Taught to Love by T.J. Masters

52 Pages

Novella

Own / E-book

The blurb:

In an effort to help a boy who lost his mother, schoolteacher Rob Cooper offers to tutor him. He doesn’t expect to fall for Sam’s father, Ken Reid. Ken’s grief has led him to bury his needs and emotions in work, but he can’t deny the new feelings Rob awakens. Wanting to see his father happy again, Sam encourages a relationship, leading Rob and Ken to explore a seduction that might become true romance.

My thoughts:

After I finished reading Diary Dates by this author yesterday, I was astonished to discover I had an unread book by T.J. Masters on my Kindle. In the spirit of ‘there’s no time like the present’ I called the book up and started reading, only to find myself in for a surprise.

Taught to Love is a charming feel-good story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Having said that, initially I had one or two moments when I had my doubts about what I was reading. But after the thought that maybe the story-line wasn’t the most realistic had crossed my mind twice I just let that expectation go. Because while it is unlikely that a romance or relationship would develop as described in this book, I can’t deny that the world would be a far nicer place if they did. So I read this book as a fantasy, the story of what love might look like if we were able to let go of preconceived ideas about ourselves and the world we live in, and suddenly it all made sense and I found myself reading with a huge smile on my face.

The blurb gives you the story as it is, from beginning to end. Don’t start this book expecting angst or soul searching, because you won’t find it. This is a gay-for-you story in which the formerly strictly heterosexual partner has no hang-ups at all about the fact he finds himself falling for a man. It is a May-to-December tale in which the age difference is never mentioned, and the book features a teenager who is not only okay with his father dating again, but also actively orchestrates the coming together of the two men. As I said, maybe not the most realistic of scenarios, but in a world turning ever darker because of all the realities we have to live with, it is wonderful to occasionally read a story in which all is bright, easy and angst free.

By the time I finished this novella I was happy. I’d enjoyed my time with Rob, Ken, and Sam and had absolutely no problem imagining them living a very happy future together. And that is, of course, exactly what a romance should do.