Wake lived up to my internal hype for getting my hands on this book early to provide an ARC review. I come to you, dear readers, with another Sunday success. This story is one you will want to read as soon as it releases on April 7th.
Plot
Wake follows Dylan and Trent, a whole cast of lively characters that includes an ornery chicken, an ailing but still quick grandfather and his senior daycamp friends, and, most importantly, the spectre of loss: namely, Trent’s dead brother and Dylan’s dead sister. Trent hires Dylan, a struggling actor, to impersonate his dead brother for a year as his grandfather’s health and memory decline. The grandfather has been given a year, and Trent wants his last year to be full of joy and smiles. He’s lied for years, sending postcards home, so his grandfather thinks Trent's brother is just traveling. While Dylan has reservations about this sort of deception, he wants to keep his improv studio open and takes the job.
Heat
The obvious tension between the two characters has to be ignored as they share a room, get to know one another, and Dylan finds himself falling not just for Trent but for the whole family. Grandfather is funny, quick on good days, and Dylan finds in their small house a home he has not been allowed to have for years. Dylan has his own grief, his own loss that he carries with him and hides away, and he and Trent are inexorably drawn together.
Characters
Trent
Trent’s character is complex, a study in reservation and holding back one’s true desires in the name of the greater good. What is better for Grandfather, in the end, is for Trent to be happy, for Trent to find happiness, because Grandfather knows his time is finite. And maybe the whole façade Trent puts on isn’t so much for Grandfather as it is for him.
Trent acknowledges his attraction for Dylan in such a refreshing, plain-faced way that the reader’s heart breaks when his next line is that nothing can be done to explore it. The smoldering feelings between them have to be ignored for Grandfather. Until they cannot be anymore.
Dylan
Dylan is flighty, running from his feelings before he can help himself. He’s been rejected, hurt in such a deep way that he avoids his feelings with a determination that is fed by panic and pain. Trent gets him to slow down, to acknowledge feelings he’s avoided for years, and it’s only when he finally breaks that he can surface from his own grief.
Themes
Wake navigates through heavy themes in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are at sea with the characters, fighting our way to the surface and being battered by the wake of life.
Grief and Healing
The imagery of grief, feeling like life is passing by while you’re stuck underwater, weaves its way through this book like the currents that batter against the New Zealand coastline. How one finds the surface, works their way through grief that feels like it will never go away or get better, how life goes on and finds a new way, all play into the overall themes in Wake. The setting, the characters, and lines of dialogue all play into the imagery to craft a full picture in a way that’s subtle, artistic and beautiful as much as it progresses the storyline.
Truth will find a way, love will find a way
Another theme that weaves its way through Wake’s pages is that the truth will find a way to be revealed. No matter what picture Trent wants to paint of who Mikael would be had he survived, Dylan’s self finds ways to push to the surface. Grandfather’s memory might be failing, but that doesn’t matter with how he feels about Mikael and Trent, and how Dylan shakes things up enough for him to pick up on the differences.
Found Family
Dylan, rejected by his family, finds a new family with his friends at his acting studio. And then he finds another family with Grandfather and the zany cast of daycamp seniors, always getting into some sort of mischief and having fun. Trent has been keeping up a façade of family for years, but having Dylan around changes things, so he learns to let people in and feel like he’s part of the scene, which is more important than a fake image of what a family would have been. Both Trent and Dylan learn that the definition of a family isn’t who one’s genetics are, or how family was supposed to be. Family is who makes you feel as if you belong.
Recommendation
This book has a lot of depth that readers of MM romance will appreciate. There’s steam and spice, but the greater story is much more impactful. You will root for these characters, cry with them, yearn with them. I highly recommend this book. It’s out as of April 7th, so get it now!
Wake is a new novel from Anyta Sunday, and fans of her work will be enthralled with her latest story. Readers follow characters who fight their way to the surface, finding their way out of their own grief, coming together to find love as they surface. This story is deep and meaningful, and readers will empathize with the characters’ journeys because, in the end, we all experience grief in our lives.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Wow, just wow!
Every now and then, a book really blows me away with the feelings it brings to the surface. Wake is such a book. Much of the figurative language in the story revolves around the ocean, in fact, exploring the ocean’s volatility, isolation, renewability, and the human reaction of fear, of looking out onto the huge horizon and fearing what one does not know and cannot see. The ocean is used as a metaphor for both main characters’ deep grief. Wake is used as a double entendre. The first meaning evokes images of coming to the surface, as if waking from a long slumber. The second meaning is found in life’s uncertainties and how events will rock you in their unavoidable wake.
Anyta Sunday Fangirl
I love Anyta Sunday’s writing style and storytelling. You could even call me a Sunday fangirl, of sorts, so I am pleased that Wake lived up to my internal hype for getting my hands on this book early to provide an ARC review. I come to you, dear readers, with another Sunday success. This story is one you will want to read as soon as it releases on April 7th.
Plot
Wake follows Dylan and Trent, a whole cast of lively characters that includes an ornery chicken, an ailing but still quick grandfather and his senior daycamp friends, and, most importantly, the spectre of loss: namely, Trent’s dead brother and Dylan’s dead sister. Trent hires Dylan, a struggling actor, to impersonate his dead brother for a year as his grandfather’s health and memory decline. The grandfather has been given a year, and Trent wants his last year to be full of joy and smiles. He’s lied for years, sending postcards home, so his grandfather thinks Trent's brother is just traveling. While Dylan has reservations about this sort of deception, he wants to keep his improv studio open and takes the job.
Heat
The obvious tension between the two characters has to be ignored as they share a room, get to know one another, and Dylan finds himself falling not just for Trent but for the whole family. Grandfather is funny, quick on good days, and Dylan finds in their small house a home he has not been allowed to have for years. Dylan has his own grief, his own loss that he carries with him and hides away, and he and Trent are inexorably drawn together.
Characters
Trent
Trent’s character is complex, a study in reservation and holding back one’s true desires in the name of the greater good. What is better for Grandfather, in the end, is for Trent to be happy, for Trent to find happiness, because Grandfather knows his time is finite. And maybe the whole façade Trent puts on isn’t so much for Grandfather as it is for him.
Trent acknowledges his attraction for Dylan in such a refreshing, plain-faced way that the reader’s heart breaks when his next line is that nothing can be done to explore it. The smoldering feelings between them have to be ignored for Grandfather. Until they cannot be anymore.
Dylan
Dylan is flighty, running from his feelings before he can help himself. He’s been rejected, hurt in such a deep way that he avoids his feelings with a determination that is fed by panic and pain. Trent gets him to slow down, to acknowledge feelings he’s avoided for years, and it’s only when he finally breaks that he can surface from his own grief.
Themes
Wake navigates through heavy themes in a way that makes the reader feel as if they are at sea with the characters, fighting our way to the surface and being battered by the wake of life.
Grief and Healing
The imagery of grief, feeling like life is passing by while you’re stuck underwater, weaves its way through this book like the currents that batter against the New Zealand coastline. How one finds the surface, works their way through grief that feels like it will never go away or get better, how life goes on and finds a new way, all play into the overall themes in Wake. The setting, the characters, and lines of dialogue all play into the imagery to craft a full picture in a way that’s subtle, artistic and beautiful as much as it progresses the storyline.
Truth will find a way, love will find a way
Another theme that weaves its way through Wake’s pages is that the truth will find a way to be revealed. No matter what picture Trent wants to paint of who Mikael would be had he survived, Dylan’s self finds ways to push to the surface. Grandfather’s memory might be failing, but that doesn’t matter with how he feels about Mikael and Trent, and how Dylan shakes things up enough for him to pick up on the differences.
Found Family
Dylan, rejected by his family, finds a new family with his friends at his acting studio. And then he finds another family with Grandfather and the zany cast of daycamp seniors, always getting into some sort of mischief and having fun. Trent has been keeping up a façade of family for years, but having Dylan around changes things, so he learns to let people in and feel like he’s part of the scene, which is more important than a fake image of what a family would have been. Both Trent and Dylan learn that the definition of a family isn’t who one’s genetics are, or how family was supposed to be. Family is who makes you feel as if you belong.
Recommendation
This book has a lot of depth that readers of MM romance will appreciate. There’s steam and spice, but the greater story is much more impactful. You will root for these characters, cry with them, yearn with them. I highly recommend this book. It’s out as of April 7th, so get it now!
April 13, 2026
HEARTFELT POETIC WITH A TOUCH OF WITTINESS!💕🌊
Ok after reading all the reviews regarding the second book of the series, all I can say is if you don’t understand poetry and symbolism, then you will never understand this gripping, soul searching story!
Each chapter is a symbolism for what the characters are going through- grief, sadness, forgiveness, familial neglect and the last couple of chapters showcases how they are dealing with their self guilt, shame, forgiveness and most of all love and found family!
“WANTED: Man, mid-twenties, actor. Room and board provided. One year.”
“I need a man to play my dead brother.”
“rock pools
Some lives are like the ocean, always moving, always changing. Then there are lives like mine. Rock pools. Stuck, waiting for the wave that left them to come back.”
Daryn was sweet, caring and loving and felt he had finally found a place- home where he belonged with Trent and grandpa…
I loved grandpa as a complex, playful yet loving character who was exactly what a loveless, family less soul like Daryn needed!
Trent was sweet and caring- protective and possessive where his fake brother was concerned…
Was he looking at Ika or Daryn?…
“riptide A sudden drag beneath the surface where love, fear, and truth all pull the hardest.”
“wake Ripples that follow when you keep moving.”
The wake for the chicken was the biggest symbolism of the book and this is where it hits the hardest!😢
Anyta Sunday has become one of my favourite authors with her unique poetic writing style with symbolisms that hits deep!
Both books deserve five stars all the way!
I voluntarily received an ARC from the author and GRR for an honest non biased review.
Ok after reading all the reviews regarding the second book of the series, all I can say is if you don’t understand poetry and symbolism, then you will never understand this gripping, soul searching story!
Each chapter is a symbolism for what the characters are going through- grief, sadness, forgiveness, familial neglect and the last couple of chapters showcases how they are dealing with their self guilt, shame, forgiveness and most of all love and found family!
“WANTED: Man, mid-twenties, actor. Room and board provided. One year.”
“I need a man to play my dead brother.”
“rock pools
Some lives are like the ocean, always moving, always changing. Then there are lives like mine. Rock pools. Stuck, waiting for the wave that left them to come back.”
Daryn was sweet, caring and loving and felt he had finally found a place- home where he belonged with Trent and grandpa…
I loved grandpa as a complex, playful yet loving character who was exactly what a loveless, family less soul like Daryn needed!
Trent was sweet and caring- protective and possessive where his fake brother was concerned…
Was he looking at Ika or Daryn?…
“riptide A sudden drag beneath the surface where love, fear, and truth all pull the hardest.”
“wake Ripples that follow when you keep moving.”
The wake for the chicken was the biggest symbolism of the book and this is where it hits the hardest!😢
Anyta Sunday has become one of my favourite authors with her unique poetic writing style with symbolisms that hits deep!
Both books deserve five stars all the way!
I voluntarily received an ARC from the author and GRR for an honest non biased review.
April 10, 2026
Beautiful imagery that carries a great story
My review
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
This was… beautiful. Crazy, but beautiful. The idea was insane, but necessary for them to heal and love. It’s… wow, just wow. I don’t know how much to say without spoiling it, but the imagery is fantastic, the double and triple meaning to everything is beautiful, and Grandpa is priceless. Their love feels inevitably, like the tide, and how they get to where they end up at is a beauty journey, both of them growing and grieving losses. I really liked the chapters and the titles as well. It isn’t something that very many people look at, and plenty of times it’s just a number or a name, but in this book, even the chapters’ names have meaning. I have read quite a few books lately with weird length chapters, being cut off in the middle or a change in POV several times within a chapter, but this one isn’t one of them, and I appreciate it. It’s one of my pet peeves, I admit it, but it makes it flow better, it gives time to change, shift, prepare for what’s coming next, and it adds a richness to the story. I enjoyed it very much.
(I read it with KU)
My review
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
This was… beautiful. Crazy, but beautiful. The idea was insane, but necessary for them to heal and love. It’s… wow, just wow. I don’t know how much to say without spoiling it, but the imagery is fantastic, the double and triple meaning to everything is beautiful, and Grandpa is priceless. Their love feels inevitably, like the tide, and how they get to where they end up at is a beauty journey, both of them growing and grieving losses. I really liked the chapters and the titles as well. It isn’t something that very many people look at, and plenty of times it’s just a number or a name, but in this book, even the chapters’ names have meaning. I have read quite a few books lately with weird length chapters, being cut off in the middle or a change in POV several times within a chapter, but this one isn’t one of them, and I appreciate it. It’s one of my pet peeves, I admit it, but it makes it flow better, it gives time to change, shift, prepare for what’s coming next, and it adds a richness to the story. I enjoyed it very much.
(I read it with KU)
April 10, 2026
I’m not quite sure how I feel after reading this. I enjoyed it and found myself willing for the MCs to finally give in to their connection and yearning. What I didn’t feel quite gelled with me was the fragmented writing style. As I struggled to place where and when we were, trying to feel the atmosphere, I lost sight of the emotional development at the foundation of the story. The writing is unmistakably gorgeous, of course. The heavy themes are dealt with such care and grace, telling a beautiful journey of healing through grief. And there are sweet moments of lighthearted banter and swoon, just enough to pull me through until the end. Although not my favourite of this author’s work, I think this one might hit the mark for a lot of people.
April 8, 2026
I love Anyta Sunday, and I'll read anything that she writes. Let's start there.
However, while I enjoyed this one a decent amount, there were some points I didn't exactly vibe with. There were a few pacing issues that made the flowing of the characters/relationship development feel a bit off. I also felt some major issues could have been dealt with better through on-page treatment (probably in the shape of communication between key characters). But maybe that's just me. I just felt that the obstacles were a little bit too big and they were sorted out a little bit too conveniently quickly.
I do have to say that I loved the overall pacing and evolution of the relationship. The slow-burn was slow-burning and I LIVED FOR IT.
All in all, it's always a privilege to have the chance to read the work of one of my favorite authors.
However, while I enjoyed this one a decent amount, there were some points I didn't exactly vibe with. There were a few pacing issues that made the flowing of the characters/relationship development feel a bit off. I also felt some major issues could have been dealt with better through on-page treatment (probably in the shape of communication between key characters). But maybe that's just me. I just felt that the obstacles were a little bit too big and they were sorted out a little bit too conveniently quickly.
I do have to say that I loved the overall pacing and evolution of the relationship. The slow-burn was slow-burning and I LIVED FOR IT.
All in all, it's always a privilege to have the chance to read the work of one of my favorite authors.
April 10, 2026
Dylan is struggling through life and holding onto the past. Somehow he finds a light in the darkness that brings him back to life.
Trent is still living in the past and drowning within it. Life is passing him by within the waves.
This is a very slow burn romance full of trauma. The characters are done well and the world building will drag you in. Two souls lost in an ocean that somehow find each other to find happiness again. I only wish there had been one more chapter in the end to close open ends. It feels open ended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trent is still living in the past and drowning within it. Life is passing him by within the waves.
This is a very slow burn romance full of trauma. The characters are done well and the world building will drag you in. Two souls lost in an ocean that somehow find each other to find happiness again. I only wish there had been one more chapter in the end to close open ends. It feels open ended.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 11, 2026
I’m so torn. I’m usually adore every book she writes but this one…I’m not sure what I feel.
The writing was a bit too ambiguous for me at times and I often had to pause and really process through what was being implied.
I appreciate the premise of the plot but it felt lacking in a way that I’m not sure how to describe. Things were missing. Loose ends left untied.
I did enjoy Grandpa’s cheeky self. And the group of oldies at the farm was lovely.
I didn’t hate it but, unfortunately, I didn’t love this one as I usually do.
The writing was a bit too ambiguous for me at times and I often had to pause and really process through what was being implied.
I appreciate the premise of the plot but it felt lacking in a way that I’m not sure how to describe. Things were missing. Loose ends left untied.
I did enjoy Grandpa’s cheeky self. And the group of oldies at the farm was lovely.
I didn’t hate it but, unfortunately, I didn’t love this one as I usually do.
April 7, 2026
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
When I saw the cover for Wake and read the description, it reminded me of Sunday’s book Rock, which I read in 2014 and it had a lasting effect on me. I then realized that Wake is book two of that same series and I was drawn in further before I even started. The books are not connected, however, and Wake is a standalone with new characters and a new story.
While I didn’t connect to Wake as much as I did to Rock, this is a good choice for a deeply emotional, slow burn story of found family and love that has the potential to drag your emotions out to sea, but then return them to calmer waters.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
When I saw the cover for Wake and read the description, it reminded me of Sunday’s book Rock, which I read in 2014 and it had a lasting effect on me. I then realized that Wake is book two of that same series and I was drawn in further before I even started. The books are not connected, however, and Wake is a standalone with new characters and a new story.
While I didn’t connect to Wake as much as I did to Rock, this is a good choice for a deeply emotional, slow burn story of found family and love that has the potential to drag your emotions out to sea, but then return them to calmer waters.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
April 8, 2026
2.5 stars, rounding up. There is a good story in here. Somewhere.
My favorite character is Grandpa. And his pack of reprobate “oldies.” May we all have such fun!
But the writing, while lovely and poetic, is disjointed, and I found myself going back and re-reading to try to figure out where, when, what was going on too often to get attached to the characters. I felt distanced from the emotions up until the end, when the twist finally made something hit, but, till then I was working too hard to figure out whether I’d missed something to sink into it all.
Convoluted, is what I’d call it, despite the soothing rhythm and sway of the style.
I kept wondering how Dylan looked enough like Trent’s late brother to get away with playing him. That isn’t clear. Trent's ad doesn’t specify what the actor needs to look like, which had me already scratching my head.
I also couldn’t figure out how Grandpa would be fooled. He supposedly doesn’t have long to live and has…dementia? I saw no evidence of it. Man seemed sharp as a tack and lively. Bringing Dylan in to play Ika, the grandson he lost and the brother Trent loved just didn’t seem like something that would work. So when it did, I was puzzled. I also kind of liked Chicken and that element, but it also felt forced at times.
Dylan’s back story moved me. I loved his relationship with his student Holly and could tell there was more to them than the surface suggested. That was a moving part of the story.
I will NEVER understand a parent who can cut their child out of their life in the way it happened in this story. That was inexplicable, including in these circumstances. F that woman.
It’s a slow burn, but due to the convoluted way of hiding the truths and the sometimes choppy leaps from one paragraph to the next, I was more focused on whether/how long they’d get away with this deception than on the two heroes connection, so it didn’t work for me as a romance. I wasn’t not rooting for them, but I wasn’t holding my breath for them to figure this out either.
There are some beautiful moments, and I LOVED the New Zealand setting. I would live there if I could, I miss it (was an exchange student once at Massey in Palmy, where Dylan goes for the film).
Anyway, I enjoyed parts but had to work hard to figure out what was going on. Some of that may be on me; I don’t often try to read what folks think of as literary writing because it often goes over my head, which is the sensation I got here. So take that all with a grain of salt.
HEA. Strangers to lovers, close proximity, one hired to play the other’s brother to help the hirer’s grandfather, so there’s a forbidden element to it all. NO OM/OP action at all. A little jealousy/OM drama due to the heroes exes, but it’s no threat really to either, just added some fun tension for me. Recommended, but read when you are in a place to focus, without distractions.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
My favorite character is Grandpa. And his pack of reprobate “oldies.” May we all have such fun!
But the writing, while lovely and poetic, is disjointed, and I found myself going back and re-reading to try to figure out where, when, what was going on too often to get attached to the characters. I felt distanced from the emotions up until the end, when the twist finally made something hit, but, till then I was working too hard to figure out whether I’d missed something to sink into it all.
Convoluted, is what I’d call it, despite the soothing rhythm and sway of the style.
I kept wondering how Dylan looked enough like Trent’s late brother to get away with playing him. That isn’t clear. Trent's ad doesn’t specify what the actor needs to look like, which had me already scratching my head.
I also couldn’t figure out how Grandpa would be fooled. He supposedly doesn’t have long to live and has…dementia? I saw no evidence of it. Man seemed sharp as a tack and lively. Bringing Dylan in to play Ika, the grandson he lost and the brother Trent loved just didn’t seem like something that would work. So when it did, I was puzzled. I also kind of liked Chicken and that element, but it also felt forced at times.
Dylan’s back story moved me. I loved his relationship with his student Holly and could tell there was more to them than the surface suggested. That was a moving part of the story.
I will NEVER understand a parent who can cut their child out of their life in the way it happened in this story. That was inexplicable, including in these circumstances. F that woman.
It’s a slow burn, but due to the convoluted way of hiding the truths and the sometimes choppy leaps from one paragraph to the next, I was more focused on whether/how long they’d get away with this deception than on the two heroes connection, so it didn’t work for me as a romance. I wasn’t not rooting for them, but I wasn’t holding my breath for them to figure this out either.
There are some beautiful moments, and I LOVED the New Zealand setting. I would live there if I could, I miss it (was an exchange student once at Massey in Palmy, where Dylan goes for the film).
Anyway, I enjoyed parts but had to work hard to figure out what was going on. Some of that may be on me; I don’t often try to read what folks think of as literary writing because it often goes over my head, which is the sensation I got here. So take that all with a grain of salt.
HEA. Strangers to lovers, close proximity, one hired to play the other’s brother to help the hirer’s grandfather, so there’s a forbidden element to it all. NO OM/OP action at all. A little jealousy/OM drama due to the heroes exes, but it’s no threat really to either, just added some fun tension for me. Recommended, but read when you are in a place to focus, without distractions.
My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for the ARC; this is my free and impartial opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beautiful, messy, emotional... I can totally see why this book has been paired with rock (one of my favourite books ever).
This is a story about grief, love, forgiveness, and family. I honestly feel like I don't have the right words to convey how much I loved this story, and I don't want to spoil a single thing!
We get everything from Dylan's POV (I would have liked some of Trent's but I can live without it) and the hurt he feels comes at you in waves. For the first 60% of the book it just those little waves that break around your ankles and don't really move you too much but you know they're there. After that point, the waves get bigger and bigger until you find yourself ugly crying at how fucking sad this story is for everyone involved. wake is the perfect title too because the grief and pain isn't just touching Dylan, it also affects Trent, Grandpa, Dylan's mum, Holly...
The slow burn between Dylan and Trent is messy and complicated. Their draw to each other is palpable right from the start. You feel Dylan's hurt at the difficulty of the situation. You can feel Trent's conflicted emotions, even though we aren't sure why they're quite so conflicted for the longest time.
The funeral for the chicken is one of the best things I've ever read when it comes to expressing grief. Grandpa's speech was emotional, Trent's definitely had me crying, but Dylan's absolutely broke me. I just want to give all of these characters the biggest hug. I also really enjoyed the humour which brought the perfect amount of levity to a situation that was feeling so incredibly heavy.
I loved the ending of this book too, and although I would happily keep reading about Trent and Dylan, I think it was a really hopeful and happy point to end on.
Genuinely hope there will be more books to come in this series because Anyta writes these emotional situations so, so well. This will definitely be going on my bookshelf of favourites alongside rock.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
This is a story about grief, love, forgiveness, and family. I honestly feel like I don't have the right words to convey how much I loved this story, and I don't want to spoil a single thing!
We get everything from Dylan's POV (I would have liked some of Trent's but I can live without it) and the hurt he feels comes at you in waves. For the first 60% of the book it just those little waves that break around your ankles and don't really move you too much but you know they're there. After that point, the waves get bigger and bigger until you find yourself ugly crying at how fucking sad this story is for everyone involved. wake is the perfect title too because the grief and pain isn't just touching Dylan, it also affects Trent, Grandpa, Dylan's mum, Holly...
The slow burn between Dylan and Trent is messy and complicated. Their draw to each other is palpable right from the start. You feel Dylan's hurt at the difficulty of the situation. You can feel Trent's conflicted emotions, even though we aren't sure why they're quite so conflicted for the longest time.
The funeral for the chicken is one of the best things I've ever read when it comes to expressing grief. Grandpa's speech was emotional, Trent's definitely had me crying, but Dylan's absolutely broke me. I just want to give all of these characters the biggest hug. I also really enjoyed the humour which brought the perfect amount of levity to a situation that was feeling so incredibly heavy.
I loved the ending of this book too, and although I would happily keep reading about Trent and Dylan, I think it was a really hopeful and happy point to end on.
Genuinely hope there will be more books to come in this series because Anyta writes these emotional situations so, so well. This will definitely be going on my bookshelf of favourites alongside rock.
*****
I received an ARC of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review
April 17, 2026
𝓜𝔂 𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓽𝓾𝓭𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓢𝓲𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓾𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓻 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓸𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓲𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓐𝓡𝓒!
I found this story to be beautiful. However, the prose was fragmented, similar to the first book of The King’s Man. It tended to bring me out of the story at times, but I still understood that this was part of the atmosphere Sunday was trying to create. The push and pull, the way the tides come and go. This is a story about grief, guilt, found family, love, forgiveness, and acceptance.
Dylan finds himself in dire need when his studio is financially unstable. This leads him into an agreement he is not fully comfortable with, but it’s only for a year, right? The guilt he feels throughout the ruse is palpable, but he finds himself falling in love with the family he’s becoming a part of. Trent is desperate to bring his grandpa peace, and he’s willing to lie to do it.
The story brings in many wonderful characters along the way, and Grandpa really brings a happiness to the story. Loss has met all three men in their lives, and they cope in unique ways.
There are light moments. Some of these moments bring insights into the past that make them more meaningful than they might appear on the surface. Dylan’s “invented” stories of a girl’s life, long lost. The speech at the chicken’s funeral (yeah, not something I thought I’d ever say). Memories spew forth in unintended ways, but the truths behind the words are heartfelt.
As is Sunday’s way, this is a true slow-burning romance, but it comes more quickly than other books of hers I’ve read. Unexpected acceptance and forgiveness abound as the story winds up, and the outcome is love.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, I really did enjoy the story. For fans, keep that in mind. It’s definitely worth the read.
Happy reading!
~𝓘 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀.~
I found this story to be beautiful. However, the prose was fragmented, similar to the first book of The King’s Man. It tended to bring me out of the story at times, but I still understood that this was part of the atmosphere Sunday was trying to create. The push and pull, the way the tides come and go. This is a story about grief, guilt, found family, love, forgiveness, and acceptance.
Dylan finds himself in dire need when his studio is financially unstable. This leads him into an agreement he is not fully comfortable with, but it’s only for a year, right? The guilt he feels throughout the ruse is palpable, but he finds himself falling in love with the family he’s becoming a part of. Trent is desperate to bring his grandpa peace, and he’s willing to lie to do it.
The story brings in many wonderful characters along the way, and Grandpa really brings a happiness to the story. Loss has met all three men in their lives, and they cope in unique ways.
There are light moments. Some of these moments bring insights into the past that make them more meaningful than they might appear on the surface. Dylan’s “invented” stories of a girl’s life, long lost. The speech at the chicken’s funeral (yeah, not something I thought I’d ever say). Memories spew forth in unintended ways, but the truths behind the words are heartfelt.
As is Sunday’s way, this is a true slow-burning romance, but it comes more quickly than other books of hers I’ve read. Unexpected acceptance and forgiveness abound as the story winds up, and the outcome is love.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of the writing style, I really did enjoy the story. For fans, keep that in mind. It’s definitely worth the read.
Happy reading!
~𝓘 𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓮𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝓷 𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀.~
April 8, 2026
I really like Anyta Sunday. Her books are fun and quirky, and I'm frequently shaking my head at the characters (while also smiling) and thinking, "Why did you do that? I have no idea why you did that."
Except for rock. rock is not fun and quirky. It is beautiful and sad and I love it so much. So when I heard about wake, I was really excited and hoping for something along the same lines.
Unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me. There were times when it was beautiful and sad, but these were interspersed with fun and quirky. I didn't understand Trent's initial motivation, and that threw off the whole story. The author's usual gradual relationship development was missing. The was... well, I've read another book recently with a similar situation, so this did not come as a surprise, oops. And I felt like the build-up was really brief, rather than taking the whole book, so it wasn't really impactful. I thought that the resolution to the secret was satisfying, but the resolution to the backstory issues was not.
I really like the single point of view. But unlike in rock, where you could really see all Jace's struggles, here I didn't see Trent's perspective at all, except when Dylan was... well, kind of reading his mind.
This book could have been so good, and there were moments where it was... but overall, I'm disappointed.
Except for rock. rock is not fun and quirky. It is beautiful and sad and I love it so much. So when I heard about wake, I was really excited and hoping for something along the same lines.
Unfortunately, it didn't quite work for me. There were times when it was beautiful and sad, but these were interspersed with fun and quirky. I didn't understand Trent's initial motivation, and that threw off the whole story. The author's usual gradual relationship development was missing. The was... well, I've read another book recently with a similar situation, so this did not come as a surprise, oops. And I felt like the build-up was really brief, rather than taking the whole book, so it wasn't really impactful. I thought that the resolution to the secret was satisfying, but the resolution to the backstory issues was not.
I really like the single point of view. But unlike in rock, where you could really see all Jace's struggles, here I didn't see Trent's perspective at all, except when Dylan was... well, kind of reading his mind.
This book could have been so good, and there were moments where it was... but overall, I'm disappointed.
Review of advance copy
Wake by Anyta Sunday is the 2nd stand-alone book in the Bonds We Share series. This book will grab hold of you and not let go. It is a forced proximity, fake relationship, slow burn.
Dylan is a struggling actor who is trying to keep his improv studio going. He finds an ad for an actor to play a role for an entire year. He goes into the first meeting with Trent thinking it would a fake romantic relationship, but it's something more. Trent is hiring someone to play his deceased brother.
Dylan moves in with Trent and his Grandpa. In the little of life's moments Dylan becomes a part of Trent's family. It's in the moments at the dinner table, playing cards, etc. But while Dylan is becoming a part of the family, him and Trent are falling in love.
Both Dylan and Trent are trying to save something important to them. In the process of trying to save something they are weaving these lies. The lies are told to others and themselves.
It is fascinating watching Trent slowly see Dylan as Dylan and not Ika. I felt like Trent thought he could be cold and stoic if he was playing the role of Ika and was taken aback at how he was being impacted by Dylan.
There is so much unsaid between Trent and Dylan. Neither want to open up, but they have to.
Chicken. Oh lord Chicken was a menace of the best kind. And the oldies. They were a riot.
Steam: 2/5
Fun: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Thanks to GRR for providing an eARC and this is my honest review.
Dylan is a struggling actor who is trying to keep his improv studio going. He finds an ad for an actor to play a role for an entire year. He goes into the first meeting with Trent thinking it would a fake romantic relationship, but it's something more. Trent is hiring someone to play his deceased brother.
Dylan moves in with Trent and his Grandpa. In the little of life's moments Dylan becomes a part of Trent's family. It's in the moments at the dinner table, playing cards, etc. But while Dylan is becoming a part of the family, him and Trent are falling in love.
Both Dylan and Trent are trying to save something important to them. In the process of trying to save something they are weaving these lies. The lies are told to others and themselves.
It is fascinating watching Trent slowly see Dylan as Dylan and not Ika. I felt like Trent thought he could be cold and stoic if he was playing the role of Ika and was taken aback at how he was being impacted by Dylan.
There is so much unsaid between Trent and Dylan. Neither want to open up, but they have to.
Chicken. Oh lord Chicken was a menace of the best kind. And the oldies. They were a riot.
Steam: 2/5
Fun: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Thanks to GRR for providing an eARC and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Wake: ★ ★ ★ . 5
Anyta Sunday (Bonds We Share, #2)
The premise is messy: Trent hires Dylan to pretend to be his brother in front of his dying grandfather. But as the pair slowly fall in love, it seems like their past secrets are even more connected than they thought.
Tropes:
– Fake dating
– Forbidden
– Forced proximity
– Found family
After reading Rock, I was so excited for Wake. It was a really quick read, and I appreciated the light humor and the world and the found family. That being said, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I did during Rock. While they were definitely sweet, I’m just not sure that I felt romance build between them. Grandpa was a phenomenal character and I really liked the way that it ended. Chicken was also the best character in the book.
Also, the way that this book was written felt a little bit disjointed and kind of all over the place. I spent a little too long trying to piece together what was happening.
Ultimately, I did enjoy this and I finished it in one afternoon. I think I was just expecting a little bit more?
Thank you GRR for the ARC.
Anyta Sunday (Bonds We Share, #2)
The premise is messy: Trent hires Dylan to pretend to be his brother in front of his dying grandfather. But as the pair slowly fall in love, it seems like their past secrets are even more connected than they thought.
Tropes:
– Fake dating
– Forbidden
– Forced proximity
– Found family
After reading Rock, I was so excited for Wake. It was a really quick read, and I appreciated the light humor and the world and the found family. That being said, I didn’t feel as connected to the characters as I did during Rock. While they were definitely sweet, I’m just not sure that I felt romance build between them. Grandpa was a phenomenal character and I really liked the way that it ended. Chicken was also the best character in the book.
Also, the way that this book was written felt a little bit disjointed and kind of all over the place. I spent a little too long trying to piece together what was happening.
Ultimately, I did enjoy this and I finished it in one afternoon. I think I was just expecting a little bit more?
Thank you GRR for the ARC.
April 9, 2026
A quiet, introspective romance that leans heavily into themes of grief, identity, and emotional healing. The story unfolds at a gentle pace, following Dylan as he steps into a life that isn’t quite his own, only to find himself unexpectedly anchored by the people and the connection he encounters along the way.
The relationship between Dylan and Trent is slow to build, shaped as much by what’s left unsaid as by their more tender moments. Trent’s guarded nature and unresolved grief create a sense of distance that the story carefully works through, while Dylan’s internal conflict between who he is and who he’s pretending to be adds another layer of tension. Their connection feels fragile but meaningful, growing in small, deliberate steps.
The writing style is quite distinctive, at times almost abstract, which gives the story a reflective, almost poetic tone. While that won’t work for everyone and can occasionally make things feel a bit difficult to fully grasp, it does suit the emotional weight of the themes the book is exploring.
There’s also a strong sense of found family woven throughout, with moments of warmth and quiet humour balancing out the heavier elements. Some scenes stand out for their uniqueness, adding depth to the exploration of loss and remembrance in unexpected ways.
The relationship between Dylan and Trent is slow to build, shaped as much by what’s left unsaid as by their more tender moments. Trent’s guarded nature and unresolved grief create a sense of distance that the story carefully works through, while Dylan’s internal conflict between who he is and who he’s pretending to be adds another layer of tension. Their connection feels fragile but meaningful, growing in small, deliberate steps.
The writing style is quite distinctive, at times almost abstract, which gives the story a reflective, almost poetic tone. While that won’t work for everyone and can occasionally make things feel a bit difficult to fully grasp, it does suit the emotional weight of the themes the book is exploring.
There’s also a strong sense of found family woven throughout, with moments of warmth and quiet humour balancing out the heavier elements. Some scenes stand out for their uniqueness, adding depth to the exploration of loss and remembrance in unexpected ways.
Review of advance copy
3.5 stars
This book was lovely but I never really connected with these characters.
It's a heartwarming story about grief, family and emotional connection. The language is poetic and beautiful but never straightforward. I loved the chapter names and their theme and how it connected everything throughout this book. I have to admit that the lack of clarity and the fractured style of writing left me feeling a little unmoored at times. The story is written from one POV but what we learn about the character is either surface level or deep at their core and I was missing the middle pieces to get a real feeling for this person. I only got invested in the story (and not just the language) towards the end when the relationship evolves from glances and inner monologue to more actual conversation.
I have always enjoyed this author's books but in this story the writing style was a struggle for me. Still, it's special and I hope this story will find the readers who'll appreciate it in its entirety.
This book was lovely but I never really connected with these characters.
It's a heartwarming story about grief, family and emotional connection. The language is poetic and beautiful but never straightforward. I loved the chapter names and their theme and how it connected everything throughout this book. I have to admit that the lack of clarity and the fractured style of writing left me feeling a little unmoored at times. The story is written from one POV but what we learn about the character is either surface level or deep at their core and I was missing the middle pieces to get a real feeling for this person. I only got invested in the story (and not just the language) towards the end when the relationship evolves from glances and inner monologue to more actual conversation.
I have always enjoyed this author's books but in this story the writing style was a struggle for me. Still, it's special and I hope this story will find the readers who'll appreciate it in its entirety.
Review of advance copy
I wouldn’t really call this a slow burn, since the attraction between the characters is acknowledged from the very beginning.
The writing style and narration didn’t work for me—it felt strange and somewhat confusing, like fragmented or disjointed, as if the paragraphs weren’t fully connected.
On top of that, there’s a lot of silliness that didn’t land for me. The supposedly comedic moments felt more absurd than funny, and the constant “laughing so hard” reactions came across as overdone. I don’t find that kind of reaction comes easily enough for it to happen so frequently throughout the story—maybe that’s just me.
I also didn’t quite pick up on Grandpa’s memory loss; he seemed completely normal. There wasn’t a single scene in which he appeared confused or forgot something—on the contrary, his memory seemed spot-on.
I think the book could benefit from footnotes for certain Kiwi terms—Māori words (not common ones like “telly,” of course), as that would make it easier for readers unfamiliar with them.
Additionally, there’s the infamous—and anatomically painful—use of “flex of muscle” (when in fact joints are responsible for the movement).
«When did you last feel completely happy?»
The writing style and narration didn’t work for me—it felt strange and somewhat confusing, like fragmented or disjointed, as if the paragraphs weren’t fully connected.
On top of that, there’s a lot of silliness that didn’t land for me. The supposedly comedic moments felt more absurd than funny, and the constant “laughing so hard” reactions came across as overdone. I don’t find that kind of reaction comes easily enough for it to happen so frequently throughout the story—maybe that’s just me.
I also didn’t quite pick up on Grandpa’s memory loss; he seemed completely normal. There wasn’t a single scene in which he appeared confused or forgot something—on the contrary, his memory seemed spot-on.
I think the book could benefit from footnotes for certain Kiwi terms—Māori words (not common ones like “telly,” of course), as that would make it easier for readers unfamiliar with them.
Additionally, there’s the infamous—and anatomically painful—use of “flex of muscle” (when in fact joints are responsible for the movement).
«When did you last feel completely happy?»
Review of advance copy
I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.
Not getting into this story's narrative style really threw me, because I've read loads of Anyta Sunday's books and none of them were as challenging to connect to as this story was.
I'm not sure if it's because this is an ARC and is still in the process of being smoothed out, but I was untethered throughout most of this, and I just could not get into this romance no matter how hard I tried.
The ending energy was good though, and I liked how everything tied together. I loved that Dylan found family in Grandpa and Trent. Dylan's story was heartbreaking, and Trent was a steadfast real one with good intentions. I'm still squirming from the great reveal tbh. Grandpa was a vibe, and along with Chicken's antics that added some levity to the narrative mix, this romance was ultimately a strange, disconnected reading experience that didn't work for me.
Not getting into this story's narrative style really threw me, because I've read loads of Anyta Sunday's books and none of them were as challenging to connect to as this story was.
I'm not sure if it's because this is an ARC and is still in the process of being smoothed out, but I was untethered throughout most of this, and I just could not get into this romance no matter how hard I tried.
The ending energy was good though, and I liked how everything tied together. I loved that Dylan found family in Grandpa and Trent. Dylan's story was heartbreaking, and Trent was a steadfast real one with good intentions. I'm still squirming from the great reveal tbh. Grandpa was a vibe, and along with Chicken's antics that added some levity to the narrative mix, this romance was ultimately a strange, disconnected reading experience that didn't work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Indie Reviewers
One thing i noticed when I was reading wake is that it didn’t pull that same intensity that Rock did for me but not because it was bad on contrary it was a good story, the characters, the writing all were there , but for me the flow of the story was different, I didn’t get that heart wrecking feeling Rock gave me, it was more less intense feeling which was interesting because I was ready for my heart to be torn. The story still messy, complicated and most of all emotional but in a less intense way. One thing that would have made story perfect is the dual POV we only get to experience one side and that’s something Rock lacked too I wanted to be in both MC’s head, while the story still enjoyable I did wish for that.
If you love slow burn stories with just the right amount of angst this definitely for you.
If you love slow burn stories with just the right amount of angst this definitely for you.
May 2, 2026
*ARC Review*
To preface this, I think this book was either not for me, or I just wasn't in the right headspace for it.
We follow Felix, a man scared to lose the one thing left he cares about, the drama studio that he owns, until he meets a man in need of an actor. Just act like his dead brother he asks, make a show, and make his dying grandfather happy.
I think one thing that really didn't help my opinion of this book was its predecessor. Rock was poetic and intriguing, even if it made me uncomfortable at times. Wake on the other hand, tried to have that poetic touch, but it never really landed in my opinion. I never felt connected to the characters and often found myself confused why they were so emotional towards one another.
I hope in the future I can pick this book back up, but for now, this book just wasn't for me.
To preface this, I think this book was either not for me, or I just wasn't in the right headspace for it.
We follow Felix, a man scared to lose the one thing left he cares about, the drama studio that he owns, until he meets a man in need of an actor. Just act like his dead brother he asks, make a show, and make his dying grandfather happy.
I think one thing that really didn't help my opinion of this book was its predecessor. Rock was poetic and intriguing, even if it made me uncomfortable at times. Wake on the other hand, tried to have that poetic touch, but it never really landed in my opinion. I never felt connected to the characters and often found myself confused why they were so emotional towards one another.
I hope in the future I can pick this book back up, but for now, this book just wasn't for me.
April 8, 2026
This story is not here to go easy on your emotions — grief is a central theme, and it's handled with a narrative quality that's somehow both somehow lyrical and fragmented and overwhelming in turn. Dylan and Trent are compelling individually and compelling together, and the way both characters process the world around them adds texture and depth to a story that earns its emotional weight. I have mixed feelings about the premise that draws them together, but I think that’s more feature than bug here, and ultimately all the moving pieces sync up into an immersive read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
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