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Love Inscribed #1
Liam Davis & The Raven
Love and romance? I don’t know how I feel about that.
But I’m about to find out.
Jock. Big-boned. Broad shoulders. Tall. Runs fingers through hair as though he’s attractive and knows it. Walks into party like he has all the time in the world, slow but oddly graceful. Laugh lines around the mouth, a deep crack in his skin where a dimple might be.
That’s how I described him in the notes for my latest party-page column.
He fascinates me, but I’m not sure why. Or what to do about it. My belly is a fluttery, twisty mess.
Best to focus on my mission to find The Raven—the campus vigilante—and warn him about the hate mail the student paper’s been getting for him.
Except . . .
Quinn looks at me and his eyes darken. He wants something. But what is it?
Why do I want so badly to give it to him?
Liam Davis & the Raven is a slow-burn, bi-awakening, New Adult, gay romance set in college. This roommates to lovers story follows quirky, socially awkward Liam to his heartwarming HEA.
But I’m about to find out.
Jock. Big-boned. Broad shoulders. Tall. Runs fingers through hair as though he’s attractive and knows it. Walks into party like he has all the time in the world, slow but oddly graceful. Laugh lines around the mouth, a deep crack in his skin where a dimple might be.
That’s how I described him in the notes for my latest party-page column.
He fascinates me, but I’m not sure why. Or what to do about it. My belly is a fluttery, twisty mess.
Best to focus on my mission to find The Raven—the campus vigilante—and warn him about the hate mail the student paper’s been getting for him.
Except . . .
Quinn looks at me and his eyes darken. He wants something. But what is it?
Why do I want so badly to give it to him?
Liam Davis & the Raven is a slow-burn, bi-awakening, New Adult, gay romance set in college. This roommates to lovers story follows quirky, socially awkward Liam to his heartwarming HEA.
218 pages, Unknown Binding
First published March 9, 2014
110 people are currently reading
958 people want to read
About the author
Anyta Sunday
111 books2,741 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 228 reviews
May 5, 2020
I sadly didn't feel the "we are entirely inevitable" romance between Liam and Quinn at the usual level that I'm used to from Anyta, but I did still like them both a lot.
Also, one trademark of her quirky, out-of-touch characters is that, in spite of their blunt awkwardness, they're pretty much always charming, but I didn't completely get that from Liam here.
His inner monologue seemed to be significantly more aloof than usual for me to develop those deep feelings of knowing him and what he truly wanted -- other than close friendships, which were brand new to him.
This was still a very good story, which kept me very much entertained; however, it wasn't one of my tippy-top favorites of hers, so I'd rate it at around 3.25 stars.
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November 27, 2021
Cross-posted at Outlaw Reviews and at Shelf Inflicted
Liam Davis is a student journalist writing for the campus magazine, hoping to gain apprenticeship at his father’s firm. In order for him to accomplish that, he needs to hold an editorial position for two years. He works hard and believes the features editor position is a possibility in the very near future, but Chief Benedict wants the students to be challenged. So he reassigns everyone to different positions. To Liam’s consternation, he is asked to write the party page. For lots of reasons, this really sucks. Liam is not a partier, he has no friends outside of work, and his life is solely devoted to studies.
If this story were told from any other perspective than Liam’s own, I might have found it difficult to finish. Even still, he was a difficult character and it took some time for me to warm up to him. As a journalist, Liam’s skills of observation are well honed. His social skills, however, need some work. Thankfully, the party page provides Liam with the opportunity to make some new friends and learn who the Raven is.
Liam is blunt and insensitive at times. He also seems incapable of expressing emotion or responding to others’ feelings. It’s awkward and frustrating at first, but I really enjoyed watching Liam slowly come out of his shell and gradually become a character I could empathize with. Liam’s character is well balanced by those of his new friends. There’s Quinn, his roommate, and his close friend, Shannon. There’s also Hunter, amateur photographer, and partially paralyzed after a brutal gay bashing incident. Liam’s two rivals at work, Jack and Jill, make his life difficult, as does his distant father.
These are very real, engaging characters that I enjoyed spending time with. The mystery surrounding Liam’s attacker and rescuer was light and clever, with a few surprises. This is a thoughtful, humorous and entertaining story that made me smile.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
Liam Davis is a student journalist writing for the campus magazine, hoping to gain apprenticeship at his father’s firm. In order for him to accomplish that, he needs to hold an editorial position for two years. He works hard and believes the features editor position is a possibility in the very near future, but Chief Benedict wants the students to be challenged. So he reassigns everyone to different positions. To Liam’s consternation, he is asked to write the party page. For lots of reasons, this really sucks. Liam is not a partier, he has no friends outside of work, and his life is solely devoted to studies.
If this story were told from any other perspective than Liam’s own, I might have found it difficult to finish. Even still, he was a difficult character and it took some time for me to warm up to him. As a journalist, Liam’s skills of observation are well honed. His social skills, however, need some work. Thankfully, the party page provides Liam with the opportunity to make some new friends and learn who the Raven is.
Liam is blunt and insensitive at times. He also seems incapable of expressing emotion or responding to others’ feelings. It’s awkward and frustrating at first, but I really enjoyed watching Liam slowly come out of his shell and gradually become a character I could empathize with. Liam’s character is well balanced by those of his new friends. There’s Quinn, his roommate, and his close friend, Shannon. There’s also Hunter, amateur photographer, and partially paralyzed after a brutal gay bashing incident. Liam’s two rivals at work, Jack and Jill, make his life difficult, as does his distant father.
These are very real, engaging characters that I enjoyed spending time with. The mystery surrounding Liam’s attacker and rescuer was light and clever, with a few surprises. This is a thoughtful, humorous and entertaining story that made me smile.
*Book provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2019
**Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
A nice read but not my favorite by this author, I'm afraid.
After my explosion of enthusiasm for Anyta Sunday's, Taboo For You, I think I was expecting a bit too much out of this one. Superficially, the two books have some similarities: Both are friends-to-lovers, sexuality discovery story, a slow burn romances. I am a huge sucker for a slow burn romance AND sexuality discovery story so I thought this one would be an automatic winner, right? Not quite.
What makes a sexuality discovery book so appealing to me? A lot of it has to do with sexual tension, the build-up, the anticipation. Another portion is the paradigm shift in the MC's previous assumptions about their sexuality. I love that realization, the weight of that enormous change. The combination the two often lead to M/M gold for me. Mix all of that with some virginity and I'm in heaven.
So why didn't this book satisfy? Well, for starters, the MC, Liam is an odd character. I tend to like socially inept MCs and the combination of sexuality discovery and social awkwardness is one that I particularly enjoy (see Blame It On The Mistletoe, Valentine Shower). However, my main issue with this book was Liam's coldness. He was clinical to the point of isolating me, even at the end of the story when he had his most "mushy" moments. I didn't like the way he treated Quinn callously and with little regard for his emotions. Yes, you might argue that Liam's manner was decidedly unemotional and so he may not have realized what he was doing to Quinn, but I found him to be observant enough that he should have know better (for the most part). Regardless, I personally didn't like Liam so that affected my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
In terms of the sexuality discovery part, Liam, being the clinical and blunt person that he was, took same-sex sexual attraction in stride. There was no tension, no grand realizations, which deflated my sweet GFY balloon like a pin prick. If you are reading this for the bisexual discovery aspects, you are barking up the wrong tree.
My favorite parts of this book were the secondary characters. I loved Hunter, Quinn, and Shannon. I really got them as people. There aren't nearly enough disabled characters in M/M and I could have read an entire book about Hunter I loved him so much. I thought Quinn was adorable and vulnerable in all the right ways, though I didn't quite get his attraction to Liam.
The mystery in this book is particularly weak. I didn't mind, because I'm not a mystery lover, but some people might. It was easy to solve, even for a gullible reader like myself.
All in all, this book was a nice, easy read but it didn't give me that warm, mushy feeling like most Anyta Sunday's books.
A nice read but not my favorite by this author, I'm afraid.
After my explosion of enthusiasm for Anyta Sunday's, Taboo For You, I think I was expecting a bit too much out of this one. Superficially, the two books have some similarities: Both are friends-to-lovers, sexuality discovery story, a slow burn romances. I am a huge sucker for a slow burn romance AND sexuality discovery story so I thought this one would be an automatic winner, right? Not quite.
What makes a sexuality discovery book so appealing to me? A lot of it has to do with sexual tension, the build-up, the anticipation. Another portion is the paradigm shift in the MC's previous assumptions about their sexuality. I love that realization, the weight of that enormous change. The combination the two often lead to M/M gold for me. Mix all of that with some virginity and I'm in heaven.
So why didn't this book satisfy? Well, for starters, the MC, Liam is an odd character. I tend to like socially inept MCs and the combination of sexuality discovery and social awkwardness is one that I particularly enjoy (see Blame It On The Mistletoe, Valentine Shower). However, my main issue with this book was Liam's coldness. He was clinical to the point of isolating me, even at the end of the story when he had his most "mushy" moments. I didn't like the way he treated Quinn callously and with little regard for his emotions. Yes, you might argue that Liam's manner was decidedly unemotional and so he may not have realized what he was doing to Quinn, but I found him to be observant enough that he should have know better (for the most part). Regardless, I personally didn't like Liam so that affected my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
In terms of the sexuality discovery part, Liam, being the clinical and blunt person that he was, took same-sex sexual attraction in stride. There was no tension, no grand realizations, which deflated my sweet GFY balloon like a pin prick. If you are reading this for the bisexual discovery aspects, you are barking up the wrong tree.
My favorite parts of this book were the secondary characters. I loved Hunter, Quinn, and Shannon. I really got them as people. There aren't nearly enough disabled characters in M/M and I could have read an entire book about Hunter I loved him so much. I thought Quinn was adorable and vulnerable in all the right ways, though I didn't quite get his attraction to Liam.
The mystery in this book is particularly weak. I didn't mind, because I'm not a mystery lover, but some people might. It was easy to solve, even for a gullible reader like myself.
All in all, this book was a nice, easy read but it didn't give me that warm, mushy feeling like most Anyta Sunday's books.
February 28, 2022
Anyta Sunday will really have me going nooo don’t kiss yet we’re only at 53%!!! She’s who I turn to when I want a slowwwww burn with low steam and lots of personality, wit and heart. Some books claim that they’re slow burn but Anyta means it and I love her for it! Reading this felt like when you come inside from the rain and get all cuddly under a blanket.
🥺🥰🥺🥰
🥺🥰🥺🥰
March 17, 2018
4.5 you are so much better than a cat stars
Let’s just say this week won’t win an award to best week ever. And let’s also say that sometimes reading saves us from madness, and sadness or whatever we’re going through. So, when I heard Anyta Sunday was gifting her readers with this goodie I jumped (literally and figuratively) and downloaded it on my kindle. And the next I knew (and I’m gonna say it in my usual cheesy ways) it’s that a shiny ray lighted up my clouded day convincing me that you can find color and happiness just looking in the right places. And lucky me, this book was THE place in this right moment, because I was suddenly smiling and forgetting the world around.
What do we have here?
Liam is a cute, lonely and sweet college guy. He is a lovable weirdo, a socially awkward journalist, a man in a mission: he wants to find The Raven, the mysterious vigilante saving lives in campus. And in his way to discover the identity of his hooded superhero, he will have to learn to interact with others, because let me tell you: he has zero clue about how to do so. He lives for work and studying. He is blunt and pragmatic. Socially crippled but cute and kind but mostly, he is a lonely guy trying to fit and get some recognition.
“Sometimes there is no logical answer. Sometimes it’s just a feeling. Stop thinking up here-and start thinking here.”
He touched my chest, and I frowned at his fingers, staring at the bitten-off mails a long moment before I spoke. “What if I will never be like you, Quinn? What if I don’t always yell and laugh and cry and cheer at things you or others might”
This is Liam’s sexual self discovering story, this is Liam knowing true friendship for the first time, falling in love, learning what desire (the real thing. The dirty powerful one) and trust means. Is Liam an autist? I don’t know the answer to that question, what I do know is Hunter, the disabled knock-out in the wheelchair, Shannon, the friend, the sister, the heart and Quinn (introduce some sighs here, please), goosebump-inducing Quinn (I’m quoting Liam) are lovable characters and the soul of this sweet NA story along with Liam. They are the key to Liam’s awakening, the warmth to Liam’s clinical vision.
We have some mystery going on too and it touches something so serious such as people being bitten because of their sexuality, but it is super well done in a comic kinda way, and that softens the impact and the heaviness of what is happening making it light and comfortable. Or at least this is the way I conceived it.
This is not about superheroes, not about college vigilantes and not about the mystery itself. This is about what it is and isn’t fair, about what friendship means and looks. This is about protectiveness and love. About living. About not being lonely. About good people deserving happiness.
And yes, it’s also about comics and sweet funny stuff. About kick ass blondies and pop culture.
Highly recommended and now with the plus that it’s free subscribing the author’s newsletter So grab your copy on Anyta Sunday’s site: http://www.anytasunday.com/ and have fun!
Reviews for Book Lovers
Let’s just say this week won’t win an award to best week ever. And let’s also say that sometimes reading saves us from madness, and sadness or whatever we’re going through. So, when I heard Anyta Sunday was gifting her readers with this goodie I jumped (literally and figuratively) and downloaded it on my kindle. And the next I knew (and I’m gonna say it in my usual cheesy ways) it’s that a shiny ray lighted up my clouded day convincing me that you can find color and happiness just looking in the right places. And lucky me, this book was THE place in this right moment, because I was suddenly smiling and forgetting the world around.
What do we have here?
Liam is a cute, lonely and sweet college guy. He is a lovable weirdo, a socially awkward journalist, a man in a mission: he wants to find The Raven, the mysterious vigilante saving lives in campus. And in his way to discover the identity of his hooded superhero, he will have to learn to interact with others, because let me tell you: he has zero clue about how to do so. He lives for work and studying. He is blunt and pragmatic. Socially crippled but cute and kind but mostly, he is a lonely guy trying to fit and get some recognition.
“Sometimes there is no logical answer. Sometimes it’s just a feeling. Stop thinking up here-and start thinking here.”
He touched my chest, and I frowned at his fingers, staring at the bitten-off mails a long moment before I spoke. “What if I will never be like you, Quinn? What if I don’t always yell and laugh and cry and cheer at things you or others might”
This is Liam’s sexual self discovering story, this is Liam knowing true friendship for the first time, falling in love, learning what desire (the real thing. The dirty powerful one) and trust means. Is Liam an autist? I don’t know the answer to that question, what I do know is Hunter, the disabled knock-out in the wheelchair, Shannon, the friend, the sister, the heart and Quinn (introduce some sighs here, please), goosebump-inducing Quinn (I’m quoting Liam) are lovable characters and the soul of this sweet NA story along with Liam. They are the key to Liam’s awakening, the warmth to Liam’s clinical vision.
We have some mystery going on too and it touches something so serious such as people being bitten because of their sexuality, but it is super well done in a comic kinda way, and that softens the impact and the heaviness of what is happening making it light and comfortable. Or at least this is the way I conceived it.
This is not about superheroes, not about college vigilantes and not about the mystery itself. This is about what it is and isn’t fair, about what friendship means and looks. This is about protectiveness and love. About living. About not being lonely. About good people deserving happiness.
And yes, it’s also about comics and sweet funny stuff. About kick ass blondies and pop culture.
Highly recommended and now with the plus that it’s free subscribing the author’s newsletter So grab your copy on Anyta Sunday’s site: http://www.anytasunday.com/ and have fun!
Reviews for Book Lovers
April 28, 2014
Another fabulous BR with my friends - Isabel and Eva!
HERE
I had a real pleasure reading this story!
We are introduced to Liam, who is honest, blunt, but focus only in is passion - journalism and the goals he wants to achieve, so social life … none.
Quinn is great too, it’s so sweet to see the way he gets under Liam's defences, and love the part of Liam´s experiments and tests to make sure of what he feels. But Hunter
was really my favourite character alongside with Liam, because he is funny, strong and a real friend!
The Raven mystery was very entertaining… and made me speculate, whenever a new character appeared!
To summed up it´s my second book of this author and I really like this author's writing style, and the way the characters are built through the story, I just have a simple request - Anyta Sunday please write Hunter´s HEA!
P.S. - It´s GFY so if you love the genre read it !
HERE
I had a real pleasure reading this story!
We are introduced to Liam, who is honest, blunt, but focus only in is passion - journalism and the goals he wants to achieve, so social life … none.
Quinn is great too, it’s so sweet to see the way he gets under Liam's defences, and love the part of Liam´s experiments and tests to make sure of what he feels. But Hunter
was really my favourite character alongside with Liam, because he is funny, strong and a real friend!
The Raven mystery was very entertaining… and made me speculate, whenever a new character appeared!
To summed up it´s my second book of this author and I really like this author's writing style, and the way the characters are built through the story, I just have a simple request - Anyta Sunday please write Hunter´s HEA!
P.S. - It´s GFY so if you love the genre read it !
April 22, 2014
This my second book by Anyta Sunday, and I like her writing, but it lacked on warmth and passion between the MC's.
Liam is an obsessed man with his life goals... he wants to become a great journalist, and his mind is completely focused on that! He is blunt, direct, intelligent, but he has almost none social skills. So when he meets Quinn, a flirtatious man by nature, his responses are very entertaining, so deprived of flirt they are. Quinn has some difficulties understanding what goes on Liam's cold head... but he doesn't give up, and eventually, they become friends... and some more...
The mystery surrounding The Raven, was not very difficult to discover, and in my opinion, it made perfectly sense that that character was doing what it was doing...
So, this book is very good, I love GFY stories and all the characters are amazing! Despite the lacks in passion, it overflows with good and loyal friends, and perhaps, this is the moral of this book, what we can do for a friend or someone in need...
This was another great BR with my sweet friends Here
Liam is an obsessed man with his life goals... he wants to become a great journalist, and his mind is completely focused on that! He is blunt, direct, intelligent, but he has almost none social skills. So when he meets Quinn, a flirtatious man by nature, his responses are very entertaining, so deprived of flirt they are. Quinn has some difficulties understanding what goes on Liam's cold head... but he doesn't give up, and eventually, they become friends... and some more...
The mystery surrounding The Raven, was not very difficult to discover, and in my opinion, it made perfectly sense that that character was doing what it was doing...
So, this book is very good, I love GFY stories and all the characters are amazing! Despite the lacks in passion, it overflows with good and loyal friends, and perhaps, this is the moral of this book, what we can do for a friend or someone in need...
This was another great BR with my sweet friends Here
January 7, 2015
Liam is a wonderful character - a journalism-obsessed nerdy college student with no life. If I had to bet, he's another character I'd say has a touch of Asperger's, as he tries to understand relationships by logical analysis, rather than emotionally. He's sweet and guarded and oblivious and organized, and unaware how lonely he is, as he tries to measure up to his father's standards. The way he works for a crumb of attention from the man tugs at the reader's heartstrings.
There is an array of secondary characters, and it takes a while to figure out who Liam is going to have his emotional epiphany with. It's fun watching them all interact, and there are some interesting sub-themes here. The issues faced by wheelchair-bound Hunter, the mystery of who the anti-bashing vigilante The Raven is, the way Quinn tries to understand the people around him, all add to the enjoyment.
Sometimes I wonder if my own introverted background makes me enjoy these stories of socially-inept MCs so much. Regardless, I had a good time watching Liam figure out his life. And I wouldn't mind seeing the other significant gay character get his own story.
There is an array of secondary characters, and it takes a while to figure out who Liam is going to have his emotional epiphany with. It's fun watching them all interact, and there are some interesting sub-themes here. The issues faced by wheelchair-bound Hunter, the mystery of who the anti-bashing vigilante The Raven is, the way Quinn tries to understand the people around him, all add to the enjoyment.
Sometimes I wonder if my own introverted background makes me enjoy these stories of socially-inept MCs so much. Regardless, I had a good time watching Liam figure out his life. And I wouldn't mind seeing the other significant gay character get his own story.
March 16, 2014
Liam Davis’ life is almost totally focused on his career in journalism. He is a smart guy, a bit clumsy and has a sort of deadpan humor.
He is not a workaholic neither a nerd: he is just different from most of his peers. His unexpected assignment to the party-page of the University’s newspaper will change his life for the better with new friends and something more. On the background a nice mystery plot involving a dark and enigmatic vigilante.
The story is told from Liam’s POV but every single character is fully developed and three-dimensional.
The reason why I love Anyta Sunday’s books is that her characters feel so real and different from what I usually find in this genre. It’s always a breath of fresh air amidst the usual hot beefy cops, hunks and jocks. Liam Davis & The Raven has once again confirmed my thoughts.
My only complaint: I found the sex part a bit flat and cold, as if the author had felt compelled to add it. Maybe it’s my fault: after reading tons of m/m books I became too demanding.
Highly recommended.
He is not a workaholic neither a nerd: he is just different from most of his peers. His unexpected assignment to the party-page of the University’s newspaper will change his life for the better with new friends and something more. On the background a nice mystery plot involving a dark and enigmatic vigilante.
The story is told from Liam’s POV but every single character is fully developed and three-dimensional.
The reason why I love Anyta Sunday’s books is that her characters feel so real and different from what I usually find in this genre. It’s always a breath of fresh air amidst the usual hot beefy cops, hunks and jocks. Liam Davis & The Raven has once again confirmed my thoughts.
My only complaint: I found the sex part a bit flat and cold, as if the author had felt compelled to add it. Maybe it’s my fault: after reading tons of m/m books I became too demanding.
Highly recommended.
July 6, 2024
3,75 stars.
This had a different feel to it than the author's Signs Of Love series.
The tone was subdued, not upbeat and silly.
Liam was so lonely, it broke my heart. It was lovely watching him slowly finding friends, and ultimately love, too.
The mistery didn't grip me that much, the parts I enjoyed most were Liam's thoughts and his interactions with Hunter and Quinn.
Strange enough one of the main characters (Quinn Sullivan) had the same name as one of the main characters in Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human.
This had a different feel to it than the author's Signs Of Love series.
The tone was subdued, not upbeat and silly.
Liam was so lonely, it broke my heart. It was lovely watching him slowly finding friends, and ultimately love, too.
The mistery didn't grip me that much, the parts I enjoyed most were Liam's thoughts and his interactions with Hunter and Quinn.
Strange enough one of the main characters (Quinn Sullivan) had the same name as one of the main characters in Penny Reid's Neanderthal Seeks Human.
April 4, 2014
4.25*
This was such an awesome read.
We have Liam, he's clumsy, blunt, oblivious, a bit socially awkward, honest, helpful, thoughtful, strangely astute, loyal and very passionate about his writing and any other goal he sets himself.
I absolutely loved him.
“As a reporter, I’d learned to tamper down my feelings so I could focus on delivering facts. And I was good at it, because emotion didn’t come easily to me.”
But he is also lonely and has to deal with some jerks at the newspaper along with trying to get his totally absent father's attention.
When his editor gives him the party page column instead of the political page he prefers, he gives it his best, as always, but he is in over his head. Little did he know that going to that party will be the start of a whole new way of life and outlook for him.
"I couldn’t get enough of trying to make sense of this bleached-blond, green-eyed, broad-shouldered, club-eared man who seemed so at ease at these parties. Maybe, if I studied him long enough, I’d uncover the key ingredient to fitting in well in social situations”
But this is more than just Liam's story, he doesn't develop and grow in a vacuum.
He finds friends and there are other supporting characters. There is of course Quinn, who turns out to be a really great guy.
Having Quinn around really is much better than a cat.
“For whatever reason, whenever he spoke or laughed or moved around, the room didn’t seem to echo him. It was like he soaked everything up and added warmth to the room that had been missing since I’d moved in.”
Then there is Shannon and my favorite guy Hunter.
I really love Hunter, that boy deserves an awesome happy end of his own!
Even if Liam was the focus of this book, his friends play important and major roles in his life and in the story. It was wonderful watching him come in to his own, grow and feel far more comfortable in his own skin.
“Everything you set your mind to do, you do with a perfectionist’s heart. And I know you want to do perfect by your friends too.”
The mystery surrounding the Raven wasn't all that hard (at least for me) to figure out, of course I am an avid murder mystery and true crime fanatic and am constantly trying to figure out whodunit.
It was funny, entertaining, touching and a really good book! It covers a lot of ground, including some serious issues, but does it in such a fun, easy and thoroughly entertaining manner that left me completely charmed.
Anyta Sunday has a really cute page of the Scribe on her website:
http://liamdavis.anytasunday.com
Hearts On Fire Reviews
April 29, 2014
I love stories that are not mainly about romance but about friendship as well -- and this latest from Anyta Sunday (also the 4th story I read from her) just fits the bill. It's definitely a home turf of Ms. Sunday.
Liam Davis is frustratingly adorable :). He's socially awkward -- being too blunt and honest when it comes to other people -- but he's passionate when it comes to his job. He's determined to get the position as feature editor at Scribe so he could score an internship in his father's newspaper. I find this as quite sad, actually, Liam just wants his father to pay attention to him.
But the source of my amusement is when it comes to Liam dealing with others. Like I said, he is frustratingly adorable. Liam blurts things exactly as he sees it. I mean, he actually checks his calendar and weigh up the pros and cons of dating (poor Hannah *LOL*). AND the fact that he actually "schedule in his masturbation time at the shower while thinking of his article"?? That is just GOLD! *LOL*
I wholeheartedly enjoy the journey of Liam finding out that there are things more important than the job. Thanks to three new friends, Quinn, Shannon, and Hunter -- I adore Hunter too, he definitely helps 'breaking' Liam with his positive attitude.
I like the romance -- it takes its time and it starts with friendship (and Quinn is so much better than cat *lol*). I like Liam's taking the fact that he is leaning towards men without getting to angst and confused about it. In fact, he sounds so scientific *LOL*
As for the 'mystery' of finding out who the Raven is, I figure it out after one particular scene. I think it's smart and totally believable given the background of the Raven.
All in all, I am thoroughly entertained by this. Now when will we have the story of the pretty boy with foul mouth and the charming different-able boy, Anyta?
Liam Davis is frustratingly adorable :). He's socially awkward -- being too blunt and honest when it comes to other people -- but he's passionate when it comes to his job. He's determined to get the position as feature editor at Scribe so he could score an internship in his father's newspaper. I find this as quite sad, actually, Liam just wants his father to pay attention to him.
But the source of my amusement is when it comes to Liam dealing with others. Like I said, he is frustratingly adorable. Liam blurts things exactly as he sees it. I mean, he actually checks his calendar and weigh up the pros and cons of dating (poor Hannah *LOL*). AND the fact that he actually "schedule in his masturbation time at the shower while thinking of his article"?? That is just GOLD! *LOL*
I wholeheartedly enjoy the journey of Liam finding out that there are things more important than the job. Thanks to three new friends, Quinn, Shannon, and Hunter -- I adore Hunter too, he definitely helps 'breaking' Liam with his positive attitude.
You’ve only got one life, and I want to make the most of mine. I’m not saying sometimes life doesn’t fucking suck, but I choose to focus on good stuff. That’s the guy I want to be.”
I like the romance -- it takes its time and it starts with friendship (and Quinn is so much better than cat *lol*). I like Liam's taking the fact that he is leaning towards men without getting to angst and confused about it. In fact, he sounds so scientific *LOL*
As for the 'mystery' of finding out who the Raven is, I figure it out after one particular scene. I think it's smart and totally believable given the background of the Raven.
All in all, I am thoroughly entertained by this. Now when will we have the story of the pretty boy with foul mouth and the charming different-able boy, Anyta?
March 20, 2018
4.5 stars
Loved this one. Liam was quirky and adorkable and Quinn was just the best. *insert heart eyes* This author does such a good job with the clueless MC and the other waiting for him to figure it out. Although it's a theme she's used before this didn't feel recycled. The overall plot was entertaining and the characters in this really made it sound out. There was an interesting bunch of side characters and I'm really hoping we see books for Hunter and Jill down the road.
Loved this one. Liam was quirky and adorkable and Quinn was just the best. *insert heart eyes* This author does such a good job with the clueless MC and the other waiting for him to figure it out. Although it's a theme she's used before this didn't feel recycled. The overall plot was entertaining and the characters in this really made it sound out. There was an interesting bunch of side characters and I'm really hoping we see books for Hunter and Jill down the road.
March 13, 2014
Advanced Review Copy, the book will be available on the 10th of March (and don't you forget it).
This book came to me (by the gracious Anyta Sunday as a supporting gift) at a moment when I really thought I’d be done with m/m for a while. Anyta took pity on me and gave me an Advanced Copy, not even in exchange for an honest review. Thanks a lot. What can I say; it healed me from that unbelievable notion. And I'm writing a review anyway :`)
Liam Davis is a very peculiar guy. He is blunt and to the point, has a dry humor, is driven and focused, emotionally careful but caring, keeps to himself, prefers to be the spectator instead of participating. He thinks it’s a necessary requirement for his planned career in journalism. His office at “Scribe”, the University newspaper, is his home. His colleagues are his only “friends”. His home is so empty, he seriously thinks about buying a cat.
This is one of the best described MCs I’ve read for a long time, this guy is through and through genuine, his reactions are all in accordance to his character. It’s written in 1st person, we are witness to his thought-process and it’s obvious that Liam is a logical, genuine and humorous person, who doesn’t rush into things, who weighs pros and cons, even in love. We have the privilege to see him open up to other people during the book, to start to cherish not only love but above that also friendship.
Liam is newly assigned to the party-page of the University’s newspaper as an attempt by the chief to broaden his experience. He doesn’t want that, his specialty is politics and he wants to get the job of the features editor to impress his father. After visiting his first party in this capacity he gets assaulted and then rescued by a mysterious person in a “raven-like” hoodie. His rescuer leaves and a guy and a girl are bringing him to the hospital. Meet Shannon and Quinn. Since Quinn just broke off with his boyfriend, he is the perfect person to come home with Liam and watch over him. And so starts a reluctant friendship. Add into the mix Hunter, Shannon’s brother, who doesn’t understand the word “no” and everything is progressing well.
For me the real pleasure in this story was Liam himself. He is honest, even mostly to himself, a no nonsense and no drama guy. He offers Quinn a room in his apartment, Quinn asks if him being gay bothers Liam and the answer is a “why should it?” Later in the story they kiss for the first time. Instead of freaking out he finds a way that is working for him to eliminate any doubt if he is gay. And when he is clear about that, he follows through.
The there’s Quinn. He is also a great guy, more the “usual” maybe but while you as the reader can already see he has a major crush on Liam, he keeps the balance between hinting and retreating, giving Liam space to figure himself out without being hurt to obvious (yes, once or twice I wanted to give him a hug but he covered it up so well). Why is that so? I think because he had figured our early that Liam really is caring about him and that he needs space to come to his own conclusions. On the other hand he isn’t too shy to not nudge into the right direction once or twice.
There are more great side characters and I can say I have a crush on Hunter, Quinn’s friend, who is the most direct person I’ve ever met. Hunter knows life is short, he’d been gay bashed and since then is in a wheelchair. That doesn’t prevent him from trying to live his life to the fullest. He likes Liam and that means he is his friend and therefore, if he needs company to stake out his newest crush, Liam has to come with him – end of story. I like that about Hunter, he is the first who gets Liam out of his own organized world. Shannon is Hunter’s sister and also a friend to Quinn.
And Hannah is another great girl, whose reactions to Liam’s behavior had been so good. Love her just for being who she is.
Okay – I’m not going to tell anything more about the story. It’s a good one and the book has great moments, for example Quinn and Liam hiding under a bed while ….oh, no, just saying that while reading that I thought “Why had no one else ever used that in a book? I’ve seen it in movies but never in a book before.” It was so funny.
And this, I think this dialogue represents Liam very well. He and Quinn are trying to get to know each other:
“And what about you? Do you ever relax? Jerk off? Because I just can’t in my life imagine you doing that.”
I pushed up my glasses again. “Of course I do that. I schedule that in at shower time.”……………..
………………
………………………..”So, lately, when I’m in the shower, I fantasize about winning the BCA competition for the best article of the year.”…........…”Are you saying,” Quinn rested his head on the back of the couch and stared toward the ceiling, the side of his mouth curling, “ that you literally get off on work?”
In addition this book has something that I really love: The University newspaper Scribe has its own homepage. Check this out:
http://liamdavis.anytasunday.com/
Now – I loved this book. I’ve already reread it once. It’s going into the shelf “all-time-comfort-favorites”. 5 stars and more if I could...
This book came to me (by the gracious Anyta Sunday as a supporting gift) at a moment when I really thought I’d be done with m/m for a while. Anyta took pity on me and gave me an Advanced Copy, not even in exchange for an honest review. Thanks a lot. What can I say; it healed me from that unbelievable notion. And I'm writing a review anyway :`)
Liam Davis is a very peculiar guy. He is blunt and to the point, has a dry humor, is driven and focused, emotionally careful but caring, keeps to himself, prefers to be the spectator instead of participating. He thinks it’s a necessary requirement for his planned career in journalism. His office at “Scribe”, the University newspaper, is his home. His colleagues are his only “friends”. His home is so empty, he seriously thinks about buying a cat.
This is one of the best described MCs I’ve read for a long time, this guy is through and through genuine, his reactions are all in accordance to his character. It’s written in 1st person, we are witness to his thought-process and it’s obvious that Liam is a logical, genuine and humorous person, who doesn’t rush into things, who weighs pros and cons, even in love. We have the privilege to see him open up to other people during the book, to start to cherish not only love but above that also friendship.
Liam is newly assigned to the party-page of the University’s newspaper as an attempt by the chief to broaden his experience. He doesn’t want that, his specialty is politics and he wants to get the job of the features editor to impress his father. After visiting his first party in this capacity he gets assaulted and then rescued by a mysterious person in a “raven-like” hoodie. His rescuer leaves and a guy and a girl are bringing him to the hospital. Meet Shannon and Quinn. Since Quinn just broke off with his boyfriend, he is the perfect person to come home with Liam and watch over him. And so starts a reluctant friendship. Add into the mix Hunter, Shannon’s brother, who doesn’t understand the word “no” and everything is progressing well.
For me the real pleasure in this story was Liam himself. He is honest, even mostly to himself, a no nonsense and no drama guy. He offers Quinn a room in his apartment, Quinn asks if him being gay bothers Liam and the answer is a “why should it?” Later in the story they kiss for the first time. Instead of freaking out he finds a way that is working for him to eliminate any doubt if he is gay. And when he is clear about that, he follows through.
The there’s Quinn. He is also a great guy, more the “usual” maybe but while you as the reader can already see he has a major crush on Liam, he keeps the balance between hinting and retreating, giving Liam space to figure himself out without being hurt to obvious (yes, once or twice I wanted to give him a hug but he covered it up so well). Why is that so? I think because he had figured our early that Liam really is caring about him and that he needs space to come to his own conclusions. On the other hand he isn’t too shy to not nudge into the right direction once or twice.
There are more great side characters and I can say I have a crush on Hunter, Quinn’s friend, who is the most direct person I’ve ever met. Hunter knows life is short, he’d been gay bashed and since then is in a wheelchair. That doesn’t prevent him from trying to live his life to the fullest. He likes Liam and that means he is his friend and therefore, if he needs company to stake out his newest crush, Liam has to come with him – end of story. I like that about Hunter, he is the first who gets Liam out of his own organized world. Shannon is Hunter’s sister and also a friend to Quinn.
And Hannah is another great girl, whose reactions to Liam’s behavior had been so good. Love her just for being who she is.
Okay – I’m not going to tell anything more about the story. It’s a good one and the book has great moments, for example Quinn and Liam hiding under a bed while ….oh, no, just saying that while reading that I thought “Why had no one else ever used that in a book? I’ve seen it in movies but never in a book before.” It was so funny.
And this, I think this dialogue represents Liam very well. He and Quinn are trying to get to know each other:
“And what about you? Do you ever relax? Jerk off? Because I just can’t in my life imagine you doing that.”
I pushed up my glasses again. “Of course I do that. I schedule that in at shower time.”……………..
………………
………………………..”So, lately, when I’m in the shower, I fantasize about winning the BCA competition for the best article of the year.”…........…”Are you saying,” Quinn rested his head on the back of the couch and stared toward the ceiling, the side of his mouth curling, “ that you literally get off on work?”
In addition this book has something that I really love: The University newspaper Scribe has its own homepage. Check this out:
http://liamdavis.anytasunday.com/
Now – I loved this book. I’ve already reread it once. It’s going into the shelf “all-time-comfort-favorites”. 5 stars and more if I could...
June 1, 2014
So, I’ll start by saying I found this book charming. I’m always really entertained by Anyta Sunday’s writing style. It’s a bit quirky and feels very…now (I was going to describe it as ‘contemporary’ but something about that word even feels outdated). I always enjoy reading her books.
That said, the premise of this book, the story outline itself, outshines the actual…story. And in an attempt to fill all this potential, the book actually loses it’s focus and kinda ends up all over the place.
Let me try and explain:
An ambitious, single-minded college journalist (Liam), trying to impress the dad he never really had a relationship with, realizing he might be gay for his roommate, also having been beat up by a campus serial gay-basher, then being saved by a ‘superhero’ called The Raven, and oh yeah, being put on the “party” beat for the paper even though he never parties. And…breathe. Yup, that’s just ONE character.
I think if the author focused on the gay-bashing crime spree w/ the “Who is The Raven” plot, this would have felt tidier. And feel free to add in the nerdy guy w/ the Mr. Perfect romance and it would be fuller. And the GFY element would add a nice twist. But…leave it at that…at the MOST.
The disabled best friend who was a victim of a hate crime…
The party beat reporting…
The my female best friend is in love with me even though I’m gay…
The I wish my dad loved me…
The random other minor stories and characters from the paper…
And the jello wrestling…(ok fine, you can leave in the jello wrestling…)
^^^these things just crowded the story. I realize they all tie into each other and are relevant…it just felt like a LOT.
So, though I liked most of the book (in theory) and the writing style very much, I was dizzy and felt like I had overeaten at a buffet by the end. Painfully full.
February 5, 2017
Sin duda, el libro tiene un punto adorable, sus personajes son interesantes, es entretenido y está bien escrito. Pero, no me ha terminado de convencer y no estoy segura de por qué. Quizás la autora ha tocado demasiados puntos distintos y al final no se ha centrado lo suficientemente en ninguno; la trama de misterio es entre muy seria, y simpática, y no sé con qué quedarme, no ha terminado de atrapar; la historia de amor queda un poco diluída entre tantos personajes y cosas que pasan; y al final, el personaje que más me ha gustado no son los protagonistas, es Hunter, sería bonito leer su libro...
Está bien, pero con esta autora me ocurre que o me gusta mucho o se queda en un bluff, en esta ocasión está más cerca del bluff.
Está bien, pero con esta autora me ocurre que o me gusta mucho o se queda en un bluff, en esta ocasión está más cerca del bluff.
March 16, 2014
Another winner for Anyta Sunday! I totally love her writing and this was another one of her distinctive voice. It took me some scenes to get into the story, but then it was unputdownable. Only my pesky RL interfered :)
It was fun following Liam's way from loner to having a circle of friends and finding love along the way. The understated writing only increased the impact.
It was fun following Liam's way from loner to having a circle of friends and finding love along the way. The understated writing only increased the impact.
Read
January 23, 2017I’m so happy to celebrate the re-release of Liam Davis today, with the fantastic new cover by Natasha Snow. It perfectly captures the light-hearted nature of the story – if you haven’t given Liam Davis a try, now’s the time ;) If you liked “Leo Loves Aries”, this one should be right up your alley.
Liam Davis & the Raven is a slow-burn, New Adult, gay romance set in college. This enemies/roommates to lovers story follows the quirky, socially awkward Liam to his HEA.
Liam Davis & the Raven is a slow-burn, New Adult, gay romance set in college. This enemies/roommates to lovers story follows the quirky, socially awkward Liam to his HEA.
February 27, 2022
This was cute, funny and intriguing. The slowest of slow burns. So slow that sadly I found myself wishing Liam would get on with Hunter. They clicked so well, whereas all the interactions with Quinn for the first half of the book were quite awkward.
I loved Quinn in the end and am happy he ended up with Liam, but I’m still kinda shipping Hunter-Liam in my head.
🤦♀️🤪❤️
I loved Quinn in the end and am happy he ended up with Liam, but I’m still kinda shipping Hunter-Liam in my head.
🤦♀️🤪❤️
March 15, 2014
I had so much FUN reading this! It was easy, funny, quirky, and while the suspense part was... well not all that convincing, it was an entertaining subplot to the actual theme: having Liam find a life.
'Cause at the beginning that's what Liam is missing. He has work and his studies - and that's it. His parents are largely absent, relationships aren't really on his radar, and he has exactly one work friend.
But then, he meets Hunter. And Quinn and Shannon. Of course, Liam isn't sure what he's doing with them or what they're doing with him. He's the epitome of social awkwardness, blunt and honest, always. With himself and with others, and that doesn't always go over that well. And they're so different from Liam, but meeting them, getting to know them, it changes him. His outlook on life, his priorities. And that's awesome.
This was a great story, it made me smile so many times. Mostly because of Liam's awesome quirkiness and his adorkable way of talking. Quinn was pretty awesome too - and he's a great counterpart to Liam. But it's probably Hunter who's really my favourite character alongside Liam here, because he's so strong and brave and willing to take everything on. I so wish for him to get his happy end - in fact, I demand a sequel that features that. You hear me, Anyta Sunday? I DEMAND it. :-D :-D :-D
Oh, and have a look at Anyta Sunday's Scribe Homepage. Pretty cool, huh?
Recommended!!!
'Cause at the beginning that's what Liam is missing. He has work and his studies - and that's it. His parents are largely absent, relationships aren't really on his radar, and he has exactly one work friend.
But then, he meets Hunter. And Quinn and Shannon. Of course, Liam isn't sure what he's doing with them or what they're doing with him. He's the epitome of social awkwardness, blunt and honest, always. With himself and with others, and that doesn't always go over that well. And they're so different from Liam, but meeting them, getting to know them, it changes him. His outlook on life, his priorities. And that's awesome.
This was a great story, it made me smile so many times. Mostly because of Liam's awesome quirkiness and his adorkable way of talking. Quinn was pretty awesome too - and he's a great counterpart to Liam. But it's probably Hunter who's really my favourite character alongside Liam here, because he's so strong and brave and willing to take everything on. I so wish for him to get his happy end - in fact, I demand a sequel that features that. You hear me, Anyta Sunday? I DEMAND it. :-D :-D :-D
Oh, and have a look at Anyta Sunday's Scribe Homepage. Pretty cool, huh?
Recommended!!!
May 27, 2014
Five big twinkling stars.
The absolutely best thing about this book - and there were lots of great things - was Liam. I absolutely adored him. He was quirky, without falling into a stereotypical clueless nerd role. He spoke his mind, was blunt but thoughtful. He was both intentionally and unintentionally funny and I want to kidnap him and bring him to England. Except I couldn't split him and his lover up. Nope, nu-huh - because they were the best couple.
The rest of the cast were nearly as wonderful. I love Anyta Sunday's character portrayals - they are proper characters not carbon copies I've read a million times before. Quinn, Hunter, Shannon, Mitch...I loved them all.
The story was fun, I enjoyed the mystery, I enjoyed the romance. This author writes the kind of book I find really difficult to put down. REALLY DIFFICULT. If you're looking for a fun read with fabulous characters try this. :)
The absolutely best thing about this book - and there were lots of great things - was Liam. I absolutely adored him. He was quirky, without falling into a stereotypical clueless nerd role. He spoke his mind, was blunt but thoughtful. He was both intentionally and unintentionally funny and I want to kidnap him and bring him to England. Except I couldn't split him and his lover up. Nope, nu-huh - because they were the best couple.
The rest of the cast were nearly as wonderful. I love Anyta Sunday's character portrayals - they are proper characters not carbon copies I've read a million times before. Quinn, Hunter, Shannon, Mitch...I loved them all.
The story was fun, I enjoyed the mystery, I enjoyed the romance. This author writes the kind of book I find really difficult to put down. REALLY DIFFICULT. If you're looking for a fun read with fabulous characters try this. :)
December 25, 2018
I've read this New Adult M/M romance twice now, and enjoyed it both times. Liam, socially isolated college newspaper nerd, is rescued from an attack on campus by a mysterious vigilante known as The Raven. Cute gay jock Quinn finds Liam on the sidewalk and takes him to the hospital, after which Liam ends up investigating the Raven while his friendship with Quinn deepens.
Quinn, poor guy, spends a lot of time basically saying to Liam "I know we're friends, but the way you're acting, do you think you might want something more from me?" Liam spends all of that time either missing the point, or in active denial, because he's never considered that he might be gay and feels like he should gather data before drawing a conclusion. Which sounds possibly annoying, and it does try Quinn's patience, but journalistic observation and fact-checking is just Liam's personality and Quinn accepts and comes to cherish him the way he is.
In the meantime there's a lovely arc going on for Liam as he gets to know Quinn (his first friend ever?), Quinn's friend Shannon, and Shannon's brother Hunter. All of them see something in Liam that he doesn't see in himself, accept him as-is, and take it upon themselves to coax him out of his isolation. They don't give up on being his friend even when he's awkward or his behavior isn't what they expect. I don't know if it's what Sunday intended, but I read Liam as on the autism spectrum - I could be totally wrong and jumping to conclusions. What made me think so was that in interpersonal interactions he's extremely literal and doesn't have much of a filter or insight into how his behavior makes other people feel. He also plays with a pen in a way that read to me like mild stimming.
Quinn also doesn't give up on being his boyfriend even though his heart gets dinged so many times, and I was so pleased when he was finally rewarded for hanging in there! His love for Liam is clearly because of who Liam is, not in spite of it.
The prose is sometimes a little stilted, and there are several deux ex machina events that strained my credulity (the coffee spills, getting stuck under the dorm room bed), but the characters in this are so good that I forgave it.
Diversity note: I usually focus on highlighting just main character diversity, but Liam's friend Hunter's use of a wheelchair is a major element in the book, in a good way despite his sister's overprotectiveness, so yay for that.
Quinn, poor guy, spends a lot of time basically saying to Liam "I know we're friends, but the way you're acting, do you think you might want something more from me?" Liam spends all of that time either missing the point, or in active denial, because he's never considered that he might be gay and feels like he should gather data before drawing a conclusion. Which sounds possibly annoying, and it does try Quinn's patience, but journalistic observation and fact-checking is just Liam's personality and Quinn accepts and comes to cherish him the way he is.
In the meantime there's a lovely arc going on for Liam as he gets to know Quinn (his first friend ever?), Quinn's friend Shannon, and Shannon's brother Hunter. All of them see something in Liam that he doesn't see in himself, accept him as-is, and take it upon themselves to coax him out of his isolation. They don't give up on being his friend even when he's awkward or his behavior isn't what they expect. I don't know if it's what Sunday intended, but I read Liam as on the autism spectrum - I could be totally wrong and jumping to conclusions. What made me think so was that in interpersonal interactions he's extremely literal and doesn't have much of a filter or insight into how his behavior makes other people feel. He also plays with a pen in a way that read to me like mild stimming.
Quinn also doesn't give up on being his boyfriend even though his heart gets dinged so many times, and I was so pleased when he was finally rewarded for hanging in there! His love for Liam is clearly because of who Liam is, not in spite of it.
The prose is sometimes a little stilted, and there are several deux ex machina events that strained my credulity (the coffee spills, getting stuck under the dorm room bed), but the characters in this are so good that I forgave it.
Diversity note: I usually focus on highlighting just main character diversity, but Liam's friend Hunter's use of a wheelchair is a major element in the book, in a good way despite his sister's overprotectiveness, so yay for that.
May 15, 2020
***Re-read in preparation for the release of Marc Jillson & The Gazebo which comes out later this month. Still not happy about my lovely Hunter being paired with that doofus, but I suppose everyone is entitled to a second chance at behaving like they're an actual human being, and Jill deserves that. ***
Well done Anyta, another winner. 4.25 stars from me.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find an Anyta Sunday story with sex in it...it was a very welcome change hehe!! I loved this one, Liam the asexual, socially awkward and inept journalism student who is really pushing himself to be the best he can be whilst working on the student newspaper, where there are guys (Jack and Jill..ugh!!) who ridicule him at every turn for having no friends. We discover that Liam resulted from an affair his mum had with a big shot owner of a newspaper, and he's desperate to prove himself to his 'father', both as a person AND as a possible employee.
As I mentioned, he's 'an island', he doesn't need or want anyone else, his right hand in the shower is his best friend BUT when his editor doesn't give him his dream job and makes him do the social pages, Liam is a little miffed to say the least, but absolutely determined to do the best job he can even though he doesn't believe in partying; however, while he's at a 'Freddy Krueger' type party, he sees a guy discovering his boyfriend cheating on him and is surprised that he's 'noticed' the guy who's been dumped. He introduces himself to the guy (Quinn) and his best friend Shannon (I heart you) and assures them that he's only at the party to find an 'angle' for his newspaper story, but on his way home he's attacked and as he hits the turf slightly concussed, he sees a blurred figure in a hoodie fighting off the guys that attacked him....enter 'The Raven', the college campus vigilante. I'll leave this one here. Recommended.
Anyta, I'd LOVE Hunter to get his own story pretty please... BUT not with Jill!! Loved your take on the Jack & Jill nursery rhyme too 'Jack calmed down and Jill came snorting after'...read the book, you'll understand what I'm talking about. See you in June. x
Well done Anyta, another winner. 4.25 stars from me.
I was shocked, shocked I tell you to find an Anyta Sunday story with sex in it...it was a very welcome change hehe!! I loved this one, Liam the asexual, socially awkward and inept journalism student who is really pushing himself to be the best he can be whilst working on the student newspaper, where there are guys (Jack and Jill..ugh!!) who ridicule him at every turn for having no friends. We discover that Liam resulted from an affair his mum had with a big shot owner of a newspaper, and he's desperate to prove himself to his 'father', both as a person AND as a possible employee.
As I mentioned, he's 'an island', he doesn't need or want anyone else, his right hand in the shower is his best friend BUT when his editor doesn't give him his dream job and makes him do the social pages, Liam is a little miffed to say the least, but absolutely determined to do the best job he can even though he doesn't believe in partying; however, while he's at a 'Freddy Krueger' type party, he sees a guy discovering his boyfriend cheating on him and is surprised that he's 'noticed' the guy who's been dumped. He introduces himself to the guy (Quinn) and his best friend Shannon (I heart you) and assures them that he's only at the party to find an 'angle' for his newspaper story, but on his way home he's attacked and as he hits the turf slightly concussed, he sees a blurred figure in a hoodie fighting off the guys that attacked him....enter 'The Raven', the college campus vigilante. I'll leave this one here. Recommended.
Anyta, I'd LOVE Hunter to get his own story pretty please... BUT not with Jill!! Loved your take on the Jack & Jill nursery rhyme too 'Jack calmed down and Jill came snorting after'...read the book, you'll understand what I'm talking about. See you in June. x
November 28, 2020
I've had this one on my kindle for ages and for some strange reason just never got round to reading it. Oh how silly was I?! I should know better than to leave one of Anyta Sunday's books unread, they really are the loveliest. Quirky characters, oblivious MC and totally patient love interest, highly recommended.
November 5, 2017
Liam Davis thinks he should probably get a cat. Something that will keep him company in his lonely apartment. Something that will miss him if he were to suddenly drop dead one day. Something that will…ok, it will probably not care about the whole dropping dead thing, except to regret not getting an owner with the foresight to install kitty doors. So maybe a cat is a bad idea. What Liam Davis should get is a friend. At least a friend is less likely to use your dead carcass as nibbles until some unlucky person finds his slightly gnawed-off remains. Too bad you can’t exactly adopt a friend at the local shelter. Well, at least not without coming off looking like a weirdo.
Anyways, Liam has bigger problems than his lack of feline/homosapien companions. With the start of a new year at the Scribe, his college’s news magazine, he is hoping to land the coveted role of editor. Because if he can’t get and hold down the job for two years, there is no way to convince his absentee father to give him a place at his company. This is going to be his year. He just knows it.
Unfortunately someone forgot to tell the universe that. And if it is a punch to the gut that he doesn’t have the editor position, it is a kick to the balls to be taken off politics and thrown into the ‘party page.’ He is a serious journalist…what the hell does he know about the get-pissed-and-puke set? But there might just be a story lurking there, he just has to find it.
What he finds is The Raven. What he learns is a whole lot more.
Yeah, so I really really loved this story. It has mystery, it has romance, and it has one of the most self-aware/absolutely clueless men I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.
I think that is perhaps one of the great things about this book. About Liam. He is so upfront, so honest, so willing to try and to learn, and yet he does not put things together the same way that other people do. He is ruled by his head, not his heart (well, not most of the time), and he makes no apologies for it. And while he does grow as a character in this story, he stays true to himself. It was refreshing that there wasn’t some big personality change at like two-thirds of the way through. That suddenly, by the power of gay love and friends, that Liam Davis becomes the heart of the party and the big man on campus. He never really wanted that, so if it had happened it would have felt so incredibly disingenuous.
I personally am introverted; I don’t do big crowds well, and actually interacting with them, for long periods of time is fucking exhausting. And I am not saying that Liam and I are the same person, but it feels like sometimes if you are not extroverted that people see you as something that needs to be fixed, and that just pisses me off. You probably shouldn’t hide in your room and live a life alone because you are afraid of people, but to try and make someone something they are not, just because you are, is kinda rude. Liam’s friends let him test the boundaries, move him out of his lonely apartment, but I think they also realize that who he is at his core is not a bad thing. Which I really appreciated.
There was something really great about the romance in this story. Not only was I unsure who exactly he was ‘supposed to’ end up with, at the beginning, but the hate/want/can’t-have/need/why-can’t-you-see-I-am-in-fucking-love-with-you thing that followed them throughout the story was awesome. I love slow burn love stories, especially when they are used in connection with the gay-realization subplot. Watching Liam come to terms with his gayness (which was fun, since it was more of a shrug than a freak out) but be so damn blind to what the dude was wanting from him, just hit my sweet spot. What can I say? I love cluelessness in a man. It is just adorable. Especially when it hangs out on the right side of annoyingly-blind. And that the guy seemed to get Liam, seemed to understand what Liam was not saying, but totally felt, was great. Their relationship was so real, but also so fun to watch.
And the Raven mystery. Love, love, love the mystery. I seriously had to keep changing my mind as to who was the Raven was. And I was not disappointed by the answer. The bad guy was well written, so that in hindsight it is obvious, but going through the story, I only got niggles as to who it was. I love when that happens. And strangely enough, I didn’t mind the whole confrontation scene at the end. I’m not usually one for the whole monologueing bad guy thing, but I like how all the players worked in this scene. There is a certain person, however (and if you have read the story you will know who this is, but I totally refuse to spoil it for others) who deserves to smacked, at least twice a day, for the rest of their life. They may have their excuses but dude that was a harsh/horrible thing to do. (I would, though, love to see a story going further into it…cause I need to know why?!)
This story was just so good. I absolutely loved all the secondary characters, even those that deserve smacking, and all the subplots were mixed so well that I enjoyed pretty much all aspects of the story. I can only hope that a second book is planned, because I’d love to read more about these guys (and gals), and I need to know what happens with Liam and his father. I really do recommend this book. It has a great mystery, but it is not overly angsty, and is a real fun read.
4.5 stars
This was a review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Anyways, Liam has bigger problems than his lack of feline/homosapien companions. With the start of a new year at the Scribe, his college’s news magazine, he is hoping to land the coveted role of editor. Because if he can’t get and hold down the job for two years, there is no way to convince his absentee father to give him a place at his company. This is going to be his year. He just knows it.
Unfortunately someone forgot to tell the universe that. And if it is a punch to the gut that he doesn’t have the editor position, it is a kick to the balls to be taken off politics and thrown into the ‘party page.’ He is a serious journalist…what the hell does he know about the get-pissed-and-puke set? But there might just be a story lurking there, he just has to find it.
What he finds is The Raven. What he learns is a whole lot more.
Yeah, so I really really loved this story. It has mystery, it has romance, and it has one of the most self-aware/absolutely clueless men I have ever had the pleasure of reading about.
I think that is perhaps one of the great things about this book. About Liam. He is so upfront, so honest, so willing to try and to learn, and yet he does not put things together the same way that other people do. He is ruled by his head, not his heart (well, not most of the time), and he makes no apologies for it. And while he does grow as a character in this story, he stays true to himself. It was refreshing that there wasn’t some big personality change at like two-thirds of the way through. That suddenly, by the power of gay love and friends, that Liam Davis becomes the heart of the party and the big man on campus. He never really wanted that, so if it had happened it would have felt so incredibly disingenuous.
I personally am introverted; I don’t do big crowds well, and actually interacting with them, for long periods of time is fucking exhausting. And I am not saying that Liam and I are the same person, but it feels like sometimes if you are not extroverted that people see you as something that needs to be fixed, and that just pisses me off. You probably shouldn’t hide in your room and live a life alone because you are afraid of people, but to try and make someone something they are not, just because you are, is kinda rude. Liam’s friends let him test the boundaries, move him out of his lonely apartment, but I think they also realize that who he is at his core is not a bad thing. Which I really appreciated.
“Sometimes there is no logical answer. Sometimes it’s just a feeling. Stop thinking up here and think here.”
He touched my chest, and I frowned at his fingers, staring at the bitten-off nails a long moment before I spoke. “What if I will never be like you…What if I don’t always yell and laugh and cry and cheer at things you or others might?”
He dropped his fingers to the edge of the pillow under me.
“Maybe,” I said, drawing the laptop closer and jotting in the date, “we should both think about things.”
There was something really great about the romance in this story. Not only was I unsure who exactly he was ‘supposed to’ end up with, at the beginning, but the hate/want/can’t-have/need/why-can’t-you-see-I-am-in-fucking-love-with-you thing that followed them throughout the story was awesome. I love slow burn love stories, especially when they are used in connection with the gay-realization subplot. Watching Liam come to terms with his gayness (which was fun, since it was more of a shrug than a freak out) but be so damn blind to what the dude was wanting from him, just hit my sweet spot. What can I say? I love cluelessness in a man. It is just adorable. Especially when it hangs out on the right side of annoyingly-blind. And that the guy seemed to get Liam, seemed to understand what Liam was not saying, but totally felt, was great. Their relationship was so real, but also so fun to watch.
And the Raven mystery. Love, love, love the mystery. I seriously had to keep changing my mind as to who was the Raven was. And I was not disappointed by the answer. The bad guy was well written, so that in hindsight it is obvious, but going through the story, I only got niggles as to who it was. I love when that happens. And strangely enough, I didn’t mind the whole confrontation scene at the end. I’m not usually one for the whole monologueing bad guy thing, but I like how all the players worked in this scene. There is a certain person, however (and if you have read the story you will know who this is, but I totally refuse to spoil it for others) who deserves to smacked, at least twice a day, for the rest of their life. They may have their excuses but dude that was a harsh/horrible thing to do. (I would, though, love to see a story going further into it…cause I need to know why?!)
This story was just so good. I absolutely loved all the secondary characters, even those that deserve smacking, and all the subplots were mixed so well that I enjoyed pretty much all aspects of the story. I can only hope that a second book is planned, because I’d love to read more about these guys (and gals), and I need to know what happens with Liam and his father. I really do recommend this book. It has a great mystery, but it is not overly angsty, and is a real fun read.
4.5 stars
This was a review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
April 22, 2014
I’m turning into The Girl Who Cried Book. I mean, I keep finding these new favorite writers and getting all gushy over them and/or their books.
But honestly, guys! Anyta Sunday is a fun and funny breath of fresh air!
Liam Davis is trying too hard. He wants to please his dad, and he wants—no, he needs—to be successful in his position with the campus magazine in order to win the respect he thinks he deserves. He wants his editor, his peers and his dad to see him for the serious, capable writer he knows he is.
But, uhhh...Liam is probably a little too cocky (and when I say a little, I mean a lot) for his own good. He’s short on time, short on friends and short on some much-needed social savvy to make his new position as party page editor fly.
But those worries are set aside when Liam is attacked one night on his walk home. A mysterious character on campus known as The Raven saves him, and after that, Liam is determined to solve the mystery of The Raven’s identity. A cool little thing happens along the way, though: Liam makes some new friends, and one in particular is really floating his boat. Quinn is hot, handsome and gay.
But wait. Liam’s not gay...is he?
What’s that, you say? GFY? Stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Liam and Quinn form a bond of sorts, and along with a solid supporting cast—lovable Shannon, her brother Hunter, who’s wheelchair-bound, and a few enemies from the magazine staff—this mystery/attraction turns into a crazy good time.
That who-done-it factor is what made the story so much fun for me. Every time a new character came along, I began speculating. Nobody was safe in my eyes! I even started scrutinizing some of the side characters. Could this person be The Raven? Could that person be the villain attacking students across campus? I think I had the hero pegged about halfway through the book, but it was still fun to tag along for the ride!
Liam was frustrating at times. I wanted him to quit sweating the small stuff and see the happy in his life in the form of his new friends, not by way of the prestige he was seeking from his title at the magazine. In that regard, I think he finally grew up, though, so it was a satisfying, happy outcome for me.
And did I mention GFY? Because GFY. :)
But honestly, guys! Anyta Sunday is a fun and funny breath of fresh air!
Liam Davis is trying too hard. He wants to please his dad, and he wants—no, he needs—to be successful in his position with the campus magazine in order to win the respect he thinks he deserves. He wants his editor, his peers and his dad to see him for the serious, capable writer he knows he is.
But, uhhh...Liam is probably a little too cocky (and when I say a little, I mean a lot) for his own good. He’s short on time, short on friends and short on some much-needed social savvy to make his new position as party page editor fly.
But those worries are set aside when Liam is attacked one night on his walk home. A mysterious character on campus known as The Raven saves him, and after that, Liam is determined to solve the mystery of The Raven’s identity. A cool little thing happens along the way, though: Liam makes some new friends, and one in particular is really floating his boat. Quinn is hot, handsome and gay.
But wait. Liam’s not gay...is he?
What’s that, you say? GFY? Stick a fork in me, I’m done.
Liam and Quinn form a bond of sorts, and along with a solid supporting cast—lovable Shannon, her brother Hunter, who’s wheelchair-bound, and a few enemies from the magazine staff—this mystery/attraction turns into a crazy good time.
That who-done-it factor is what made the story so much fun for me. Every time a new character came along, I began speculating. Nobody was safe in my eyes! I even started scrutinizing some of the side characters. Could this person be The Raven? Could that person be the villain attacking students across campus? I think I had the hero pegged about halfway through the book, but it was still fun to tag along for the ride!
Liam was frustrating at times. I wanted him to quit sweating the small stuff and see the happy in his life in the form of his new friends, not by way of the prestige he was seeking from his title at the magazine. In that regard, I think he finally grew up, though, so it was a satisfying, happy outcome for me.
And did I mention GFY? Because GFY. :)
August 4, 2016
I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to the DBML group and he Author for this opportunity!
This is a first read from this Author. I have to say I really liked Anyta Sunday's writing style. It was smooth and it pulls you in, and overall was a very easy and quick read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
The book focuses more on the budding friendship that eventually evolves between Liam and Quinn.
I love GFY books. I love watching the moment when it clicks. I had a hard time finding that spark that clicks between these two. I didn't really care for Liam, for someone who was a self induced hermit in need of friends he's kind of off-putting. He has a very dry, honest-ness to him that makes it sort of hard to warm up to, but refreshing at the same time. I wish I would of gotten a little bit more of them as a couple.
There are a lot of characters in this book. Personally the one that fascinated me the most was Hunter. I was more caught up wanting to find out about him. And subsequently him and Mitch than I was about Liam and Quinn.
I was a bit confused about the reporting of the parties. I guess I expected it to be more of 'who's who' party guide, like an insight to the best social parties. Instead of an outsiders view of an angle of the party.
What saved this book for me was the little mystery. Finding out who The Raven was. I was very well pleasantly surprised with the big reveal. I mean you know, but you just don't know. I liked that. I might of been closer to just thinking this book was okay. Not liking it or hating it. But the ending, pulled together so many of the literary pieces that were so close to being overlooked. It brought new depth of insight to a couple of the characters.
This is a first read from this Author. I have to say I really liked Anyta Sunday's writing style. It was smooth and it pulls you in, and overall was a very easy and quick read. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
The book focuses more on the budding friendship that eventually evolves between Liam and Quinn.
I love GFY books. I love watching the moment when it clicks. I had a hard time finding that spark that clicks between these two. I didn't really care for Liam, for someone who was a self induced hermit in need of friends he's kind of off-putting. He has a very dry, honest-ness to him that makes it sort of hard to warm up to, but refreshing at the same time. I wish I would of gotten a little bit more of them as a couple.
There are a lot of characters in this book. Personally the one that fascinated me the most was Hunter. I was more caught up wanting to find out about him. And subsequently him and Mitch than I was about Liam and Quinn.
I was a bit confused about the reporting of the parties. I guess I expected it to be more of 'who's who' party guide, like an insight to the best social parties. Instead of an outsiders view of an angle of the party.
What saved this book for me was the little mystery. Finding out who The Raven was. I was very well pleasantly surprised with the big reveal. I mean you know, but you just don't know. I liked that. I might of been closer to just thinking this book was okay. Not liking it or hating it. But the ending, pulled together so many of the literary pieces that were so close to being overlooked. It brought new depth of insight to a couple of the characters.
June 4, 2014
Rounded up to three stars.
This book read as being too cerebrally crafted to me and there was an unremitting stiffness as such. I didn't feel it, couldn't get totally involved or moved.
Taboo For You, by contrast, read as if it flowed onto the page, prompted by all heart, enjoyment and enthusiasm. Other reading and immersion flowed as such, thus. I loved every word in that book!
I could see what the writer sought to do here. I could see the outline, the plot arc, the point, the characterisations, the setting and the theme comprising the skeleton. It stood naked to me, throughout the entire story, never really draped in fleshy feeling.
I don't like it when the craft stands apparent.
As for the story itself, I don't think the importance of the Scribe was sufficently developed. In remembering my college days, I don't recall the newspaper being that big a deal. Maybe it was my college but, heh. And I get that new adults are overly dramatic but...
Anyway, I liked enough to keep reading and all. And there were some great elements to this story. Hunter is lovely, as are all the other characters really. Liam is interesting. And pondering whether he's just blunt or has some slight Asperger's or something is diverting. And i will always love her GFYs realisation books! I just don't think this stands up to the author's other works.
I'd advise she waits until totally aflame by a story compelling her to write as opposed to, in any way, doing it methodically...though I get how writing professionally works. But the difference can be noted.
This book read as being too cerebrally crafted to me and there was an unremitting stiffness as such. I didn't feel it, couldn't get totally involved or moved.
Taboo For You, by contrast, read as if it flowed onto the page, prompted by all heart, enjoyment and enthusiasm. Other reading and immersion flowed as such, thus. I loved every word in that book!
I could see what the writer sought to do here. I could see the outline, the plot arc, the point, the characterisations, the setting and the theme comprising the skeleton. It stood naked to me, throughout the entire story, never really draped in fleshy feeling.
I don't like it when the craft stands apparent.
As for the story itself, I don't think the importance of the Scribe was sufficently developed. In remembering my college days, I don't recall the newspaper being that big a deal. Maybe it was my college but, heh. And I get that new adults are overly dramatic but...
Anyway, I liked enough to keep reading and all. And there were some great elements to this story. Hunter is lovely, as are all the other characters really. Liam is interesting. And pondering whether he's just blunt or has some slight Asperger's or something is diverting. And i will always love her GFYs realisation books! I just don't think this stands up to the author's other works.
I'd advise she waits until totally aflame by a story compelling her to write as opposed to, in any way, doing it methodically...though I get how writing professionally works. But the difference can be noted.
July 14, 2020
I got this book as a freebie on Amazon a while ago (more than a year, I think). I tried reading it right away, but I couldn't get into it at all and I gave up not even a chapter in. I gave it another chance now because of a challenge - and I'm so glad I did!
Liam may seem mean or oblivious, but he's actually quite sweet in a roundabout way - he's blunt and he always says what he means, he doesn't say things to spare people's feelings, but you can be sure that when he says something, he means it 100%.
Quinn is at the same time drawn to him and annoyed at him. As he learns about Liam and the way he really is (under the seemingly unfriendly exterior and after the not-so-good first impression) he grows to like him more and more, and he takes us along the ride with him.
Liam may seem mean or oblivious, but he's actually quite sweet in a roundabout way - he's blunt and he always says what he means, he doesn't say things to spare people's feelings, but you can be sure that when he says something, he means it 100%.
Quinn is at the same time drawn to him and annoyed at him. As he learns about Liam and the way he really is (under the seemingly unfriendly exterior and after the not-so-good first impression) he grows to like him more and more, and he takes us along the ride with him.
March 8, 2018
A sweet story, I liked the comic style element but there were a few continuity errors that kept pulling me out of the story.
It was cute, but not one of my favourites by this author.
It was cute, but not one of my favourites by this author.
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