nest

by Anyta Sunday

Please Note:
This is a second edition of the novel "Lenny For Your Thoughts". This version of the story has been restructured into a chronological progression and some scenes have had heavy rewrites. At its heart though, it is the same story of love and romance between Lenny and Julian.

It just happened.
I wasn't ready, but it didn't matter.
You smiled, and it knocked me from my nest, took my breath away, and left me falling,
falling,
falling.

Julian: Enemy. Cousin. Best Friend. Something else?

Lenny: Confused. Fascinated. Frustrated. Broken.

Together, Julian and Lenny are the boy who smiles and the boy who falls.

******
Lenny's life in the small village of Waldau hasn't changed in years. While friends grew up and moved on, Lenny and his oma remain in the same place. Now Lenny's going to make things different: a new life, in a new city, and a chance to forget his cousin Julien--the boy he loved, and who left him behind. But just as Lenny's future looks like it’s becoming reality, Julien returns, bringing with him all the sweet, wonderful, and painful memories of their past.

What does his cousin want? And is it something Lenny can give him?

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Friends To Lovers, New Adult, LGBT, Contemporary Romance

324 pages, ebook

First published May 2, 2013

About the author

Specialising 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/

Reviews

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my God. Wow wow wow wow wow. I can't stop the tears! A painful and angsty journey that I was enamored with from beginning to end. This was one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I could not put it down for even a second! It reminded me of two of my favorites -- Rock and A Surplus of Light -- so the chances of me not being obsessed? Not happening! I'm so thankful for the words of Anyta Sunday -- I feel so much, so strongly, when I read her books. And it is always the most worthwhile and rewarding experience -- even if it breaks me -- maybe even because it breaks me.

[☆ Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

As with nearly all of Anyta's work, I thoroughly enjoyed this 2016 re-working of "Lenny for your Thoughts."



Julian was first Lenny's cousin.

Then his bully.

Then his very best friend.

Then his first (and only) crush.

Then a huge piece of his world, entirely missing.

Then an awkward ex-friend, who he wanted nothing more than to avoid, other than possibly fully lose himself to.

From a childhood in the countryside to a life fully-realized on the outskirts of Berlin, this story travels the full spectrum of wants, desires, wishes and emotions between two young men, working toward a love that most on the outside would likely never accept.

I adored all of the supporting characters in this book. Ben, Oma, Carolin, Herr Koch. They all added so much depth and feeling to the story, I couldn't help but fall in love with them.

The main drama in the story surrounded Julian's bitter, homophobic mother, who knew exactly what 'could' happen and her working behind the scenes to ensure that 'she' didn't have to go through that embarrassment. Witness that taboo with her own eyes.

The story wasn't overly steamy, with only a few sex scenes; however, I didn't feel that the story would have benefitted from more, as they may have come across as nothing more than gratuitous enticements.

My only niggle is that, in addition to the numerous feels, I would have loved to have a more details of what happened during the several times when Julian was absent in the story. As invested as I was in him, I was literally dying for more of what he was going through during those absences.

This story felt a lot like my very favorite read from Anyta, "rock," but also unique. A somewhat similar setup, but a different vibe, I suppose.

Either way, this was a solid 4.25 star read and highly recommend it.

-----------------------------------------------

** This story is a FREE read with a Kindle Unlimited membership.

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s always been the same reason. My mama…she doesn’t have anyone else. When she told me it was wrong, that what I was going through was just a phase that I’d get over if I tried hard enough—if I loved her enough. I knew I had to try.” His arms came off me and he scrubbed his hair. “It was earlier this year when I knew I couldn’t do it anymore. It wasn’t all bad with Liddie, you know. She just wasn’t…she could never be you.” He glanced to the foliage. “Do you think…”
“Think what?” I asked.
He closed his eyes. “I want a new beginning with you, Lenny. Can we have that?”

if im being honest, i was a bit hesitant going into this after discovering the two MCs, Lenny and Julian, are first cousins. it’s just a personal preference where im not a fan of romances between characters who are blood related (i love anything taboo/forbidden but still have some limits, i admit lol. idk why, it’s just how my brain works 😭), but i gave this a try bc i loved the other two books i’ve read by Anyta Sunday, rock and True Colors! to my surprise, i became invested in seeing how Lenny and Julian's romance would develop. the friendship they bonded over the years was so pure and that’s what drew me to their connection in the beginning, but the moment they were willing to stick together in the end (once all is revealed and whether family/friends would support them or not) was when they captured my heart. 🥺🤍

im only giving this four stars bc i wasn’t in love the way i had been with the previous books i’ve mentioned. although this trope isn’t my first choice, if i loved it, i would have given it a full five stars regardless so it honestly has nothing to do with them being first cousins, but it’s more of the story/characters didn’t 100% captivate me in comparison—even tho i still pretty much adored them and would highly rec if you’re interested! i loved (most of) the side characters as well, especially their grandma. ✨

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semicolons~✡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book exhausted me. I overdosed on the angst and pain.

The first 40 percent or so had me bored to tears. There are only so many scenes I can read from the perspective of a 6 or 11 or 14-year-old, especially when these children are so weirdly adult in their actions and reactions.

Once the story hit the "present," I was hoping for the pace to pick up, but there were more moments in time, more glimpses of a dreamy reality, and a whole lot (too much) of two secondary characters, Caro and Ben, dancing round each other.

The chapter vignettes didn't add up to a romance; there were just so many distractions, so many strange symbolic moments that were starkly beautiful but static.

I wasn't particularly concerned with the "incest" issue. It's not like Julian and Lenny were going to procreate. They'd always had a special bond. Julian's mom was ridiculous in her resentment and hatred of Lenny.

Even the ending didn't make me happy. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the frustrating ride to get there, what with Julian's disappearing act and then Lenny's "penance" routine. Or the nearly complete lack of steam. Or the bizarre "move" and odd little "epilogue" from Oma's perspective.

Sunday writes evocative prose, but nest left me feeling cold.

[Renée · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've finally figured out the words to articulate what it is about Anyta Sunday.

There's no question her prose is extraordinary. I thoroughly enjoy reading her stories because she invokes such pleasure from me in my reading experiences.

But some stories, and this was one of them, are rife with such abstractness that I don't feel satisfied.

I need to not only understand the one MC's POV that the story is told from, but I need to hear more communication. Her MCs often have these conversations with each other in their head. Or they just "know" what the other is thinking.

As a result, I don't have the concreteness and resolution that I need, as a reader.

[Virginia Cavanillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes, when I'm having a tough day or just a long one, the only thing that comes to my mind is arriving my comfy and warm home, kiss my hubby and kids, pour myself a glass of wine and get lost in a book. And, this time, mad and tired, I chose Nest to make my day better.
Unsurprisingly, Anyta's writing worked its magic and my humor changed in an instant. I started to feel better, warmed, absorbed and withdrew with the comfort you only feel in your happy place, surrounded by the people you love.



This is the story of Lenny and Julian. The story of a forbidden wanting and longing that starts when our MCs are kids and goes over the years till they are grown up men battling their feelings, preconceived ideas and their past.
This is the story of two cousins, two friends, learning about life and yes, falling in love.
Nest shows us their coming of age, first experiences, rejections and fears... and the way it´s shown... totally my kind of story. The one that gives me feelz. Sweet angst, sweet characters and sweet emotion.

"There was only one person that could made me see him just for the pattern of his breaths"

This book made me CRY. Cry while drinking that mentioned glass of wine (there were three of them), cry in bed till the point to wet my pillow (yes, that level), and cry even during my daughter's Karate lessons (I didn't even care about the world around who probably was thinking that I was crazy or going through the toughest moment of my life. Deal with it world, I'm a reader full of feels).
I really like this kind of stories. The tussle, the struggling, the jealousy, the medium-sweet angst. I connect with it in a way I don't with other books. I remember how most of my friends couldn´t avoid the crying with Axios: A Spartan Tale while I didn't drop a tear. Not near... and I was even bored. So I guess each one of us has a trigger in the angst department and mine is what Anyta tells in this book. Maybe those friends wouldn't cry with Nest, who knows... the only thing I know is that Lenny and Julian made me smile, cry and melted my heart in the process (a very warming process) and I enjoyed the ride suffering with them, growing with them, and not giving another thought to why this one was a Hell-yes-I-love-it, and other books are not. And I don't really care. I luuuuurv Nest. Period.



Settled in Germany this book it's not just an incestuous love story. In fact, that's not the way I would define it at all. There is taboo romance, yes and a very beautiful one, but what makes it stronger and deeper to me is the warmth perceived in it all. Family, friends and that neighborhood in Berlin that seems reminiscent of what  years after will be the Culdesac in Scorpio Hates Virgo. 
 
Anyta's prose, as usual, was fantastic, and the structure and the way the chapters are done worked for me wonderfully, leaving me wanting for more with every chapter's final sentence... I just couldn't stop reading. The first 40% is a chapter per year kinda thing and after that, we are in present time, where Lenny and Julian are twenty somethings and facing reality and that still (always) present love.

So yes, I highly recommend this book and if you love rock and True Colors I think you could love this one too, I hope as much as I did.

Reviews for Book Lovers

[♡ sorcerer supreme ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I squeezed the back of his neck and he squeezed mine. "To us," I said. And I meant: To Ben and Caroline. To me and Julian. To best friends. To siblings. To Oma. To love. "To us."

okay i gotta admit this book got me right in the feels. anyta fucking sunday did it again for me. this story is one powerful read from start to finish. i was just crying and turned into this sniffling monster in the end. grabbing tissues left and right. i really don't know what to say other than the fact that i loved this. julian and lenny have my heart. the boy who smiles and the boy who falls. i love ben and caro and how they care for their friends. i love oma and her cool grandma antics. i even love that annoying landlord whose name i already forgot as i type this review. as for the deal of them being cousins, a part of me, a tiny part, thinks they're not really blood-related. there were certain parts of this story that got me questioning a bit. i might be reaching but reading a lot of thrillers/mysteries in the past kinda trained my eye and harnessed my intuition. at the end of the day their romance felt right. i'm here for it. 4 stars because it should supposed to be wrong and should make you feel iffy but it didn't. everything feels genuine, true, and comforting.

books that made me bawl my eyes out:
☆ roosevelt duology by heidi cullinan
☆ hiroku duology by laura lascarso
☆ the master's schiavo by laura lascarso
☆ the boy who loved wicked by c.p. harris
☆ thrown off the ice by taylor fitzpatrick
☆ nest by anyta sunday
☆ foxes by suki fleet
☆ broken by nicola haken
☆ point of contact by melanie hansen

[Jewel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little while back, I read rock and it went straight to my favorites shelf. Recently, nest made its way onto my TBR and given that I loved rock so much, I looked forward to reading this one.

Like rock , nest is told in the present tense, from the POV of one character. There are other plot parallels, as well, but the stories still felt distinct, to me.

In nest, it is known from the beginning that Lenny and Julian are first cousins. They don't come from a close knit extended family, though. In fact, Julian's mom discourages him from associating with Lenny's side of the family. Julian, from the time Lenny was 7 or 8, though, disobeys, though and he and Lenny become best friends, along with their other friend, Ben.

The story nest tells, spans about 20 years, from the time Lenny is six years old. We watch them fight, then become friends and best friends and then watch them fight "more". There is heart ache and heart break and then, finally, they get their happy.

While rock continues to be my favorite, I did still enjoy nest quite a lot. It was beautiful, in its own way.

[Mandy*reads obsessively* · Rating 4 out of 5]

The blurb doesn't really do this story justice, this is far more than a love story of the romantic kind, it's a journey that a whole family takes.
Lenny and Carolyn are growing up with their Oma since their parents died trying to escape to West Germany.
Oma is eccentric and slightly all knowing, at least that how it seems to the children in her life, which include not only Lenny and his older sister Carolyn, but also Ben, Lenny's best friend and Lenny's cousin Julien.
Julien is being raised by his single mother because his father is deceased, now Lenny and Julien's mother were sisters but Julien's mother has a great dislike for Lenny and his family and tries her best to discourage their friendship over the years.

This story is told in an interesting manner the chapters alternate between right now in 2013 and pretty much one chapter for each year from Lenny starting school up until present day. Almost every chapter has a unique and entertaining name.
This has the effect that while you know what Lenny is doing and feeling now you don't know quite why or how specific things came about and it is only slowly revealed since it could be chapters away before you find out. It also gives the story a feel of enfolding in front of your eyes as you watch it happen.

The writing is almost tactile, the descriptions very real, the rain falling, the blades of grass on his skin, the worry and heartache, the hopes and wishes.
But you also see the little day to day occurrences that makes the friendship and deep love between all the boys and Carolyn and Oma very obvious and strong, even if Julien and Lenny's relationship is a bit different than the others.
Lenny is the narrator and it's his view of the world and the people around him we see, which led me to wonder about Julien's feeling as much as Lenny did. We see a few small moments enfold from other perspectives, but really just snippets, it is Lenny's eyes we see through, although at times I very much wished for Julien's thoughts and feelings to be shown first hand.
There is almost no sex in this story, it's more about the journey from childhood to adulthood in a very small village, learning about yourself, having close family and friends and knowing the one you love, the one you have always loved, might not feel the same.
I have to say Lenny is a great young man, his love for his family, especially his Oma is heartwarming. The loyalty of this family, of blood and chosen is wonderful. It is a story that leaves an impression, the author used a childhood mix-up for the word 'soul' that for Lenny was always 'sole' even when he learned the difference, he pictures his soul, his feeling as this fish (like the sole fish) inside him and it is a continual theme throughout the story as a symbol of what his feelings for Julien are doing to him.
I felt as if this story is more than the physically moving to a new place in life, it was realizing that Home isn't a Where it's also very much a Who.


I enjoyed this novel, it has a unique feel to it, since I get to watch the characters grow up and experience them falling in love and experiencing life. I believe it will stay with me for quite a while to come. And on a side note, I liked the cover a lot.

I do have a few small niggles I feel I need to mention, as much as I enjoyed the flashbacks in time and experiencing the highs and lows of these people, the constant chapter alternating way of telling got a bit tedious after a while and I believe I would have enjoyed it more had it been told in a more straightforward linear fashion.
Also there were a few spelling mistakes, Oma is at times capitalized, which is how it should be as a noun, but just as often spelled in the lower case oma, sometimes in the same sentence, which got to be annoying. Fasching is also misspelt with two s and the word wuss (at least that's what I believe the word was meant to be) is written woos.
Also some of the German sayings are loosely translated into English which might cause some readers pause, although that does give the characters more of a 'German' feel to them.
The timeline as to when Lenny was born and his parents death is possible although I believe it's a very tight squeeze time wise,I believe he was born in 1989 and his parents were killed crossing the border, the last person killed crossing the border was the beginning of February 1989 ( not counting a ballon crash a month later). This isn't a big thing, and as I said it's possible, but I experienced the fall of the wall as a young adult living in Germany and so that just stuck out for me.

[Aricka Decker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I want,” Julian said, the pressure of his hand in mine increasing, “to tell you one of my memories of us as kids.” “Which one?” “The one when I knew.” “Knew what?” “That I loved you.”

Another forbidden romance by Anyta Sunday. She always writes one that are full of drama and emotions and this is no different. It didnt hit as hard as Rock, which means I didn't cry like a little baby, but I still felt all kinds of emotions when it came to this story. Julian and Lenny are cousins and by cousins I mean 1st cousins and we follow them as they live and learn and grow up and fall in love. I was rooting for them, I enjoyed this a lot. I thought it was rather compelling and showed us a whole found family, and how friends and family come together to support each other and love each other. All the characters, not just the main, shined in this and you got so many opportunities to learn and love the, I highly recommend.

[Elsa Bravante · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gusta mucho la forma de escribir de Anyta, es dulce, con muchas emociones y nada simplona. Es extraño, su libro más celebrado es Rocks, el que menos me gustó a mi por su resolución.

Nest en algunos momentos me ha recordado a Rocks, el mismo tipo de ambiente. Lenny y Julian son primos hermanos, han crecido cerca y han pasado de enemigos a amigos y después a amantes. Con varias secuencias a lo largo de los años la autora nos muestra cómo va evolucionando la relación. Esa primera parte me ha encantado, ver ese proceso, es cuando llegan al presente cuando el libro flaquea. En la segunda mitad la autora en ocasiones se pierde en escenas y detalles que cortan mucho el ritmo de la historia de amor principal y me he visto a veces perdida en mis pensamientos en lugar de en el libro.

Aunque no me ha convencido totalmente le pongo cuatro estrellas, buenos personajes principales y muy buenos secundarios. Me ha hecho sentir bien y tiene algunos momentos muy muy románticos.

[Ele · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the past few months Anyta Sunday has become one of my favorite authors. She has this unique way of narrating a story, that evokes ALL the feelings.

I really liked "nest". There are a lot of NA momemts, but the whole story definitely falls into the YA category, at least for me. And although I'm not a big fan of the genre, I'll read almost anything this author writes.

My only niggle is that I felt that Julian and Lenny could have talked a little more about the past and the reasons that kept them apart, instead of keep putting off a conversation. It just dragged the story out.

That said, I never got bored, I was very invested in the story, and the ending was beautiful.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok wow, I don’t how you do it Anyta, but you are a Queen to me.

This was bloody beautiful and heartbreaking. It was strangely similar to Rock but at the same time so different. That didn’t bother me at all. Actually, I enjoyed the similarities because I loved Rock so much that reading something that made me remember it was the icing on the cake for me. I devoured in one sitting.

Nest evokes so many feelings that I don’t even know where to start. My bird is certainly happy and awed by this story. I love how family, friendship, and love are always the main themes on Anyta’s book.

I want more. I always want more of her stories.

5 stars.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

2nd read: Nov '24 ...
Yep, still perfect. 🥰

Perfect! 💞💞💞💞💞

[Line · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, BUT...

*ugh* I have serious issues with Anyta's choices for the MCs sometimes, and this is unfortunately in the same category, though Lenny, Ben and Caro saved it for me. But the coward also known as Julian had me clenching my Kindle more than once.
Holy shit a douche, and his complete inability to apologize made me ragey!

I loved the analogies though and I loved the surrounding characters and most of the story. Lenny was a sweetheart, but I did need him to grow a pair and tell Julian to man up or eff off.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, that was beautiful: the boys and their friendship, their growing up over the many years, the found family vibes, the wonderful, wonderful side characters, the sense of place, the writing.
It felt like watching the story unfold through a warm, sepia haze, where for most of the book nothing was said directly, a lot of things were symbolic and more on the abstract side of things. And that was oh so beautiful and poetic - and also oh so frustrating. I wanted to really understand them both, what they were thinking, feeling, wanting, deciding, planning and when, and because of Lenny’s 1st person POV, his avoidance of clarity and articulateness even in his thoughts and the writing style, it left me hanging, wanting more and more and more. But then again: maybe that was Anyta’s plan all along?

As Daniel (thanks for the rec for this btw 🫶) said, I’d classify this as more of a childhood-friends-to-lovers romance than a taboo. I didn’t care one bit that they were first cousins - but maybe I got resilient after reading some pretty heavy taboo stuff the last couple weeks and others will think this more of a problem 😅

I thought of rock while reading it, I thought of Bear, Otter and the Kid.
So of course, my bird is happy. 🕊️

[Ken W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

I loved this! Lenny and Julian were wonderful! The other characters were fantastic as well! Five stars all the way!

[Anke · Rating 4 out of 5]

First: This was a buddy read with Mandy*reads obsessively*.

Finished, but I really had to think about it. As soon as it was on amazon I downloaded it and then started reading promptly. The story kept me interested and I couldn’t really stop reading.
I like Anyta Sunday’s voice very much, it still came through in this book, even if the way the story was told wasn't really to my liking. The switch between today and the flashbacks was increasingly getting on my nerves. At the beginning it had a nice flow, the length of the chapters gave enough progress of the story. The further along I was reading, the chapters got shorter and the flashbacks interrupted my reading flow. Adding to that some misspellings and questions about the timeline. Thankfully then the story stayed in the present, only to – again – give flashbacks, but from other POVs .

I liked Lenny - his love for his Oma, his tight bond with his friends Ben and Julien and the way his love for Julien came through in the different glimpses we got to see. I didn’t like that due to the way the story was told, for me Julien remained aloof and not as involved. Therefore the development in the end was a bit hard to believe, at least for this reader.

Nevertheless after I finished reading I realized that I still couldn’t stop thinking about it and in my mind I still was in the setting of the story. Anyta Sunday did a very good work with that. It remained in my head as if I had watched a movie. I only would have preferred to read the chronologic version.

Even after sleeping a night over it, Lenny and Oma and friends are still with me, therefore 4 stars.

ETA: Mandy's review pretty much says it all.

[Tess · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Kissing cousins you say?! I was excited for this, but in the end it just didn't click so well for me. I guess I had problems connecting with the story and the characters.

[Vero · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a disappointment.

I am not sure where the author wanted to go with this. It had some elements of a love story, but was quite convoluted. It had too many characters and childhood-memories which were probably supposed to give the story color and profundity.

What didn't work for me at all: the structure. The back and forth in time. It was confusing, tiring and not beneficial to the story flow.

I also didn't dig the cousins-theme. They all grew up together, so it felt quite incestuous. And not in a sexy way.

Next point: It was not sexy. It was more the angsty kind of romance. Not sexy at all. The heat factor was antarctic.

Another thing: The setting in Germany. For me a complete failure. It didn't help the story or the atmosphere to have some German phrases or endearments thrown in. The title doesn't work in German, so it confused me a lot - first I thought it is about Americans living in Germany and speaking English with each other.
A few points why (I am German by the way): Carolyn is not a German name - in German it would be Karolin(e). Julien is French - in German it is Julian. Lenny is also a bit strange - not an abbreviation that is very common in Germany.
And most important: "A Lenny for your thoughts" doesn't work in German at all. "Penny" in the German currency used to be "Pfennig", after 2001 it became "Cent" (when the Euro was introduced). A similar proverb that I know is "ein Koenigreich fuer deine Gedanken" which means "a kingdom for your thoughts".
So, yes, I am fastidious with this - but the reason is simply, that the whole setting doesn't serve any useful purpose in the story imho. There is no reason why this story is set in Germany. And so why do it? And if you do it, why do it sloppy?
Maybe it was meant for the non-German reader, but even then, it doesn't give the story atmosphere, it only adds other useless layers to a complicated and not very straight-forwardly told story.

As I said, I am disappointed as I liked the author's other books very much. But this was not entertaining, it was tedious and I skimmed a lot, especially in the end.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I loved all of the angst between Julian and Lenny, this book just didn't have the same emotional impact for me as Rock did.

I also found it a bit lacking in the setting. With Rock which is set in New Zealand, it felt like there was a lot of New Zealand culture and language included. With this one, it's set in Germany but it didn't feel German to me, if that makes any sense? Also, it took me a while to figure out where it was set, and it wasn't until I saw Frau and Herr that it twigged. If there was more German culture, or even language, it would have felt more believable for me, but otherwise it was just a lot of German sounding names but could have been based literally anywhere.

Again, with Rock there's the ambiguity with the relationship between the two guys, but here it's known fact that they are blood relatives. I have no issue with that aspect, but Julian's angsting and avoidance didn't make all that much sense because we never really get his POV, or to hear his mothers thoughts and the reasons she wants to keep him away from Lenny, even when they're kids. You can't blame a child for something your husband and brother in law decided to do so that didn't make much sense to me. I think if there had been a dual POV this would have been more impactful, because Julian is gone for years but we never know what's happening, how he's feeling etc. and even though we're in the mindset of Lenny, it felt like things were being held back from the reader, like the narrator couldn't even let us into Lenny's head as much as was needed.

For me there was also far too much of the side characters lives in this book. I'd rather have seen the lives of both MCs than more and more info about the side characters which didn't feel all that relevant to progressing the story. Ben and Caro's relationship was fairly obvious from very early on so to keep going back to them when I wanted to know what was actually happening with Lenny and Julian was frustrating.

It was kind of disappointing as I was hoping for the same kind of emotional reaction to this story as I had to Rock, but it was an enjoyable yet lacklustre read.

[Giulio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this novel a lot; Anyta Sunday has a charming writing style. The constant flashbacks are a bit annoying, but still I highly recommend it. I won’t forget the characters soon.

[alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I caught his hand before he stood. “About the birthmark thing,” I said as Julian briefly knotted his fingers with mine before letting go again. “You have to forgive me for that.”
“I have.”
“You have?”
“You still don’t get it. I forgave you the moment you did it.”
I leaned back against my shallow headboard and watched him as he rose from the bed and stretched. “Because we’re best friends?” I asked.
He dropped his arms with a grunt and swung them back and forth. “Because you make me mad but I can never stay mad at you long, Lenny.”

[4.3] *squeals* thanks for the rec, Marci! 🥰💖💖

Lenny for my thoughts? maybe, eventually. but ngl i’ve been in too much of a binge reading mood lately to write reviews 😆

因为这次是表哥表弟之间的恋爱故事又让我想起《王子病的春天》哈哈。读Anyta Sunday的文总是很舒服，文笔又细腻又动人，每次让我宛如进入故事当中。虽然个人还是比较喜欢在Rock里发展的相似感情线，但我还是强烈推荐大家去看这部小说！🙌🏼

[Pablito · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pace and the trajectory of Anyta Sunday's nest lulls you with its nostalgic vignettes in the early going, then gracefully arcs into the present of the early adulthood of four friends and their Oma, a seer who sees clearer as she goes blind.

I loved this novel.

For not only could I see the characters, but I could feel their pulses, and I knew them. Not them, but their hearts. Especially Lenny, our first person narrator, who is about as lovable a gay man as you'll meet on the page.

The four friends ---Lenny and Julian and Ben and Lenny's sister Carolin--- exist in a world smaller than even the village they grow up in, even as they age to go to uni or the army or Berlin. The center of that universe is Oma, who knows whom each will fall in love with long before they do. They both fear and revere her. And so will you.

The pages of this novel cast a whimsical charm over the pangs of yearning, but also the inevitability of love, in all its awkward, wild, and gentle magic.

I hope you read it.

[Camy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. I thought it was beautiful.

And it's wonderfully crafted. The flashbacks are done exceptionally well and are really organic here.

This is my favourite from the author, I think, or close to it.

Moving, sweet, and the perfect amount of tension in the writing.

I enjoyed this read :-)

[books_and_brew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nest was so so so good!

There's love to be seen, and sorrow, and forgiveness. We can navigate it together. It'll be just us against the world."

Nest was exactly what I needed to read after all the darkness I had immersed myself in lately. I needed happy and butterflies and I got just that. I also got a little of the weirdness that I crave from time to time. (Note: when I say weird, I don't mean it in a negative sense - it's just a term my husband and I use in a playful manner :) )

Julian and Lenny are cousins - first cousins. They share a history together that can't be riveled by any other. They are best friends, confidants and soul mates in the most basic form. We get to see their beginnings and how their relationship forms into something so pure and loving.

Because it wasn't just that he was a boy. He was family too. We shared the same blood, same lips, same chin.

Julian has some reservations that hold him back from truly giving in to Lenny. He isolates himself and trys to distance himself from Lenny by joining the Army, marrying a girl and breaking contact all together. None of this lasts long as we realize that these two are magnets and are always drawn back together.

Lenny has no reservations at all about Julian and the familial relation. He trusts and loves Julian and wants to share their lives together. He is broken by the distance Julian puts between them and trys to build walls to guard his "bird". Once Julian finally gives in though, Lenny tears down the walls and we get to see the relationship bloom.

Me telling him that this moment-the moment his finger had touched my stomach-this moment was the one when I knew I loved him. Not the you-brought-me-cake type of love...Not the kissy-kissy type either...but the you-make-me-mad-but-I-can't-stay-mad-any-longer type.

Nest is a feel good love story in the very least. We get to see healthy familial relationships, loving friendships and beautiful connections to loved ones. All the secondary characters are just as important as Julian and Lenny and I loved reading about how their lives were all woven together. I felt no real taboo-ness with Julian and Lenny being first cousins and with the way Anyta wrote it actually felt organic and natural.

I also loved the "bird" theme that was woven throughout Lenny's life. I thought that was a great representation for our souls and have actually found myself thinking about mine as my bird :)

Julian laughed and at that sound something fluttered and twisted in my belly. It was my bird, tweeting, laughing, singing. It was my bird, finally healed.

On to the next!

[mads (on hiatus from reading and reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyta Sunday is such a good writer! This didn’t his as hard as rock (but in a good way).

🐦 what I loved ♥️
-we looooove that sloooooow burrrnnnnnn baby
- ❌ F O R B I D EN ❌
- bird metaphors 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
- that soul deep kinda love burn

Other thoughts 🐦
-the setting was confusing, but that may only be bc I’m reading it from an American perspective.
-the whole moving sneaky move plot (iykyk) was weird.

[Sid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted at The Blog of Sid Love

Anyta Sunday has managed to easily charm me with her previous works – “Shane and Trey” was the first of her books that I read and it was a fun read. Then, I came across her “St-St-Stuffed” and it was even better. But, while reading Lenny for your thoughts, I found myself literally spell-bound.

The story is set in Germany and it gives us snippets from past and present of Leonard (Lenny) Krause’s life. It begins with Lenny planning to move to Berlin and is looking for a perfect house where he and his Oma (grandmother) can live. He wishes to get out of his sad, old life back in Waldau where he has been stuck with memories he can’t bear. However, just as he is about to move on and get on with his life to try and make new memories, someone from his past returns to make it all impossible to forget the old memories. Someone who was important. Someone who he loved beyond reasons – and someone who he still loves – that someone who also happens to be his cousin…

Yes, this is a tale of a forbidden love that blossoms between Lenny and his cousin, Julien. Both of their mothers (Lenny’s late-mother) were sisters, which made them blood-related. Incestuous – so icky. Except, Lenny didn’t care. He has drown so deep into his temptation that suppressing his feelings becomes difficult for him. Julien is the one who has a problem with it and he goes to indefinite ends to prove that he has no feelings for Lenny. But where is the essence of true love if the heart keeps allowing you to hurt someone you care so deeply?

Julien makes a return after his absence from Waldau and is determined to make amends with Lenny. He wishes for his best friend to be back in his life and he is saying and doing all the right things to get Lenny’s heart melt. They both know there are unresolved issues that need working on but would it be enough to only consider the past, when Lenny has had some different plans for his future? Is he ready to picture Julien in his future again? And more than that… was there ever going to be a happy ending in his love story?

Throughout the book, we get glimpses of their past and the story switches from the present to past. We see live the moments shared by the boys when they were kids, as they grow up in each others’ company. These moments are truly memorable and I can see why Lenny would treasure them. The transformation of a childhood friendship into a deep, meaningful affection between them was shown through these memories and I absolutely loved these parts.

There is a parallel storyline that runs along with Lenny and Julien’s love story and it is just as romantic as theirs. Lenny’s sister Carolyn and his & Julien’s best friend Ben stand out as secondary characters. In fact, all the secondary characters actually stand out at some point of time in this story. Oma – the grandmother – is an unusual old lady who can see into the future and has a weird way of punishing people. Herr Koch - who is the landlord of Lenny’s new house in Berlin – is a fun guy who loves to play mischievous games with people to keep himself entertained. Even Julien’s mother – who is the main antagonist in this story – was someone who truly gave me reasons to hate her. So yes, the author has sketched her characters well.

Something I like about this author’s writing is that she never uses flowery descriptions to make her books look good. In fact, her simple, to the point remarks about the scenes are enough to give you a picture of what is happening. A warning though, and something which I had a problem personally as well, in this book the author uses a few German words and phrases here and there. I know enough basic German to catch on those, but I am afraid not many would be able to understand them. As far as I remember from reading, she only once clarifies a certain phrase but other than that it is assumed that the readers would be German-literate. A few words that I didn’t know created confusion and that ended up breaking my link to the story. Also that wasn’t all of it. The switching from present to past wasn’t a pleasant ride after a while. It was more annoying that we don’t get the “Toe” story that Mr. Koch promises to tell Lenny later because, honestly I was looking forward to that. (that could be just me though)

Flaws be ignored, this story does have the power to keep you awake through the whole night. That it did to me and I would recommend it to all those who are suckers for romance stories, especially the ones who take pleasure in forbidden ones (like me!) because this is a beautiful story about love, friendship and family that has been penned by a very talented author.

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thoughtful, slow moving story set in Germany. Lenny's character emerges slowly, through childhood to adult, with all the people from his small village (Nick, Aunt Thomas, Pastor Dieter) popping up constantly throughout his life and the flashbacks.

I never felt that I fully understood why Lenny needed to move Oma to Berlin (in the present). He gave reasons, but they seemed vague (it's so arty! It's where my parents tried to escape from the East) and I wanted more conviction there.

At the heart is the growing attraction between Lennie and Julien. It was interesting that the cousin thing was not dealt with in a more angsty way. And with Julien's pov only coming in right at the end, he remained mostly engimatic, although even through Lennie's eyes, (and when he seemed oblivious), it was clear to the reader just how much Julien was struggling with remaining just friends.

I have clear images of this close knit group. This speaks to the quality of writing and the care which the author takes with her characters.

Most enjoyable.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utterly poetic!😍