Sweetest Taboo A novel Eva Márquez 9781478136811 Books
Download As PDF : Sweetest Taboo A novel Eva Márquez 9781478136811 Books
Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college, everything had fallen apart. This hadn’t been an ordinary love, though. Not a love between two dear friends, or even high school sweethearts. This had been the most taboo sort of love there was a relationship between a student and her teacher. Isabel started her high school career as a normal student, but set her sights on Tom Stevens as soon as she met him, and pursued him with an intense – and sometimes reckless – fascination. When he finally approached her after swim practice and told her that he shared her feelings, it was the start of a forbidden and dangerous relationship. Join Isabel as she makes her way through this dark love story, hiding from teachers, lying to her parents, and defying the authorities to make a life with the man she loves. Watch as she discovers the wonders of love and romance, and the terrible betrayal of jealous friends. And cry with her when she learns the hard truth about life and the people in her world. Sweetest Taboo is inspired by the true and tragic stories of students who fall in love with their teachers, and live with the hard truths of forbidden romances. In a world full of after-school specials on sexual predators, this touching book seeks a different path, casting both student and teacher in a gentle light, and showing that true love may lie at the base of even the most illicit romance. Sweetest Taboo is Book One of a contemporary YA romance series. Book Two, Tainted Love, is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2003.
Sweetest Taboo A novel Eva Márquez 9781478136811 Books
Having just read Good by Summer Walden I am totally into the whole teacher student forbidden romance genre and thus, I had such high hopes for this book. In my opinion this book really felt short because I didn't feel romance, actually I didn't feel anything except a mild discomfort, you know the sensation when something just wasn't right. Sweetest Taboo started out pretty engaging and typical of books of this theme. Isabel, a 15 year old high schooler, developed a crush on her 30 something swim coach Tom Stevens. To me the most important element to a good story is good build up and character developement. I feel like the author didn't show us the build up of their relationship through good story telling but rather, it was told to us through Isabel's inner monolog. The huge age difference didn't matter to me going into the book but it became apparent midway through that Tom was...creepy for lack of a better word ( not to mention the author sprung on me that Tom had a nicely groomed goatee when it was too late for me to stop). I didn't read about any heart warming / caring/ swoon worthy interactions between then two and definitely didn't feel the chemistry or connect with the characters. But I do vividly remember cringing when Tom asked Isabel to hang out with him in his bed that him and his wife shared while she took the kids on a short trip..yes he is married with kids.All in all, I did go in with an open mind but this book just didn't work for me. I won't be reading the sequel, which has yet another cliffhanger!
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Tags : Sweetest Taboo: A novel [Eva Márquez] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Isabel Cruz was fifteen years old when she met Tom Stevens. She was 15 when they started dating, and 16 when she lost her virginity to him. By the time she turned 18 and went to college,Eva Márquez,Sweetest Taboo: A novel,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1478136812,Adult & contemporary romance,Fiction - Romance,Fiction Romance Contemporary,Romance - Contemporary
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Sweetest Taboo A novel Eva Márquez 9781478136811 Books Reviews
Bottom line
Intense, controversial story. Challenges what is considered the societal norm, and is probably not for everyone. Read with an open mind.
Premise
Isabel Cruz, 15, meets swimming coach and teacher, Tom Stevens (mid-thirties). The two engage in a long affair spanning a few years.
Reactions
I enjoy controversial books, especially those that try to make a distinction between "illegal" and "wrong". Eva Marquez artfully dances on both sides of the line.
In this case, Isabel is far from the victim. She decides to pursue Tom early on, though Tom isn't innocent either. Instead of gently discouraging her pursuit, he encourages her and arranges for many secretive meetings. Both of them choose to be in this relationship, for better or worse, with a seemingly full understanding of the consequences.
From the description, some may conclude that this book is erotica, exploring a particular fetish. This is not the case. The sex scenes are limited and tasteful, only doing what's necessary to move the story forward.
For the most part, Ms. Marquez does a wonderful job of keeping the story intense. Most of the story happens in Isabel's head, so be prepared to spend a few days exploring the mindset of a 15-year-old girl--it's less driven by action and more by how Isabel feels.
Room for improvement
I wanted to see more thoughts about the difference between something that's illegal and something that's wrong. The part that's wrong with most student and teacher relationships is the difference in power--teachers are supposed to be trusted adults who won't take advantage of their students.
In this case, Tom wasn't directly in power over Isabel--though he was the head coach, he didn't decide whether she swam or in what order. Though he was a teacher, he wasn't her teacher. It might have been interesting for Isabel to see an article or news segment on another relationship. How would she have reacted? Would she have judged them? Would she have sided with them? It's an interesting concept that wasn't really covered.
Tom becomes unlikeable when it's revealed that he's married with kids. Even that is potentially forgivable--divorces happen, and that comes from unhappy marriages--but when he decides to take Isabel's virginity in the bed he shares with his wife, that crossed a line for me. Even though his wife is out of town, he could have reserved a hotel room to hide his relationship with Isabel from the neighbors and avoid this even bigger betrayal.
I simply couldn't buy the subplot with James. Isabel would come off of one scene completely in love with Tom, yet her only motivation in liking James was that other girls were attracted to him. The author was too successful in making James unlikeable, so I had trouble believing that Isabel would agree to dating him (and leading James to the potential for more).
The last 25% of the book slowed way down--spending a lot of time telling the reader exactly what Isabel was thinking. It wasn't as engaging as the beginning, and could have been trimmed down significantly without losing the story. That said, the rest of the book makes this worth reading. There's an interesting twist at the end that opens the possibility for a sequel...and since there is a sequel, I expect it will be just as good.
5 Stars. Sweetest Taboo is a fictional memoir about Isabel Cruz, a fifteen year-old high school student, and her illicit affair with a married teacher, the coach of her high school swim team, Tom Stevens. I am unsure even how to categorize this book - it is not a traditional romance nor is it even young adult. What I found very profound and interesting was that Sweetest Taboo addresses the topic of a student/teacher relationship from the student's point of view, and allows the reader to actually understand that there can truly be love found in this type of illegal relationship.
The relationship between Tom and Isabel is not easy for them. Tom is married and has two children. Isabel struggles with the knowledge that although Tom proclaims he does not love his wife, that his wife is a glorified roommate, he still returns home to her daily and falls asleep next her every night. Tom also gives no indication that he plans to leave his wife for Isabel, even though he proclaims he truly loves her, and that she is his sweetheart.
Beyond that, the relationship between Tom and Isabel is very illegal, Tom being in his late 30's, Isabel begins the story at age 15. They must constantly be on guard to keep their relationship hidden from family, public and the authorities. The couple must address such issues as illegal underage sex, adultery, jealousy, the risk of being exposed and the overwhelming emotion of love that they share.
Eva Marquez did an amazing job writing this memoir, addressing a taboo topic from such a different perspective, and exposing the hidden feelings and issues that couples in this situation face. The story ends suddenly without resolve, but readers quickly learn that this will be a series and the second book is due out in 2013. This was a different type of read, and I highly recommend it!
Having just read Good by Summer Walden I am totally into the whole teacher student forbidden romance genre and thus, I had such high hopes for this book. In my opinion this book really felt short because I didn't feel romance, actually I didn't feel anything except a mild discomfort, you know the sensation when something just wasn't right. Sweetest Taboo started out pretty engaging and typical of books of this theme. Isabel, a 15 year old high schooler, developed a crush on her 30 something swim coach Tom Stevens. To me the most important element to a good story is good build up and character developement. I feel like the author didn't show us the build up of their relationship through good story telling but rather, it was told to us through Isabel's inner monolog. The huge age difference didn't matter to me going into the book but it became apparent midway through that Tom was...creepy for lack of a better word ( not to mention the author sprung on me that Tom had a nicely groomed goatee when it was too late for me to stop). I didn't read about any heart warming / caring/ swoon worthy interactions between then two and definitely didn't feel the chemistry or connect with the characters. But I do vividly remember cringing when Tom asked Isabel to hang out with him in his bed that him and his wife shared while she took the kids on a short trip..yes he is married with kids.
All in all, I did go in with an open mind but this book just didn't work for me. I won't be reading the sequel, which has yet another cliffhanger!
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