“Lovers may be—and indeed generally are—enemies…” – Lord Byron
Shane and Trey, book one in Anyta Sunday’s Enemies to Lovers series, begins as a story of unrequited love and ends as a story of unexpected love between two young men who began as anything but friends.
Outing himself in front of his best friend Ryan—the object of his affection—his twin sister June, and his sister’s boyfriend Trey was the furthest thing from Shane Watson’s mind when it happened in a spontaneous burst of emotion, but that single monumental event was the catalyst for everything that happens for the remainder of this turbulent story of family dysfunction, accidental romance, friendship, and unconditional love between a brother and sister.
A years long friendship destroyed in a single moment by homophobia, an intimidating reaction from an enemy, and the support of his sister greet Shane’s outburst in the weeks just before they all leave for college. It was Shane’s revelation of his sexuality that instigated a transformation in Trey Brennan, the boy who’d once bullied Shane, which ignites the spark of a potentially destructive relationship, a relationship that puts a sibling bond to the ultimate test. And, in fact, it’s June’s unwitting interference that throws Shane together with her boyfriend, who has now become Shane’s greatest temptation.
Shane and Trey is a story of both the healing and destructive power of love and the tenuous bond of family and friendship. It is a story of acceptance and trust amidst the insecurity of a future that cannot promise forever, and of accepting each moment as the gift it is. It’s a story of misunderstandings and overcoming doubts and of finding a way to repair the past. It’s a sometimes bittersweet but ultimately hopeful drama that Shane charmed me through as he navigated his way along on a journey with no direction, only following his heart toward the boy who loves him.
Get It is a bonus short story at the end of Shane and Trey that follows the unrequited love theme in a friends-to-lovers story that proves blindness is in the eye as well as the heart of the beholder.
There is a vapor-thin line that exists between loving someone and being in love with him, and it’s a line that Benny Reece and James Stewart walk on opposite sides of, loving each other on different sides of the spectrum of friendship.
Both men are suffering the pangs of unrequited love, though James’ suffering has further reaching implications. Losing Benny is far too high a price for James to pay, and their friendship isn’t something he’s willing to gamble away on something with such long odds, even knowing the payoff could be infinite, so he keeps his feelings sheltered within the comfort of the status quo. But the longer he yearns for Benny and watches him pursue a guy who really just isn’t that into him—couldn’t possibly ever be as into him as James—the harder it becomes for James to hide.
And all it takes is a single, simple moment of clarity for Benny to finally open his eyes and heart to the possibilities that’ve been right there in front of him all along.
Between the wanting and the waiting and the getting, there was a lot to love in this short little story. The mounting frustration and tension built naturally into James and Benny’s relationship played out wonderfully and made me wish for just a bit more when it ended.
Buy Shane and Trey and Get It HERE.
*Note: This book is FREE to Amazon Prime Members.*