Rating: 4.75 stars
Buy Link: Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novella
JJ is 18 years old and lives with his mother, brother, and his mother’s boyfriend. After seeing the movie Call Me by Your Name, JJ wants out. He dreams of escaping his current life and moving on to something better.
Donnie is a divorced accountant with a 15-year-old daughter. He seems successful, but after sitting down to watch a television showing of Call Me by Your Name, he becomes enchanted, almost obsessed, with the coming of age love story.
The two men “meet” on a Facebook page dedicated to the film, and begin an online relationship that turns into a phone relationship, and soon, JJ and Donnie meet in person when Donnie invites JJ to stay with him to get away from his mother’s abusive boyfriend.
The chemistry between JJ and Donnie is electric and almost immediate, and they begin an intense sexual affair. Their passion burns bright, but the question is whether the two can overcome family and employment issues and continue on their road to love, or if that passion burn out as quickly as it began.
When I chose Taste for Self Published Book Week, I was excited to start. I have heard of Call Me by Your Name, and I have many friends who’ve seen and loved it. Let me tell you, I was not disappointed. The story blew me away, and the MCs were unique and sympathetic. I was able to feel their pain as their lives spiral downward, and their almost giddiness once they meet and begin to fall for each other. The writing is almost poetic, and I was sucked into the story right away. Even though it’s not a particularly long book, I read it from beginning to end in one fell swoop. I couldn’t make myself leave JJ and Donnie behind, even if it was to just sleep for a few hours.
The story was well paced and the attention to detail was remarkable. I could see Donnie’s living room, or JJ’s smile, or even Donnie’s daughter Leah’s clothing. Everything ran through my head like a movie.
In the plot summary, I mentioned the chemistry between JJ and Donnie. It was instant and off the charts. Of course, there was heat to spare, but there was also excitement, confusion, sadness, and anger, along with a softness and sweetness that made my heart swell.
Even though Taste touched on JJ’s relationship with his family, I felt the main focus was on Donnie, his ex wife, and his daughter. Donnie was, in his words, a serial cheater. He and his wife were drifting apart, and he wanted to just…FEEL for awhile. He also considered himself to be a bad father to Leah. It wasn’t as if he didn’t want to bond with her, he just didn’t understand her. Once again, I sensed and felt Donnie’s pain. I thought Williams did an outstanding job fleshing both JJ and Donnie’s characters, but Donnie especially.
Now, as for the end…I’m going to assume most of you have either heard about or seen Call Me by Your Name, so it may not come as a surprise to you that this doesn’t end with an HEA/HFN. HOWEVER, I’m going to say that each man got what he needed from their relationship. JJ was able to find it in himself to go after his dream after a wonderful opportunity is given to him, and Donnie was able to reconcile his feelings toward Leah and his ex. He also came to terms with his life in general and became not only content, but happy.
I highly recommend Taste. Even if you haven’t seen Call Me by Your Name, it won’t matter. Other than being based on the movie, you won’t be lost. As I mentioned, I haven’t seen it, but I had no trouble jumping in and being captivated. Definitely pick this one up.
This review is part of our Reading Challenge Month for Self Published Book Week! Leave a relevant comment below and you will be entered to win one of ten HUGE prize bundles donated by some fabulous self published authors (you can see the full prize list here)! Commenters will also be entered to win our amazing grand prize sponsored by NineStar Press: a Kindle Paperwhite loaded with 50 NineStar Press books! You can get more information on our Challenge Month here (including all the contest rules) and more details on Self Published Book Week here.
I’m on the fence about this one. I really want an HEA in my stories.
Usually I feel the same. I console myself with the idea that JJ and Donnie became happy with themselves. Almost like they needed this experience to become fulfilled by living themselves.
What a fabulous review!!
I was already intrigued by this book. It seems that now I really have to read it ?
Go for it! ?
Good review Kenna.
The premise probably wouldn’t appeal to me but I may give it a longer look now
Thank you for the review. It sounds like a story I would like to read exept for the no HEA. I struggle with books without it.
Tonje – there’s now a sequel (‘Depend on Me’) which picks up where the first book left off, and has a lovely HEA!!
Excellent review, unfortunately the lack of HEA is a pass for me.
Tonje – there’s now a sequel (‘Depend on Me’) which picks up where the first book left off, and has a lovely HEA!!
Thanks for the review. I agree, I like uplifting endings since there is so much to be saddened by in real life.
Same. In the end, for me, it was uplifting because of the way they embraced their post relationship lives.
It’s definitely not for everyone, and it was a little out of my comfort zone, but I’m glad to have read it.
Thank you for being honest about the ending. I will read non-HEA but those books are in a different list then my romance, I need the HEA!
Kenna, thanks for your thoughtful review. While I like a happy ending, I sometimes branch out. I’m off to get a sample to see what I think.
I’m definitely curious, especially as a CALL ME BY YOUR NAME fan. Given my mixed feelings about Andre Aciman’s CMBYN sequel FIND ME and its weird revisiting of the relationship, I’ve been debating whether the HEA is always necessary (and I didn’t expect to feel that way)…
Great review. The book sounds very good.
Thank you for the review, Kenna. No HEA is not a problem for me, in fact it feels more real. I’ve learnt through experience that a HEA is a very rare occurrence in real life but that does not mean necessarily that it was not a beautiful love story 😉
This sounds really intriguing! I haven’t seen Call Me By Your Name, but I’ve read the book, which I liked. I do prefer a HEA/HFN, though not always, so I might give this one a go.
Thanks for review! I’ve always thought that an HEA with the two MCs ending up together always isn’t a must in every story. All characters have their own version of an HEA. I’ve heard of Call Me By Your Name, but haven’t seen/read it. This one sounds really interesting, especially knowing that both characters do end up happy, even if it’s not with each other.
I’m also a bit on the fence given there’s not a traditional HEA, but an engrossing story and quality writing may tip the scales on this one. Great review.
I’m a big fan fan of the book and also the movie “Call Me By Your Name” and I will read this one for sure. A HEA is not a must for me, so this won’t bother me. Thanks for an interesting review.
I can’t say I’ve heard of Call Me By Your Name, but you can read this without having seen it. Your review was so glowing! As reading is my escape I really prefer books that have a HEA theme. Knowing that this doesn’t makes it harder to say I want to read it. I don’t mind tales where the author doesn’t get their true love, but finds themselves, but it’s very rare for me to pick them up of my own accord. Thanks for sharing.
I had this on my TBR list as soon as I saw the cover! The blurb just moved it up the list. Thanks for the review. I love stories where the characters are in a wonderful relationship and happy.
Thanks for the great review. I may add this one to my wishlist for when I’m looking for a great read without an HEA. It sounds great, but I’ve definitely been on a HEA kick lately.
I’ll be putting this on the never in a million years shelf, though I’m very glad you were able to enjoy it. If there’s no HFN/HEA then it’s not Romance (with the capital), and Call Me By Your Name squicks me out to no end. I really do like the cover design.