What do you think?
Rate this book
Tekla Senior High #1
Simply Marvelous
A search for true love and self acceptance.
Annie Luka has always been home-schooled, but she's convinced her mother to let her attend public school for her graduating year. When it is learned that Annie Luka is actually Attila Luka; a beautiful cross-gender guy struggling with his identity, it tears a small group of friends apart. Only when they all reunite ten years later is the full extent of Attila's deception revealed, bringing some of the group closer together and pushing others further apart.
What transpires over the next few years after the reunion leaves Attila wondering if he'll ever find true love.
Annie Luka has always been home-schooled, but she's convinced her mother to let her attend public school for her graduating year. When it is learned that Annie Luka is actually Attila Luka; a beautiful cross-gender guy struggling with his identity, it tears a small group of friends apart. Only when they all reunite ten years later is the full extent of Attila's deception revealed, bringing some of the group closer together and pushing others further apart.
What transpires over the next few years after the reunion leaves Attila wondering if he'll ever find true love.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 28, 2011
53 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Jarrett
27 books67 followersLeigh Jarrett (she/he) is a queer, bigender author based in Victoria, British Columbia. They write MM+ contemporary romance, blending heartwarming happily-ever-afters with emotionally intense stories that explore trauma, identity, and healing.
Leigh's work often features underrepresented characters, including autistic and older protagonists, and focuses on themes of found family, resilience, and authentic queer love.
Their popular Salish Sea Society series is set on Canada's rugged west coast and showcases inclusive, deeply human connections.
With over a decade of indie publishing experience and more than two dozen titles to their name, Leigh is committed to telling meaningful, diverse stories that reflect the richness of the LGBTQ2IA+ experience.
Outside of writing, Leigh enjoys exploring Vancouver Island with their wife and building direct connections with readers through Bluesky.
Leigh's work often features underrepresented characters, including autistic and older protagonists, and focuses on themes of found family, resilience, and authentic queer love.
Their popular Salish Sea Society series is set on Canada's rugged west coast and showcases inclusive, deeply human connections.
With over a decade of indie publishing experience and more than two dozen titles to their name, Leigh is committed to telling meaningful, diverse stories that reflect the richness of the LGBTQ2IA+ experience.
Outside of writing, Leigh enjoys exploring Vancouver Island with their wife and building direct connections with readers through Bluesky.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 30, 2012
Not at all what I expected. A fast paced story filled with a slew of characters youll mainly end up not caring about. Annie the MC is an enigma. You will suffer whiplash trying to understand the motivational forces that drives him to do the things he does. The main problem I had with the story was that certain life changing decisions seemed to be made at a whim rather than being carefully thought out before being implemented. Pivotal moments like the villa incident and instances featuring Curtis were woefully underdeveloped which is sad since these two major moments shaped the rest of Attila's life irrevocably.
My first thought upon finishing the story? "WTF" just about sums it up. Strangely enough, I developed a soft spot in my heart for Attila... which surprised and shocked the heck out of me since he's so mercurial. But after digesting the story, I realized that is what makes him so appealing. Truly a wild, all over the place, to hell and back again story worthy of a Jerry Springer episode... with heart.
My first thought upon finishing the story? "WTF" just about sums it up. Strangely enough, I developed a soft spot in my heart for Attila... which surprised and shocked the heck out of me since he's so mercurial. But after digesting the story, I realized that is what makes him so appealing. Truly a wild, all over the place, to hell and back again story worthy of a Jerry Springer episode... with heart.
November 13, 2023
I would rate this 4.5 stars...
This review has a few "spoilers" and KEEP in mind this is MY personal opinion....I firstly..did enjoy reading the story..found it: funny, enlightening, heartbreaking, and such a wide variety of characters most anyone could relate to. Secondly...Annie/Attila took some chances/risks I was astonished 😲 at!! But keep in mind...I am a cautionous person...I felt the Author did a remarkable job at writing such a complicated character in an Identity searching for oneself...and trying to find/wanting/seeking love. I loved the part of the catching up of the friends in Mexico...when Annie/Attila/Shannon confronted Jay!! Loved that part especially!!! The ending...😏was really surprised with that one!! While this book may not be your typical RomCom..I did like the plot of the HS friends being different...then catching up years later... relationships not working out...or maybe working out!! But not as you think.
I received this as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily.
This review has a few "spoilers" and KEEP in mind this is MY personal opinion....I firstly..did enjoy reading the story..found it: funny, enlightening, heartbreaking, and such a wide variety of characters most anyone could relate to. Secondly...Annie/Attila took some chances/risks I was astonished 😲 at!! But keep in mind...I am a cautionous person...I felt the Author did a remarkable job at writing such a complicated character in an Identity searching for oneself...and trying to find/wanting/seeking love. I loved the part of the catching up of the friends in Mexico...when Annie/Attila/Shannon confronted Jay!! Loved that part especially!!! The ending...😏was really surprised with that one!! While this book may not be your typical RomCom..I did like the plot of the HS friends being different...then catching up years later... relationships not working out...or maybe working out!! But not as you think.
I received this as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2012
I think this book was very thorough on all it's details. Yes in some parts of the story you tend to get a little bit lost, especially if you leave and come back to it repeatedly... But in my opinion the author really caught all of of Attila's characteristics and what an amazing person she/he is... Imagine putting your self in his/her shoes seeing the world from his/her perspective... All she want's to do is fit in, do you know how difficult that must be for a person like that to survive in a public school, let alone the world... All the obsticles she has to go through to get by day by day is absolutley insane and then to be basically rejected after all she has done to make Eric happy, of course she goes through this depression and starts acting on instinct with the whole bar scenario...
Her relationship with Curtis is absolutley breath taking, the way they form their bond and how much energy Attila feeds off of him... I loved Shawn and Curtis'romance they are a great couple but shawn just didn't seem like he was 100% there, he always seemed like he wanted more then he could chew...So I think he got what he deserved and it went to a great cause in the end... Over all I give this book 5 stars for just capturing every moment and obstical that this amazing person had to overcome to survive... See no one writes story's from a transgender perspective which makes this book seperate from the rest of the books out there. I think that if you believe that this book was rushed or confusing in any way you should re read it but this time put yourself in Attila/Annie's shoes... I would like to personally thank the Author for writing such an eye opening creative story and in the future I would really like to see more like this one.
Her relationship with Curtis is absolutley breath taking, the way they form their bond and how much energy Attila feeds off of him... I loved Shawn and Curtis'romance they are a great couple but shawn just didn't seem like he was 100% there, he always seemed like he wanted more then he could chew...So I think he got what he deserved and it went to a great cause in the end... Over all I give this book 5 stars for just capturing every moment and obstical that this amazing person had to overcome to survive... See no one writes story's from a transgender perspective which makes this book seperate from the rest of the books out there. I think that if you believe that this book was rushed or confusing in any way you should re read it but this time put yourself in Attila/Annie's shoes... I would like to personally thank the Author for writing such an eye opening creative story and in the future I would really like to see more like this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2012
First off, the cover on this book is lovely! I think the artist captured Attila perfectly. I tried to be vague here but this might give some of the story away...
Parts of it seemed rushed like what happened between Eric and Attila at the villa and I would have liked to see more of the relationship develop with Curtis. There was so much love there and I wanted to know how they got that close but I thought the ending was really sweet, even though it sort of caught me off guard.
Parts of it seemed rushed like what happened between Eric and Attila at the villa and I would have liked to see more of the relationship develop with Curtis. There was so much love there and I wanted to know how they got that close but I thought the ending was really sweet, even though it sort of caught me off guard.
March 17, 2013
I dried my eyeballs crying, reading this book. I love Curtis with all his mental issues. Atilla is a sensitive soul, but his slutty attitude is a bit overrated. the one who love was really unfair to was Mark & Ming, both of them were really unfortunate.At last that was one of the best books I've read. well done Leigh Jarrett
May 1, 2015
It will stay with you
I Loved loved loved this book. Attila really had a tough time in life but ended up where he should be. The message in that is very touching. I Loved reading about the group of friends and what they all went through. I really did not expect the end but I was so happy the way it ended. The people that deserved a happy ending got it. I would definitely recommend this book. I could not put it down. You won't be sorry.
I Loved loved loved this book. Attila really had a tough time in life but ended up where he should be. The message in that is very touching. I Loved reading about the group of friends and what they all went through. I really did not expect the end but I was so happy the way it ended. The people that deserved a happy ending got it. I would definitely recommend this book. I could not put it down. You won't be sorry.
November 11, 2023
Thank you for the ARC read, I voluntarily give this book an honest review. It's so worthy of a read, because, wow I was not ready for the emotions right from start. Each of these characters like Attila's and Kevin for just one example, How a grouo of friends grew from .. struggle just hits the struggles that alot of younger adults had or having, leading into middle life.
November 21, 2023
I loved this book, it was simply marvelous. I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read
September 1, 2013WTF!!! Is all I have to say...
Actually no, that's not!!!
I honestly don't know how to rate this book so I'm not even gonna bother! How do you rate something you loved and hate loving so passionately?!
I went into reading it unsure if I was gonna fall into it because of the transgender aspect of the story, it's the first time I read a book with that issue as theme and didn't know how I would take it. I like my m/m purely, strictly, perfectly male. Not like I have a problem with transgendered people or the theme in books (or real life btw) I just don't go for it like by norm I don't read M/F or M/F/M, nor am I very much into the cross-dressing theme either... It doesn't do much for me...
So I went into this book quite like a scaredy cat but what do you know, I was actually quite enjoying it! At least the first part of it... Then flash-forward a couple years and wow have things changed! But hey, ok a little bit of weird, I have to wrap my head around it but I'm staying with the story still. Actually find my groove and things seem to start falling into place, except not... and there start the WTF moments!!
It seemed like every other paragraph I was going "wtf! he did not just do that!" or "wtf, how, when or why, did THAT come about!" This story took on spins over whimsical spins in a tornado of whimsicalness! The pure selfishness and disregard for each others feelings and contradictoriness (is that a word?!) of actions between the main players of this story and some of their tag-allong co-players just kept me reading on in incredulous confusion bordering on anger and with the ending leaving me in a explosion of frustration of epic proportions!
F*** but I feel like the characters I so much enjoyed in the beginning of this story took me on a merry-go-round of emotions, drained me dry and at the end slapped me in the face for good measure as if to say "you shouldn't have bothered with caring about us"
Sorry about the ranting quality of this review but I honestly needed to vent some of the frustration this book caused me or I think I'd blow up!
Actually no, that's not!!!
I honestly don't know how to rate this book so I'm not even gonna bother! How do you rate something you loved and hate loving so passionately?!
I went into reading it unsure if I was gonna fall into it because of the transgender aspect of the story, it's the first time I read a book with that issue as theme and didn't know how I would take it. I like my m/m purely, strictly, perfectly male. Not like I have a problem with transgendered people or the theme in books (or real life btw) I just don't go for it like by norm I don't read M/F or M/F/M, nor am I very much into the cross-dressing theme either... It doesn't do much for me...
So I went into this book quite like a scaredy cat but what do you know, I was actually quite enjoying it! At least the first part of it... Then flash-forward a couple years and wow have things changed! But hey, ok a little bit of weird, I have to wrap my head around it but I'm staying with the story still. Actually find my groove and things seem to start falling into place, except not... and there start the WTF moments!!
It seemed like every other paragraph I was going "wtf! he did not just do that!" or "wtf, how, when or why, did THAT come about!" This story took on spins over whimsical spins in a tornado of whimsicalness! The pure selfishness and disregard for each others feelings and contradictoriness (is that a word?!) of actions between the main players of this story and some of their tag-allong co-players just kept me reading on in incredulous confusion bordering on anger and with the ending leaving me in a explosion of frustration of epic proportions!
F*** but I feel like the characters I so much enjoyed in the beginning of this story took me on a merry-go-round of emotions, drained me dry and at the end slapped me in the face for good measure as if to say "you shouldn't have bothered with caring about us"
Sorry about the ranting quality of this review but I honestly needed to vent some of the frustration this book caused me or I think I'd blow up!
probably-not
August 24, 2012There's a good review on Amazon that gives more details of this book, and let me realise this isn't the book for me.
September 6, 2012
it sounds so good. it is a shame that it moves so fast.
November 19, 2015
If you have not read this book... DON'T!!! The only reason I read it till the end is because I paid for it!! It is like I was rubbernecking throughout the entire book... because, trust me, it was a train wreck. This book set back gender reassignment 50 years!
September 7, 2012
This was not at all what I was expecting. For the first time I actually had trouble finishing a book:(
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews