Cover Image: Made For You

Made For You

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Member Reviews

I have elected not to read and review this book due to time constraints. Thank you for the opportunity.

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This is a sequel to Taboo for You (now retitled as There for You), but reads fine as a standalone. I chose it as my TBR Pile read for Reading Challenge Month because I really loved Taboo for You and, I enjoy reading stories set outside of my American experience. The setting here is New Zealand, a locale that has always held my interest.

Jack Pecker is a 39-year-old woodcrafts teacher at Kresley Intermediate School. He seriously dated a PE teacher at the school, but they broke up many years ago because Luke would not come out. However, Luke has now come out and is totally in love with his long-time neighbor, Sam. Luke and Sam are living in a house that Jack has been remodeling for them—with Jack. House-sharing in a remodel has been a way for Jack to keep his costs down, because he’s been saving for a beautiful villa to come on the market, and it’s nearly within his grasp. But listening to Luke and Sam’s amorous explorations through the walls morning, noon, and night is definitely wearing on Jack. Essentially, he needs a new project.

Challenge Month 2021Ben and Milo McCormick are orphaned brothers trying to overcome the intense grief of losing their parents in a car crash several months back. Ben is 24 and a fabulously out young man. He’s always been opinionated, and he was a student of Kresley Intermediate as a child, with some of the current teachers knowing him from those years ago. He’s raising Milo, who is also a wise-cracker, and a 7th grade student in Jack’s course. Jack and all the teachers deeply sympathize with the McCormick brothers and feel a bit of protectiveness, but they aren’t shy to point out when Milo’s behavior is unacceptable—there are not “free rides” so to speak. Ben wants to sell their family home and move to a more urban setting, but Milo is digging his heels in; he feels that leaving their home would make him lose his memories and connection to their parents. They’ve been staying in a cottage at the edge of the property since the accident and the house has languished. It needs refurbishment if it’s going to be salable—and wouldn’t it be grand if Jack would stay there, in the big house, while fixing it up? There’s a big problem, though, in that both Jack and Ben find the other attractive. And, that having a relationship with the caregiver of a student is frowned upon by the administration at Kresley, especially so if that caregiver is a younger, grieving, potentially vulnerable man like Ben.

Jack reluctantly agrees to fix up their house, with Ben using his inheritance money to fund the repairs and updates. Jack stays in the home, where he quietly works on the many projects Ben needs tackled, and he helps with meals and even babysits Milo so Ben can have a night out each week. Not that Ben wants to go out of dates with other men. He’s smitten with Jack, and that’s not changing. He’s honest about it, and Jack’s honest about his own interest, both men lamenting the timing and awkwardness of the school situation. Expect a slow burn.

I love how these three make such a great team. Jack is the firm hand that Milo needs, while Ben is all heart on his sleeve—trying his hardest, but having no parental skills. He was literally paying Milo for good behavior before Jack nipped that. Jack gets Milo doing the right things for the right reasons, and over the months it takes to refurb the house, they all build a deep connection to one another. Jack’s presence helps Ben overcome his phobia of the big house—and the remodeling goes a long way toward him experiencing his time there through a new, more hopeful lens. The tender and loving bonds they forge link Ben and Jack and Milo into the family experience Jack has longed for, and it’s so sweet and loving I was just captivated. Jack has family issues, since he was disowned way back when he came out. I love that we get to see the relationship build from both Ben and Jack’s POV, because Jack might have come off as stuffy if we couldn’t absorb his quiet humor and his unending patience.

There are some chosen family moments, with Luke and Sam and Sam’s son becoming friendly with Ben and Milo, through Jack. Jack having a family is the catalyst for him to get his dream house offer, but by then it’s the big house that has become his dream, as long as he has the love of the McCormick brothers to fill the rooms with joy. I really enjoyed this story, and am glad to check it off my TBR pile at last.

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Heartwarming. That's the only word to describe this book.

Everything about this book gave me warm and fuzzy feelings - how Jack and Ben fall for each other, how they care for Milo, how the three build a home together (both metaphorically and literally).

I felt for Ben. He was trying just so hard to hold everything together, and managing to do it too, despite what the school thought! Plus, his relationship with his younger brother was precious. They're certainly a rowdy pair, and completely devoted to each other.

When Jack enters the scene, he brings some order, and a lot better eating habits, along with him. But he fits so easily into the brothers' lives, despite their grumbling about fewer sugary drinks.

From the get-go, there's a live-wire connection between Ben and Jack. The workplace rules that force the two men to be on their best behavior just delay the inevitable.

But the result is what Anyta Sunday writes best - a slow burn with some killer UST. Kudos to the two for being able to resist the pull of all of the flirting and lingering glances.

And in the meantime, Jack and Ben slowly fall in love and create a life together without even realizing it. Every shared moment was a building block for their happy ending.

They were adorable.

The happy ever after, once the hurdles were squared away, was perfect for everyone! Highly recommended.

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I am a huge Anyta Sunday fan, and this book was no exception. She truly is the queen of the slow burn romance. I admittedly am quite partial to her “signs of the zodiac” series but this was a sweet read as well. I’ll continue recommending Ms. Sunday to everyone I know!

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I adored this book! I am a huge fan of Anyta Sunday, her books never fail to make me feel happy. Ben was such a hot mess, but he couldn't be more caring if he tried. I loved his relationship with his brother Milo and that he would do anything for him, or anyone that he loved. And then there was Jack, who was kind and charming and wants to find a home. Of course these three would make the perfect family and I loved watching their relationships develop. Another wonderful story from Sunday!

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This author is a favorite of mine and I always have high expectations for her books. This did not disappoint. I loved both of the MC's and I really felt for Ben as he struggles to be a parent to his brother. There were a lot of really touching moments in this and of course some of the author's trademark funny moments. Another win for me.


**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

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Title provided via Netgalley for honest review

Sometimes Anyta Sunday's titles are a hit or miss, especially when they fall under a "themed series". This one was most definitely a hit with me. I loved Ben and Jack - especially Jack. He was very much a strong and silent type of guy, which I absolutely loved. While this isn't a BDSM title, there were subtle flares of Dominance, and Discipline and I loved it.

Milo was a riot very sarcastic and much like his brother. Though one thing I will say, is that this also kind of reminded me of the famous TJ Klune's Bear, Otter, and The Kid title, which cannot be remade. His titles are one of a kind. So the one thing I had concerns about was a level of copycat-ism?? Still, entertaining nonetheless.

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One of my favorites by Anyta Sunday. She's the queen of slow burn and will remain one of my favorites for years to come. And this was no different at all

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This book was so adorable. I'm a total sucker for a long, slow burn, and Anyta Sunday knows how to deliver that so well. However, I'm not the biggest fan of age-gap romances which is present here.

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Made for You is my first read from Anyta Sunday, and if I were to be honest, I didn't know what to expect.

I haven't read many M/M Adult or New Adult romances and my experience has been limited to fanfics that I have read. To be honest though, I have read thousands of M/M fanfics from 2014 to 2018 that I feel like I have read all possible tropes.

I'm glad that I gave Anyta Sunday a chance because this book was an amazing read that I surely enjoyed!

Made For You told the story of 24-year old Ben, his 11-year old brother, Milo, and Jack, Milo's 39-year old woodwork teacher. This story involved an age gap romance between the two leads. What I loved about how Anyta wrote this is the angst-filled background due to the sadness of the brothers, while showing how strong their bond has been. The characters are so easy to love and the banter between them is very enjoyable. Harry Potter fans will love the references throughout the story. Fanta lovers will also go crazy on how the brothers are in love with this drink.

For an adult romance, this read is also not that steamy. There are hot scenes toward the end, but it is unlike most M/M books I've read before. The slow burn in this read is seriously slow, but the sexual tension and their banter will surely get you going. Don't worry about getting bored, because this book is still very entertaining, charming, and heartwarming.

This story is definitely a unique one and I enjoyed every bit of it. I am surely excited to read more of her works!

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Overall I really liked this story and loved that it developed a relationship between the two main characters. My only reason not to recommend is that it was a bit short and there was some choppiness to the story that should be worked out. Overall a pretty good read.

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I received this earc from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

Ben and Milo are brothers, who struggle with grief and moving on after the death of their parents in an accident. Jack is Milo's woodwork teacher, who dreams his dream house and decides to help the brother renovating their house. But living in close quarters with Ben makes bloom emotions he's not ready to deal with, because he fears for his job, his dream house and their age difference. Slowly but inevitably Ben, Milo and Jack start taking care of each other, cooking together, Jack helping Ben raising the 11 years old kid, aiding them through their grief and dealing with and surrending ti his own feeling, becoming a family.
I've read Happy for you by Anyta Sunday and it's was hard not comparing two books of the same series. Mort and Felix made an appereance in this book. Made for you is a lovely story, but I couldn't relate to its characters. I loved Ben's and Milo's relationship and how hard Ben worked to make their life work, but I couldn't connect with the romance. It felt a bit forced. Ben's attraction to Jack born almost out of the blue and they getting together was so weird I almost missed the shift in their relationship, from flirting and keeping distance to "We are boyfriends". It felt too rushed and not developed. How all Jack's fears, about his relationship with a caregiver, his dream house, (he dreamt about it for 8 years and then...nothing?), their age difference (16 years) disappeared suddenly. I didn't felt their yearning, like I felt reading about Mort and Felix. Ben's and Jack's romance, although lovely, seemed a bit cold for me.

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I adored this book!!! So far this is my favorite Anyta Sunday book!

I adored Ben and Milo and am in love with Jack. This story was beautiful, and once again Anyta Sunday has made me a fan of the slow burn.

I couldn’t put this book down, I read it in not even 48 hours. I loved it so much.

I am definitely venturing into this authors back list pronto!

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"Made For You" ist der zweite Teil in der "Love & Family"-Reihe. Ich kenne den ersten Teil noch nicht und hatte trotzdem keine Probleme damit, diesen Teil zu lesen. Diese Gay Romance wird abwechselnd aus den Perspektiven von Ben und Jack erzählt. Der Schreibstil ist sehr angenehm.

Ben hatte mich sofort um den kleinen Finger gewickelt. Er ist ein junger Mann mit einem - seinem Alter entsprechenden - losen Mundwerk, der nicht nur mit dem Verlust seiner Eltern zurecht kommen muss, sondern auch noch die Verantwortung für seinen Bruder Milo übernimmt. Er liebt Milo und gibt sein Bestes, doch von allen Seiten scheint er immer nur negative Kritik zu erhalten. Ich war sehr beeindruckt davon, wie Ben trotz seines jungen Alters mit dieser schwierigen Situation umgeht und mir hat es sehr leid getan, wenn er mal wieder an sich und seinen Fähigkeiten gezweifelt hat. Ben ist sehr ehrlich und spricht meist offen aus, was er denkt. Und er ist ein absoluter Vogelliebhaber. ^^

Jack ist in vielerlei Hinsicht das (perfekt passende) Gegenstück zu Ben. Er ist Ende dreißig, steht mitten im Leben und wählt seine Worte meist sehr durchdacht. Jack ist eher ein ruhiger Typ, der sich nach dem Ende seiner letzten Beziehung damit abgefunden hat, allein zu bleiben. Mir hat sehr gefallen, wie er mit Ben umgegangen ist; trotz des Altersunterschieds und der Tatsache, dass Jack Milos Lehrer ist, behandelt Jack Ben nicht wie ein Kind oder von oben herab. Er respektiert Ben für das, was er leistet und gibt ihm Hinweise oder Ratschläge, wenn es ihm notwendig erscheint oder Ben danach fragt.

Mir hat sehr gefallen, wie sich die Beziehungen zwischen den Dreien entwickeln. Jack gelingt es, die Konflikte zwischen Milo und Ben zu entspannen, und Stück für Stück schleicht er sich in ihr Leben. Die Annäherung zwischen Ben und Jack ist sehr süß, sehr humorvoll und kommt dabei ohne großes Drama aus. Die Geschichte ist insgesamt eher ruhig und fließt vor sich hin. Es gibt kaum dramatische Szenen und trotzdem wird man ans Buch gefesselt, da die Charaktere so liebenswert sind und man gespannt ist, wie sie die Konflikte, die sich ihnen in den Weg stellen, bewältigen werden. Der Sprung zwischen der Auflösung am Ende und dem Epilog ging mir ein bisschen zu schnell, ein paar Szenen hätte ich mir noch dazwischen gewünscht.

Fazit:
Eine sehr süße Gay Romance mit liebenswerten Charakteren, die ohne Drama auskommt. Sehr gute 4 Sterne.


In English:

"Made For You" is the second part of the "Love & Family" series. I do not know the first part yet and still had no problems reading this part. This gay romance is told alternately from the perspectives of Ben and Jack. The writing style is very pleasant.

Ben had immediately wrapped me around the little finger. He is a young man with a loose mouth, as according to his age, who not only has to cope with the loss of his parents, but also takes responsibility for his brother Milo. He loves Milo and does his best, but from all sides he always seems to receive only negative criticism. I was very impressed by how Ben, despite his young age, deals with this difficult situation and I was very sorry when he once again doubted himself and his abilities. Ben is very honest and usually speaks openly about what he thinks. And he is an absolute bird lover.

Jack is in many ways the (perfect match) counterpart to Ben. He is in his late thirties, is in the midst of life and usually chooses his words very thoughtfully. Jack is more of a quiet guy who, after the end of his last relationship, has come to terms with staying alone. I really liked how he dealt with Ben; despite the age difference and the fact that Jack is Milos teacher, Jack does not treat Ben like a child or from above. He respects Ben for what he does and gives hints or advice when needed or when Ben asks.

I really liked how the relationships between the threes develop. Jack manages to relax the conflicts between Milo and Ben, and little by little he sneaks into their life. The approaching between Ben and Jack is very sweet, very humorous and comes out without much drama. Overall, the story is rather calm and flowing. There are hardly any dramatic scenes and yet you are tied to the book because the characters are so adorable and you are curious how they will manage the conflicts that stand in their way. The jump between the resolution at the end and the epilogue went a bit too fast, a few scenes I would have wanted in between.

Conclusion:
A very sweet gay romance with lovable characters that does not require drama. Very good 4 stars.

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One of my favourite romance authors, this book didn't disappoint. Great characters and a wonderful romance.

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FIVE INCREDIBLE BIRD LOVING STARS

This book made me smile, swoon, laugh out loud and cry! What a sweet, sweet story.

A year after their parents' death, Ben is the soul caregiver to his younger brother, Milo, and hilarious and foul-mouthed eleven year old. Ben was just like him at age eleven, but can no longer afford the luxury at twenty-four (though he is still just as foul-mouthed). Ben is hanging on by a thread when he meets Jack, Milo's older, and ruggedly handsome woodworking teacher.

When Jack finds himself living in Ben and Milo's house for free in exchange for fixing the house up for sale, he and Ben fight the ever increasing attraction they have for one another, since it would be extremely unprofessional for a teacher to engage in a relationship with a student's caregiver... their much younger than his 39 years caregiver.

What ensues is joining these two strong men and one strong-willed child as they maneuver through what life throws at them. I loved this so much. It was so full of heart and humor. Seriously, the writing and the banter was hilarious! I found myself laughing out loud more than once (many times). You just want so much good for these people.

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Ughhhh... I’m so bummed! I was having a hard time connecting with this book!!! I really enjoyed Taboo For You! I loved Sam and I really enjoyed Jeremy!
But this book... just didn’t grab me. It took me days to read. I didn’t feel any sexual chemistry between the main characters. And I struggled with Milo’s character.

I liked Ben’s character. Jack I felt could’ve loosened up a little bit. It took a really long time for anything to happen with them. And I hated the reason why Jake kept Ben at arms length for a good chunk of the book. It was unbelievable.

Their was no policy in Jacks job that prohibits him from being with Ben. It was all unnecessary.
The ending was ok. I just wish it was a little more like that throughout this book.

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Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange of anew honest review (which they always are but like we might as well stay it)

I have to say this is an adult novel and contains explicit scenes, so beware if that's not your cup of tea !

I went into this after reading the description, it really intrigued me. This story is both fluffy and heart wrenching, we follow two points of views through the novel. The first one Ben a charming young adult in his early twenties doing his best to raise his younger brother Milo, and couple of years after the death of their parents. They live in the little joint house by the side of the house they used to lived with their parents. The second, is Jack a young (still 16 years older than Ben) Carpenter teacher at Milo's school, he is kind and funny, his dream is to buy and renovate the Villa of his dreams.

This story truly takes off when Jack volunteers to renovate the brother's house, he is determined to keep things professional even though he is undoubtedly attracted to Ben. Of course Ben is flirtatious, and deeply attracted to Jack, though he respects his boundaries and they become friends.

Jack is also loving this little family of two, it's a little look into what he's always wanted and doesn't think he'll find; Jack also has a sad past, he was disowned by his family for being gay.

This novel was a true surprise, I wasn't expecting to fall so deeply in love with the hilarious bird loving brother dynamic and the deeply touching romance that was into this. It was the perfect mix of choosing to be happy, learning that sometimes love is unexpected and that dreams can change.

Milo was what really got me hooked from the beginning he is HILARIOUS, I loved how he kept trying to make his brother not sell the house, while he is a troublemaker at school due to his sarcasm and humoristic comments. This causes trouble at parent-teacher meetings for Ben, he feels like he is failing his brother and isn't raising him right, this is the root of his problem, he isn't grieving as much as he should be because he feels overwhelmed by everything.

This story was perfect in both happy, loving, melancholic and sad moments. I loved the friendships that were in this book Sam and Luke were just so endeering, amazing friends and I loved the portrayal of ex-boyfriends not being toxic and still becoming best-friends.

READ THIS NOW!

I cannot stress this enough..



5/5 stars



-Bookarina

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Honestly? I loved this book!

It was sweet and easy with a great sense of humor and just the right amount of emotions.
Sometimes it was a bit fast paced but that's the only negative thing I can say.

I would totally recommend it.

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I stumbled across this on NetGalley, and I am so glad that I was approved. Ben, Milo, and Jack are such adorable characters. I loved their story and the plot of this. The dynamics they faced, although not as hard-hitting as some I have read, was still challenging and handled well. I enjoyed reading about their adventures and their bird watching. Ben was so goofy at times I laughed aloud. This was a little more slow burn than I am used to reading though and it took time for me to get into the build. I have two issues with this overall: 1. I felt like there was a communication barrier at times that didn't need to be there or that it was happening off-page, which lead to some confusion. 2. The writing itself was a little choppy at times which also made me feel like there were tiny snippets missing from the story as I read it. With that being said, it was still an enjoyable experience and I look forward to reading more in the series.

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