I was a bit disappointed, this had great potential but I just found so many holes in this story. I understand the boys had a life long friendship and lived next door to each other, but the abrupt four year gap was just inconsistent with the rest of the story. Too many other points for me as well, and the whole "play" thing was just strange.. I know I am in the minority, but this one just did not hit the spot at alll for me.

I was 100% enraptured with this book from the very beginning. I felt the connection between Oskar and Marco right from the start. Their tether, their bond was truly a thing of beauty. The author's prose was gorgeous as well. I felt the colors, I felt the feelings. I felt the angst and the burn, I felt the camaraderie and the desire between them. True Colors was a lovely read and I will be looking out for more in this series and more from this author!

True Colors was truly unique in some ways. I absolutely loved how the colors and what they represented were used, and what's even better, the design of titles were visually stunning (I can imagine that a paperback would be gorgeous).

Besides that, the characters and the development they went through was so good and captivating that the book was almost impossible to put down; I downright devoured it. There were so many characters who were easy to relate with and otherwise absolute sweethearts; Ben was just so nice, Elena so supportive, Zoe enthusiastic (and totally had a shipper heart), and Marco's family who were just so warm. And Oskar and Marco, oh did I love them, separate and together. Marco needs all the warm hugs and kind words because he's beautiful inside and out. He was deeply hurt and has a lot of trust issues. Oskar was a bit mystery at first but despite the mistake he made, he was a nice guy.

True Colors was a story of learning to forgive, learning to heal and to let go of the past. It was about friendship and enemies and the lines between those. It was about love and courage to be who you are, and accept yourself. In every way, the story was beautiful; at times it broke my heart, just to mend it back. It was so gorgeous because Marco and Oskar, and their relationship which was complicated, steamy, sweet, and just to stunning. I loved the book, most of the characters, and especially the relationship and the journey Marco (and Oskar) went through.

I highly recommend True Colors, because it was brilliant story that had everything; sadness, happiness, hate, love, frustration, fears and overcoming them, friendships and family dynamics.

I am soooo going to be in the minority with this one.

2 stars = it was ok.

The vibe I got from the first book made me a little reticent to give this one a shot, but then I thought about Leo Loves Aries and I just had to give this a chance. That was just about my most favorite book of 2016 after all.

I should have trusted my instincts.

I didn’t like this any better than I did Bottle Boys.

I honestly felt a clawing un-comfortableness through the majority of the book.

How come these boys don’t talk to their friends? Is this a cultural thing and I am just not getting it? I think they are college aged, yes? I am confused about the age thing.

Although the betrayal Marco felt was warranted and very, very real, I feel after a lifelong friendship it could have been argued out. So, I just had a hard time reconciling the hate and the distance. Plus, how long was it before Oskar left? It seems they were very young when they fell out but they have only been away from each other for 15 months. It also seemed that no one realized they weren’t friends anymore. How is that possible when they were inseparable? How is it that Marco spent all this time with Oskar’s sister Zoe but they never talked about Oskar? This all just didn’t make any sense to me.

Did no one know about the accident? The hiding of the scars was odd. Was it because of the betrayal from his youth? Why wouldn’t this have been something else to share with friends? Marco seems to have a pretty solid group of friends.

This was the icing on the already crumbling cake though. The boyfriend. I wish this could just be erased from the book because it made no sense in the larger picture of the book. Um…<spoiler>I came back for you.</spoiler> I kind of don’t believe you.

Unfortunately, like I said, I am totally in the minority with this one. It just didn’t sit well with me.

The ending was all kinds of pretty though, it just wasn't enough.

A moving,beautiful story,about best friends,who sadly become enemies.
tis story is about the journey to a better life,accepting what is done to you,and
move beyond that,to see the love is right in front of you.only if you let yourself.
heal.

The story between Marco and Oskar is full of angst, but also tenderness and a whole heap of love and hurt. It was an enjoyable read, but sadly not one of my favourites by this author, but still worth reading.

4.5 stars!

True Colors was one hell of an angst read. It was so different, unique, yet amazing that I was blown away. This is my second read by Anyta Sunday and will not be my last by any means. Oskar and Marco used to be best friends before Oskar destroyed it in a few minutes.

This is a story of how they were best friends but became enemies-to-lovers. It's not light at all and filled with so much emotions that you might even shed a tear for them. I certainly did. Their characters were awfully well developed for 20 year old's.

"What colors am I supposed to be?"
"All of them,Marco....you're all of them."

True Colors is a beautiful journey of family, love, and most importantly forgiveness. Even if you've never read M/M, I highly recommend this book. If you're looking for a different story, you'll like it!

I have received the book True colors of Anyta Sunday as an arc in exchange for an honest review. I would have bought it anyway and maybe I still do. I really enjoyed it.

The story is about Marco and Oskar, two boys who grew up as close friends in Berlin. The families of the boys are also very close to each other. Due to an unfortunate incident the friendship stops abruptly. For some time, Oskar lives in another city but he moves back to his parents' house after which Marco and Oskar are confronted with each other and their pasts again. Contact is almost unavoidable, particularly because the families have such a strong connection.

The story caught me from the beginning. It grabbed me and held me until the end. It developed slowly and it felt natural and real, as do the two main characters, their problems and the development between them and also the people around them. It kept me reading and it felt like it mattered to me what happened to them.

The use of colors, as mentioned in the title, was different from what I expected. It was really nice and for me contributed to the story.

True Colors is a lovely story of friendships,family,forgiveness and love

Marco is scared both physically and emotionally.He sees people and the world through colors,some are beautiful,some are not.

Marco and Oskar were best friends growing up together as neighbours.They could see each others bedrooms from across the street.They had a special bond until one day Oskar caused Marco pain and humiliation with a terrible betrayal.

Fifteen months later Oskar is back but Marco can't find it in himself to forgive him.However they are forced to face each other as they are both taking part in a play Marco's father is producing.The play has a special meaning as it was written by Marco's late mother.There are two endings,one tragic,one happy....but which one will Marco choose?

Marco keeps his body hidden,terrified of exposing his scars.He's never been intimate with anyone,keeping his sexuality a secret.

Starting their lives as friends,then becoming enemies this is a slow burn and rightly so.We only get Marco's pov but you can still feel the deep feelings Oskar has for him as they both try and get their friendship back on track.

This is beautifully written and has a kind of poignancy about it as they both admit to what they feel about each other.The use of the color theme was unique and worked so well.


Reds,for courage,strength,deterimation.
Purples for pride,dignity,independence,magic.
Greens for growth,hope,safety.
Sunglow Yellow.....


"What colors am I supposed to be?"
"All of them,Marco....you're all of them."

It took me something like 5 hours to read this book.
I've been waiting for something to get me out of my funk.
Most books can't deliver the slow burn, enemies to lovers, love through the ages, the tension, the angst, the connection that I crave when I pick up a book.

The connection is so so so bloody important to me. This is why I honestly hate anything with insta-lust or insta-love because you cant grasp that yearning feeling that I crave.

Anyta Sunday delivers this to me always. Sometimes I get really invested in her characters that I cry myself to sleep.... Rock... sometimes I get lost and don't realize that a whole day has gone by ... Lenny for Your Thoughts
Sometimes I start at its done in a blink of an eye.

But I always always know that when I read one of Sunday's books Im gonna enjoy myself.

Thanks for giving me what I yearn for.

Mare~Slitsread

Endearing characters and compelling story. Sweet and heart-warming.
Anyta Sunday does slow-burn like nobody out there. The hard work she put into this story is evident at all times, because the final product is a wonderful story about love and growth and second chances- not only for other people, but also about the importance of learning to give them to ourselves, being aware that taking the risk might lead to happiness. Loved every second of it.

True Colors follows Marco, a young man in Berlin on the precipice of growing up, who is unexpectedly reunited with his childhood best friend, Oskar. Marco and Oskar fell out years ago, but their families are hoping that a play they are putting on will help them rekindle their friendship. Over the course of the story, it is revealed why exactly they fell out, and the feelings they had, and may still have, for each other.

The thing with Anyta Sunday, is that if you've read one of her books, then you've read a few of them. She has a toolbox of tropes - poor communication/misconceptions, mutual pining, hidden feelings for years/since the characters met - and she definitely sticks to her favourites. All her stories have a voice, but after a while it appears to be quite a singular one.

This book is enjoyable, but I feel like I've read parts of it before. Anyta Sunday herself compared this to one of her other novels, Rock, which is one of my favourite works. There is definitely a basis for comparison here. Like Rock, there is a certain 'quirk' that the main character has. In Rock, the main character liked to collect rocks and knew lots of facts about them and their love interest also had some sort of interest in it because of them. In True Colors, the main character likes colours, and each day and person and feeling has a colour. Their love interest also knows the code and what each colour means and incorporates this into their interactions.
It's sweet, but I've read it before.

If you like standalone M/M stories with a happy ending (because you'll always find that in Sunday's stories) and angst interwoven throughout, then you'll like this. It is definitely a fun and easy read, but I was expecting a little bit more from it.

While I liked "Bottle Boys" fine, this second story in the series felt much more fleshed out and the connection more real.

Marco had been deeply hurt by the person he trusted most, so he wasn't entirely thrilled when Oskar finally returned to Berlin.

As a teen, Oskar made the most horrible mistake, mostly out of fear. But that mistake gutted Marco to the very core of his being.

But it was time to move on from past wrongs and forgive themselves in order to move on with their lives, so there were a lot of awkward situations and difficult conversations in this story.

Oskar was persistent, though, always seeming to show up when Marco least expected, or wanted him there. Some wounds can never heal, as Marco understood better than most, but some can, given enough time and care.

This was the story of two best friends, then enemies, putting in the work to get back what they'd once taken for granted and lost. Then transforming that friendship into something much deeper, something permanent.

Marco was such a sad, broken character, so it was a complete joy to see him eventually come to accept his physical and emotional scars, no longer allowing them to rule every aspect of his life.

Then we had Oskar, riddled with guilt over his cowardly betrayal of the person he loved most, right from the start, but he finally decided that he had to try and make things right. He remembered how happy he and Marco had once been, so he refused to give up on that without a fight. And fight he did.

With a couple of especially steamy scenes, this was a sexier read than I'd come to expect from Anyta and, let me tell you, she did not disappoint when the clothes went flying off.

The story wasn't overly angsty, but two characters did tend to make my blood boil on sight. Oskar's boyfriend, Jessie. Ugh. And 'Olivia.' Double ugh. Maybe triple, even.

This book overlapped the same timeline as "Bottle Boys," but I suppose it could be read as a standalone; however, I personally would not recommend reading this story until you'd first read book 1.

I'd rate this one at a very solid 4.25 *draw-me* stars and highly recommend it.

Another great slow-burn romance by Anyta Sunday, this time with a bit of angst.

Strong plot, likeable main and supporting characters and good writing style. I recommend this book, especially if you like slow-burn romances.
Even though this is part of a series it can be read as a standalone with no problem.

I liked that Marco and Oskar took their time in getting to know each other again and didn't jump into anything in a rush. That wouldn't have felt right considering their past.
The ending was a bit sappy and there were a few too sweet moments but I could just look the other way and keep enjoying the book.
And I really did enjoy it! Everything in their past was explained, realistic and believable. It took time and effort for Marco and Oskar to be able to overcome the issues they had. There was no magic solution. They had to really work to get over their past and rebuild their connection and friendship.

Also, I loved the way each chapter was named after a color! The story is told in Marco's point of view and he has the habit of thinking about people, situations, emotions and behaviors in colors. He basically catalogues the world around him in colors. It was very interesting to see the world through his eyes.

So, four stars from me and a recommendation to read it!

*ARC of this book was kindly provided to me by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I loved every second of this book. Literally. Every second.

Hmm, 3.5 stars would be more accurate. True Colors is interesting and well written, since Sunday is at her best when writing longer stories full of emotion and slow romance - just the way I like my books. The story takes place in Germany and in Berlin, if I'm correct. Marco and Oskar used to be best friends, but not so much anymore. Marco's mom died in a car crash and Marco has scars all over him being in the same car. This makes him insecure and unable to find love, since he thinks no one will accept him like this. Ugly. Oskar has his own problems and he comes back home and the guys end up getting closer because of circumstances such as the play in which they both act. The whole Berlin thing bothered me, since I've been there and it felt like a attribute without a meaning. Why Berlin? I wished for a reason. Also, you can walk to many places in Berlin and use the metro, so the need for a car felt weird. Most people in Berlin don't actually need one, since parking is made almost impossible. Nothing really made the city Berlin.

How old were Marco and Oskar? I liked them both, but they acted as if they were really young. It was kind of hard to keep track of time and there was a mentioning of iPad when Marco talked to his mom, but chronically it's not possible. The time and space kind of lacked, which made this hard to approach. The romance is quite cute, but the conflict felt slightly odd to make them not work. I kind of wished the "betrayal" had been deeper or at least bigger, since it felt kind of dumb in a sense. I didn't really get the play thing either, which was odd and what was the point of that either? It's role was left hanging in the air. I liked how our boys had to mend their friendship first to ever become lovers and how Marco needed to overcome his fears. I just love stories with HEA so much and the devotion and all, Sunday can surely deliver those. Trues Colors was good, but felt rushed which is a shame, since she can do better and perhaps more pages would've helped.

~4.5~

"Oskar sets his fingertips on the tablecloth, drawing my eye to the warm saffron-yellow checkers and reminding me for a breath-catching second that he used to be sunglow yellow. My happy, my everything. Now he's rust. Dark, burnt-orange rust. A color to throw away."


Marco associates people with colors. His friend Ben is turquoise, full of bright, vibrant energy. Oskar used to be sunglow yellow, but that was before. Marco is salmon, the color of cowardice.

The story begins with black. That was the color the day Marco's mama died. That day changed everything.

Marco carries scars on his body; he wears long-sleeved shirts even when it's scorching outside. He's never had a lover—he doesn't dare bare himself. There was only ever one boy for him. But that boy betrayed him, and their friendship turned to dust.

Marco is the first-person narrator of this story. This is more his story than Oskar's. It's Marco who needs to let go, who needs to forgive. His anger toward Oskar is all encompassing, and I understood it.

When Oskar moves back to Berlin, Marco's life turns inside out. He's good friends with Oskar's younger sister Zoe, who is thrilled at her brother's return and asks that Marco put aside his grievances for her sake.

Marco's dad expects Marco and Oskar to star in the play he's producing in tribute to his late wife. This is the final play she wrote before she died, and she envisioned Marco and Oskar as the leads—two pirates, once friends, now sworn enemies. Will one stab the other or forgive?

Marco isn't out, but Oskar is. Marco sees Oskar kissing a boy against a tree and runs.

Hate is just the flip side of love.

Anyta Sunday writes beautifully; her prose is simple but evocative. Every chapter is a color. And every color has a story.

The secondary characters—Zoe, Marco's patient papa and opa (a man of few words who's still as sharp as a tack), his friends Ben (who's pining after Sebastian; this book runs parallel to the first book in the series but CAN be read as a standalone) and Elena (who draws Marco like she sees him, scars and all)—are fully fleshed out.

True Colors is about fear and forgiveness and friendship. It's about first love, the one that sticks. This isn't a light story, but it ends with sunglow yellow. There is an epilogue and a frozen pond and messages in a bottle.

MB + OR

My happy, my everything.

I can't possibly give this story less than 5 stars...it really is something special.

True Colors is poignant and heartbreaking, but it's also uplifting and inspiring...a wonderful story about friendship and forgiveness. I was pulled in from the very first page, and I was hard pressed to put it down for any reason. I fell in love with everything Oskar and Marco...their families, their struggles and insecurities, their love for each other.

But it's not just the characters and plot that make this book special. Anyta Sunday is such a fantastic storyteller. The way the story is written feels fresh and original...it keeps you hooked from beginning to end and wanting more because it's just so. damn. good.

There are so many more things I could gush about, but you would do better to just read it for yourself. This one's going to stay close to me.

Sunglow yellow. The start of our story



"There’s a lot of things I’m not sure about. Things I’m still trying to work through. Will work through.
But the thing I know with absolute certainty?
Oskar and me? Our story didn’t start at hate."



I have no words how to explain how much I adored the this story.
Anyta Sunday did it again, playing with my heart, playing with my head, and how I loved the beautiful poetic prose this story brings.
Fear of his s own scars, of how Oskar will see him, destroyed their happiness to be with his soulmates, Marco let his anger rotten. And the way Marco dealt with his own regrets, made them separate for years. But love...sigh.. true love is strong and they're trying so hard to fight their hate, their own demons to reach their pending happiness again, the way they were back then.

This is a beautiful story, just like the author mentioned before, a healthy portion of angst (not much, really), and lots of happiness.

This is the story of acceptance, forgiveness and finding your true colors...Just like Marco and his colors, their life is full of colors and it started with a sunglow yellow...the color of Marco's hair...



"You were my first color.
My Happy. My everything."




SIGH.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!