Cover Image: Pisces Hooks Taurus

Pisces Hooks Taurus

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was such a fun book! Anyta Sunday writes well rounded and fun characters that you just end up loving.

Zane as a person was an absolute wild ride and I would probably hate him in real life, but I love him in book form. Good thing we have Beckett to even things out and keep Zane in some check.

These books are such feel good books. Although there are some twists and turns, you just know there will be a happy ending.

Was this review helpful?

This was such a simple take on marriage of convenience that honestly stands apart solely because of how amazing each and every character in the cast was to read about.

When we meet Zane, he's being kicked out of the place where he lives, doesn't have another place to go and calls his brother to help him out in the exact time that his sister in law is giving birth. We come to understand that he only has another month left before his visa expires and he needs to go back home to New Zealand - and away from his favourite brother.

The home that he ends up staying in belongs to Becky--Beckett--who used to date Zane's sister in law's brother. It immediately sets up a small world kind of feeling, but I promise that it works.

These two characters are about as different to each other as is possible. Beckett is I think a decade older than Zane. He's a professor, where Zane struggled with anything other than his art. I think it's mentioned that Zane has dyslexia actually, but he just thinks of himself as dumb. Beckett is gay and, while Zane is incredibly comfortable with forming a bromance between them--to the point where it's impossible to remember that he's not out as bisexual, honestly--he's never considered himself being with another man.

The interplay that these aspects cause between these two incredibly soft hearted people is just wonderfully warm.

Every book needs an antagonist, and Zane's sister in law's brothers infrequent appearances gives that in a light way without him turning into a stereotypical moustache twirler. He's just a guy who made a big mistake and is pretty sorry about it by the end.

Honestly, I loved this one beyond all reasonable expectations.

Was this review helpful?

This is the fourth book in a series, but easily enjoyed on it's own.

Zane is a 23 year old New Zealander looking to extend his US travel visa...indefinitely. Through marriage. See, his elder brother Jacob is married to an American girl, and their first child is just being born. Zane has felt most-closely connected to Jacob and he wants to remain in the US to be the doting uncle his newborn niece will need. It's not like Zane has a steady job, or even a college education--like his brothers. Nope, Zane is a secondary school drop-out and is living off a bit of inheritance while drawing panels for a comic series. Zane definitely seems to admire smart people, even as he accpets that he--himself--will never be counted among them.

Couch surfing in the area of his brother's home turns into a bit of a tough prospect as he's summarily shut out of the place he'd been crashing in favor of a renter's relative. He leans a bit on Jacob's social circle and is put in touch with Becky--whom Zane quite wishes to woo for lodgings to last at least until he finds a suitable marriage prospect, or has to return to New Zealand at the end of the month. Zane is big on the wooing, since he also wants to find a woman to marry him. Perhaps Becky could be the one for him!!

And, that's yet another of Zane's misunderstandings in life. Because Becky is a tender nickmane his sister-in-law gave her dearest childhood friend: Beckett Fisher, college literature professor, and out gay man. Beckett is indeed a savior, of sorts, lending a futon in his attic to Zane for a week--just until his own sister arrives. THen Zane will have to move on--unless he can convince Beckett to share his own bed with him.

It's not as sordid as it sounds, in truth. Zane is a happy-go-lucky Pisces, charming all and sundry, except the women he hopes might fall madly and deeply for him. Beckett is a wounded Taurus, whose marriage to a beautiful young man--Luke--dissolved rather shortly after it began. And, he's been celibate for going on five years now as a result. Zane is captivated by Beckett in a platonic Bromantic way--and wants to help heal the pain of Beckett's divorce. He's also blown away by how intelligent and kind Beckett is, not to mention handsome; at their first meeting, Zane assumed Beckett was a cougar's model boytoy. Oh the laughs when he learned they were mother and son...

Zane does manage to convince Beckett not to toss him out once his flighty sister arrives--and Zane is a mite oblivious to Beckett's rising tension regarding dates and connecting with Beckett's beautiful sister. But, Zane is laser focused on helping BEckett out of his slump--and it takes a few weeks before Zane recognizes that his bromantic feelings may not be completely platonic after all. In fact, they might be downright romantic.

This is a sweet, odd couple slow burn romance with an innocently oblivious man--Zane--awakening to his newly bicurious side. Beckett is as stalwart as he can be, but the attraction for him began from the meet-cute, much to his chagrin. Beckett has spent years telling himself that love is a sham, and he'll never marry again, and he's hooked by Zane's odd and sometimes goofy gestures of connection. They both enjoy a quieter pace of life, and their habits of life dovetail well, with Beckett being reserved, but generous and Zane being gregarious, yet easily intimidated by intellect. I liked how they built a cooperative friendship before anything physical happened. Also, it was important that Zane made the first moves, because Beckett wasn't able--not with giving up on love. And certainly not falling for a straight man! There are a couple of fun side characters, Darla, Beckett's elderly neighbor who makes the horoscope predictions that keep Zane on the hunt for his love, and Beckett's oldest friend--a big buff man Zane calls "Books for Breakfast"--because he's so intelligent and intimidating, and whom Zane mistakes for having a crush on <em>his</em> Beckett.

With the growth of their friendship, Beckett and Zane both lower their defenses, and Zane does manage to charm Beckett. But the return ticket date is quickly approaching, and Beckett won't be down for a quickie wedding. It's a good thing that life is long, and a decision quickly made can portend a whole lifetime of happiness. They take the time to make the best, and right, choices for one another, even if it means temporary separation. The Pisces did hook the Taurus, folks, and they lived happily ever after.

Was this review helpful?

This wasn't my favorite of this series. I felt it was considerably inferior in quality to its predecessors. The story, while engaging, was fleshed out in quite a simple manner. The premise was good, but the excecution didn't live up to it.

The characters: while I enjoyed Beckett's character arc, and Darla was indeed a darling, I just couldn't connect with Zane. Ever. I felt he was a bit of a weak character to carry on the story. It would have been much more interesting (and it would have made the slowburn much more worth it) if Beckett had been at the center of it all. As it was, for all the work that was put into bettering himself, Zane ended up focusing on all the wrong things- and his character development was little more than microscopic. With everything, I had a bit of trouble getting invested in the relationship- don't get me wrong, I love opposites attract as much as the next girl, but in this case, the differences between the characters were based on things I personally think it's hard to get past- not a deal breaker, exactly, but not as smooth an obstacle as these two made it seem.

And even though I've always consider Anyta the queen of slow-burn, in the case of this story I can't even say that this aspect was a saving grace because, for the way the story was developing, the pace was off and it made the ending rushed and with less meaning for me.

Listen, Anyta Sunday is one author I respect one hell of a lot, nobody, trust me, is sadder, more upset and disappointed at this turn of events. But this gets three stars from me, even though the actual rating leans more towards two, mainly because it's her.

Was this review helpful?

Recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review at NetGalley!

This was such an adorable read, i had this goofy grin on all the way through the book now my mouth hurt. thank you very much! I fell in love with Beckett and Zane so many times i've lost count of it. They were witty, funny, serious, adorable and so many many more adjectives. This was a book i'd love to read again and again to relive their relationship. I just laughed so many times and i can't even stop smiling! I feel like a fool in love, much like Zane. Haha! The only slight negative thing i have to say is - I wish there was more! I realize it might be short-stories with them, but i want more books with Zane and Beckett, do they get children? do they get a house? cat? dog? a farm? I want more damnit!
This will deff - be a reread! Nothing bad to say about this one.

Was this review helpful?

I do love Anyta Sunday's stories and her HEAs are perfect (the butterflies in the stomach kind, of course)! Signs of Love is a great series and the books feel like a whole. Pisces Hooks Taurus is about Zane, who's in the US to find love and get permanent visa. His brother has a baby and the guy wants to help out. He ends up bunking at an older professor's place (not that old gladly). Beckett is insanely intellectual and nice and soon these two enjoy bromance, since Zane likes girls and Beckett bats for the other team. Feelings grow and the looming return to home spooks behind every corner... The beginning of the book is slightly slow and it takes time to set the story, but soon it's all flames!

I have somewhat hard time grasping Zane, since his personality was all over the place and hard to perceive. Beckett was more easy and complex at the same time - I adored him a lot and Sunday managed to blow life into him amazingly. Perhaps I wished Zane wasn't so hazy in a sense, since their relationship was somewhat unbalanced at the beginning mostly though. Also, it's great that the characters from all the books know one another, but it also doesn't feel credible that they all are gay. Why do I wish for credibility? Because Sunday does it well always. The ending is perfect and not rushing the wedding was the best choice. Now Sunday dear, give us an enemies-to-lovers story, since it would work well with these!

Was this review helpful?

"We are all fools in love" ~Jane Austen

I am not a fan of slow burn romance BUT few of my book friends have been , for a while now, talking and raving about what a good read is Pisces Hooks Taurus .

Of course, I had to take some action , right ? Yes!

So , call it peer pressure or/and because , I am 😍 a Pisces and we Pisces always stick together. 😜 I began reading this book , and the only thing I am sorry about it's that I didn't read this fantastic and funny book sooner.

Pisces Hooks Taurus by Anyta Sunday is a lovely and fun book to read.

The delightfulness ,the banter , the humour, the overall feel good and the spontaneity of this tale made feel happy and content. I think I highlighted almost half of the book .

This is one of those books that you will read time and time again ; because you fell in love with the characters and don't want to let them go.

I just reviewed Pisces Hooks Taurus by Anyta Sunday. #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

This was really fun and entertaining. I loved the characters and how the romance developed. It is sometimes hard to find romance stories in were you actually like both characters and Anyta Sunday always seems to write books about people who feel real. I especially enjoy that there is never some traumatizing event to create tension or explain someone’s illogical behavior. I will always pick up her books because they are fun and make me happy.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book of the series. Zane was fresh and exciting. I loved his relationship with Beckett from the beginning. It was obvious to the reader that Beckett had a thing for Zane from the beginning and it was great watching Zane do and say things to fluster Beckett. I have loved the theme of one of the characters in almost every book of this series being completely oblivious to the fact that they love the other character. And you can't even blame them for being oblivious because they are so caught up in the wonderful friendship between the two and its beautiful. It's so great that Zane falls in love with Beckett as a friend first and then as a romantic partner. I'm a sucker for someone falling in love with personality and building that relationship before realizing they are in love with the person. It makes the relationship progression feel so real. Don't get me wrong sometimes insta-love is good and done well, but there is something about watching their interactions before they realize how deep they are.

Was this review helpful?

What's not to love? I've read all the books so far in this series and I've never been disappointed.

I have a confession to make. I love 'hot professor' romances. This one is a nice slow burn, which I didn't know I liked until I read this and the other books in the series. I get a little impatient waiting for that realization to dawn and for that first kiss, but wow, I'm just hooked! It's so worth the wait!

There's a tiny bit of angst balanced with humor, heat, and fun. Their love story is touching, and the way the characters mature through the story is so well-done.

What's more, the supporting characters in these books are fun and relatable and they manage to capture my attention. And we got to see babies, the ultimate happy ending for one of our other series couples! Awww!

That's another thing I love about this series--that we get updates on the couples from the other books. More, please! I want to read more in this series!

Will update with links once available.

Was this review helpful?

This book did not disappoint! I absolutely loved books one through three and was so excited I got the opportunity to read book four. Everything about this series and the epilogues are exactly what I look for with LGBT romance books. The queen of slow burn!!

Was this review helpful?

This is book four in a series named ‘Signs of Love’ and it was such a delightful little love story! The other books are ‘Leo Loves Aries’ and ‘Scorpio Hates Virgo’, followed by ‘Gemini Keeps Capricorn’. “Pisces Hooks Taurus” is the only book from the series that I’ve read and I was happy to have read it as a stand alone.

Although I would say that this novel is light, funny and uplifting, it also has strong themes centred around recognising vulnerabilities and personal improvement.

Anyta Sunday’s character development was really good. Zane was very offbeat and unique and also pretty likeable. Beckett, so well drawn by the author, was quieter, more down to earth and reliable. Their romantic adventure was wonderfully charming and amusing. Much of banter between them had me laughing-out-loud on many occasions.

There were many things that were fantastic in this book. As well as the beautiful character detail, there was the slow-burn romance, the humour and the innuendo.

For me, Anyta Sunday showed such talent in this inspiring and delightful tale. This is my favourite kind of romance - one written with imagination and with real characters who, though flawed, gradually develop a real connection with each other.

I really loved the story and the journey on which I was taken throughout “Pisces Hooks Taurus” and I was rooting for Zane and Beckett from the offset. Though there was sexual tension and a touch of eroticism, this was nevertheless, a classic romance that was deeply enchanting and so full of truth that I didn’t want it to end.

Thank you, Anyta Sunday. This was a great read and so extremely worthwhile. 

[Thanks to NetGalley and the author, Anyta Sunday, for my free ARC of Pisces Hooks Taurus in exchange for an honest review.]

#PiscesHooksTaurus #NetGalley

Was this review helpful?

For the most part, I enjoyed this, but I have to admit that I don’t find Zane and Beckett as interesting as Theo and Jamie, my favourite couple in this series. One thing against this paring was the pretentiousness that took place throughout the story (i.e. the constant book references and word games). I know Beckett and Zane were, in actuality, just joking about being pretentious, but I still found it annoying to read. To be honest, I kept rolling my eyes at all the Mr. Darcy comparisons. But that’s just me!

Other than that, Zane and Becket were quite cute. I really liked how they influenced each other. Zane ended up “healing” Beckett’s broken heart, helping him become less jaded while Beckett helped Zane achieve his dream of writing his own comic and in the process helped Zane build some of his confidence. I was also surprised by how un-rushed their relationship felt— considering it took place within only a month! Felt more like a slow burn to me even though they had an immediate connection.

All in all, this story is worth a read for sure.

Was this review helpful?

I love love love this series!

Because of personal reasons I love Scorpio Hates Virgo best (that I will talk about in a review after rereading it) but Pisces Hooks Taurus is a close second.

I think this might be the most fun and light-hearted one? At least for now.
The characters' chemistry is so strong and thanks to this book my love for words and languages got stronger than ever.

I especially enjoyed Becky. And his journaling. I actually got my old journal out of my shelf because of him. I would love to wax poetic about him and Zane but I can't without spoilering you. So go and read Pisces Hooks Taurus and then come talk to me about it! Because I can just tell you that there's fluff, fun, and fucking perfect wordplay as foreplay here.

Last Words: If you're only able to buy three books this month? Consider putting this on your list.

Was this review helpful?

We have a hopeless romantic and naive Zane and the cynical recent divorcee Beckett. It was a great dynamic. I loved Beckett and his love of words and literature. I loved Zane and his love of arts and comics. It was the best of both worlds for this gay geeky English major.

I loved their banter. Sunday is great with dialogue in these books. I can't get enough. It's part of the factor that gets you rooting for her characters and falling in love with them on the page. Watching their instant bromance and eventual romance was amazing.

It slow burned me to death, though. This happens in a lot of M/M romance and it's something I deal with because the pay off is usually somewhat worth it. It's so worth it in the end for this one. When Zane stops being so oblivious. There are so many moments I could not handle in the last 30% of this story.

There are things I highlighted on my kindle in this one which is not something I usually do honestly. There were just a lot of moments that took me by surprise writing-wise. I think it's most definitely time to finish the two books in this series I haven't got to yet because I want more.

Loved the cameo we get from some previous characters. Could have done without how often Beckett's ex comes into the story. Overall enjoyed it all so much. It was a book that made me feel good in the end. I think I'll be buying the full set eventually because I love the covers too.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars

Probably the strongest book in the series.

Don't expect angst, don't expect slow burn - expect an easy read, cozy romance with an unexpected couple.

He's a kiwi Chris Helmsworth look-alike (hunky, blonde, academically challenged).
He's a paler version of Alex MacKensie (ginger, secretly buff, professor...and academically identified).

He's younger.
He's been there with a younger man and doesn't want it again.

He's not all that straight -- which I find REFRESHING since there are so many with so much angst about their honest response to attraction. I thought this book was going to (once again) stick to the script (like the first book) with denial drama. This one didn't. Thank god.
He's never been straight -- and I liked the fine line of the reticence of being someone's first matched up with why he wouldn't want to play that role given his history. It could have gone into bi-phobia but it didn't.

He's consistently boffing things up.
He's consistently regimented.

He's word-challenged.
He's word-gifted.

They find a nice balance together. It shouldn't work. It's a little ridiculous. But it is also really lovely.

I just got to say on this slow-burn thing. I mean, it's her tagline and she has, on occasion with some of her standalone novels, nailed it. But in this series? No. I mean, I never get it. It's off, off, off, off, and when it turns on it's instant. Like one person says 'oh...hey you want coffee?' and the other says 'yes, I'll marry you' while undressing.

It's fine. This is why there are cozy, romance books. I mean, for goodness sakes, don't give me realism. For example -- a tangent -- I just watched West Side Story last night (First time -- I know!) and in 48 hours (and very little of that time is face-to-face) the two lovers meet, imprint on each other, transcend loyalties to their community, have a secret priestless wedding...but only just before he kills her brother and when they see each other again, it takes all of 30 seconds for him to forgive him and presumably descend into passionate love-making in her bedroom (well, his shirt was off. and it was 1961.) before they are awakened by cops and make plans to run away from their families with each other. You know. Because a day-and-a-half has happened.

And, yes, I know it is a tragedy but the point stands.

Not slow-burn and totally acceptable to suspend one's disbelief in context.

Not that this series is the West Side Story of the romance world. It isn't. But I found it enjoyable nonetheless.

If there was anything I didn't like? There is a lot of repetition -- cycling through the same details, using the same phrasing. Like the others, the astrology is forced in that it is used too strongly to make a point but also in the arm-chair astrologist description of signs. I'm not into astrology all that much but if I were, I think it could have been played more subtly and perhaps with a bit more information behind it. I dunno. The concept is a cute one but it falls into the trap of feeling it has to justify the theme. And it doesn't.

Read this when you're craving bonbons and bubbles of any kind.

Was this review helpful?

I'm not sure why, but it took me a few chapters to get into this book, but once I did I loved it.

Like the other books in the "Signs of Love" series, this is a slow burning romance, with Zach trying to hook his Mr Darcy, Beckett, a university literature lecturer. The book references and word play throughout the story are great fun.

I loved this story, and as always can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Was this review helpful?

Pisces Hooks Taurus is the fourth book in the Signs of Love series by Anyta Sunday. While it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone, I really love this series and highly recommend reading it for the full picture of the secondary characters and how everyone relates to each other. Not needed to adore this book, but so worth it.

Zane has it all planned out: fall in love, and live happily ever after. Should be simple enough if he put his mind to it. A little creativity and some thinking outside of the box, and voila, he’d be married to the woman of his dreams. It would be perfect, and it would be before his visa ran out.But why are his feelings running wild now that the pressure’s on? Why is his picture-perfect plan turning into a muddled mess of morphed metaphors he can’t make sense of anymore?Just as well he’s met an English professor to help. And even though their first meet is anything but cute, this down-to-earth teacher may just be the realist Zane needs to ground him and give him a shot at love after all.

Pisces Hooks Taurus is exactly what fans of the author and the series picked up this title looking for, and exactly what will make new readers fans. The characters are real, they have flaws and issues like the rest of us. The characters are not always swift to figure out their own minds or wants, never mind the emotions of those around them, and they muddle through towards finding their happiness. Zane doubts himself and is struggling to find his self worth, and a way to stay near his brother and new niece. He wants love and family, but things do not seem to be going the way he hoped. Beckett (Becky) is still reeling from a divorce and not quite ready to trust again. The pair fumble their way forward, making mistakes and trying to find their own ways forward. Like in real life family, complications, and misunderstandings mix with lovely moments as Zane and Becky work their way towards something real and lasting. I grinned through most of the book, as clueless comments and clever wordplay entertained me, and the story warmed my heart.

Pisces Hooks Taurus is a delightful slow burn with realistic characters and well written interactions. I really have enjoyed everything I have read from this author, and have just downloaded a few more to my Kindle to read.

Was this review helpful?

I love Anyta Sunday's horoscope romances, and this one was no exception. A fun, funny and heartfelt read.

Was this review helpful?

Title provided via Netgalley for an honest review.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS! I'm not a fan of horoscopes exactly, so when I first started reading the series it was maybe once book 2 or 3 came out. I don't know why I waited because each book I've increasingly loved more. This one I particularly liked because I am a Taurus and I really relate to Beckett (BECKY lol).

What I love about Anyta Sunday's titles are that she makes her characters flawed in a way that you can't really see in many other characters from other stories. They are flawed in such a human way that when the characters become a couple it flows so naturally and doesn't seem forced. Zane is an airhead, freespirit, and an all-around romantic. He has a hard time with living expenses and life in general because it doesn't like the artistic types, but he wholeheartedly believes in his work and in true love.

I absolutely loved watching Zane be so Zane to Beckett. I know a person who married a girl pretty similar to Zane. She was his Manic Pixie Dream Girl, and the guy is the King of Bulls and stubbornness. So I really really enjoyed this series so, so much. Anyta does a really spectacular job of making her characters real in a way that is super hard to find. The only other author I can immediately think of who does this is TJ Klune, so high compliments there.

This is a slow burn fully of quirky Pisces and shy, but strong and dependable Taurus situations that just make you devour the book at an amazing speed.

5+ stars in my book, absolutely.

Was this review helpful?