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Sweetest Taboo (2012)

by Eva Márquez(Favorite Author)

3.34 of 5 Votes: 4

languge

English

genre

Romance

publisher

Terra-Mía Press

series

Sweetest Taboo

review 1: Sweetest Taboo, by Eva Marquez, is a controversial book that takes a very close and personal look at a sexual relationship between a teacher and a student. Marquez is able to tackle the forbidden, or 'taboo', relationship in a respectful and classy way. However, that doesn't make the subject matter any less shocking to read about. Marquez does a great job in creating a story where the reader has to think, reflect on his/her beliefs, and then think some more.Sweetest Taboo takes place over the span of four years. When it begins, Isabel is a fifteen year old high school student who is just coming into her body. She is finding that she likes the attention she receives from boys and looks forward to a fun sophomore year. After joining the swim team, thoughts of teenage bo... moreys are soon put on the back burner as Isabel finds herself fantasizing about her handsome swim coach, Tom Stevens, who also happens to be a teacher at her school. At first Isabel believes her dreams are delusions since Mr. Stevens is in his late thirties, married, and has children. However, Isabel soon realizes that there may be hope of a relationship when she discovers that Mr. Stevens is looking at her, finding ways to have their touches linger, and makes excuses to get her alone.What starts as a somewhat innocent flirtation turns into a sexual relationship that lasts from Isabel's Sophomore to Senior year. Their relationship has its ups and downs, as well as close calls. Isabel is in a constant state of worry. She is afraid her parents will find out, along with her peers, Tom's family, the school administration, and the police. Isabel also worries that someone will walk in on them in a compromising position. She never feels safe and is always looking over her shoulder. Many times Isabel tries to break things off with Tom, but he is always able to draw her back to him. There is something about Tom that Isabel can't resist. He definitely has a power over her. I constantly found myself with two opposing viewpoints while reading Sweetest Taboo. Marquez starts off her novel by writing, "Sometimes, regardless of the ages of the participants, it is just that. Love. True and pure as it can be between two people, and strong enough to lat through the years." (Marquez ix) This opening set me up to think that maybe, just maybe, the relationship that I was beginning to read about was pure and both parties were on the same page. However, throughout the novel there were many times when I felt myself cringing over Tom and Isabel. Was I uncomfortable because student/teacher relations are a taboo, the major age difference, or was it because Tom wasn't who he seemed to be? Was he truly the honest and caring man that fell in love with Isabel, or was he a man that got off on having power over young, influential girls? Never in a novel have I battled back and forth with myself as much as I did in Sweetest Taboo. Eva Marquez has written a thought provoking and controversial novel. It is hard to read Sweetest Taboo without having some kind of emotional reaction. Sweetest Taboo is the first novel in a 3 book series. The second book in the series is called Tainted Love and takes place while Isabel is in college. I'm curious to read this book to see if the last opinion I formed of Tom and Isabel's relationship will change now that she is of age. **Eva Marquez has provided me with a complimentary copy of her book, Sweetest Taboo, for the purpose of review.**
review 2: So, this book is very different from what I would usually read, but I really enjoyed it! It was fast paced, well written and had me I would say clutching my book, but clutching my laptop then, in anticipation over what would happen next. Sweetest taboo is about Isabel Cruz. She is fifteen year old and a high school student. She starts an affair with the coach of her swim team, Tom Stevens who is both married and have kids. When the story started all I could think was 'no, why Isabelle? Stay away from him! it's not right'.. But as the story continues I find myself almost cheering them on. I'm scared about them getting caught and they have to end their relationship, I'm scared everytime they get a letter from eachother or talk on phone - always thinking be careful, you could get caught! They write letters to eachother and depsite Tom telling her get rid of them or give them back to him Isabel takes copies and keeps to herself which just got me more worried about someone finiding them.The book shows how it is for the student in a teacher student relationship, showing us that it can be love and not just the teacher taking advantage of the student. So, I gotta admit, where I live this whole student teacher thing it is not a big thing, meaning that it does not happen a lot and we don't have the same laws, but being familar with it from movies, books, tv etc. I get what it's about. Tom is in his 30's while Isabel is only 15 so it's a rather large gap there is, but you know what they say, love has no age. ..slightly, so that his eyes could gaze into mine. “But I can’t keep it to myself anymore. Isabel, I’m completely … in love with you.”Yeah, that's pretty cute. At times I really did forget that there even was this age gap between them, I even forgot that he was married and had kids and I just saw the two of them and how sweet they were together and the whole having to hide from the outside world made everything very exciting and interesting. I lifted my head to look Tom in the eyes, noting his love struck look. “You don’t have to worry. I’m not going to do anything that would screw this up. You know I’m a responsible person and anyway Mrs. Drake already has all kinds of rules established. According to the contract she made us sign, if we break any rules, we fly home early at the expense of our parents. She’ll make sure that we’re safe. Don't worry. I’ll be thinking about you and missing you like crazy the entire time.”Later in the story Isabel is moving back to Chile with her family and that of course means the end for her and Tom. The way she handled it, I couldn't get over the weird way that she rationalizes . He told her before leaving that he would no be able to contact her, so when he doesn't Isabel decides, just like that, he doesn't care and their relationship is over. That's when I went 'noooo, you have so little time left just go and be together' but no. She leaves and their relationship is over. This incident reminded me once again that Isabel is afterall only 15 and a teenager so it makes sense for her to react that way. While there, Isabel finds out that someone has told the police about her and Tom and that they have him in custody. Isabel receives a phonecall from the police and she then has to tell them that the whole thing is a lie to save Tom. The stay in Chile doesn't last long and before we know it they're back in the U.S and Isabel is back in school and back with Tom. They continue their relationship and they are even able to take things to the next level. And I am once again thrown into the the 'oh no' moments of being afraid that they will get caught.Despite being in a relationship with Tom Isabel still tries to do the normal teenage thing such as hang out with friends and even try and kiss other guys, but none of them make her feel like Tom and she feels like she's betraying him (even though he's still with his wife). At the end of high school Isabel gives Tom an ultimatum - either he leaves his wife to be with her and they break up. So they break up. He won't leave his wife and she won't continue things as they are, of which I don't blame her. isabel goes off to College and spends the first year trying to get over Tom and forget him, but when she goes home to visit her family she is again reminded of him and how much she misses him. When she goes to see a friend at school, she sees Tom in his truck, driving away with a blonde in the seat next to him and due to the rumors going around she thinks that Tom has done it again, started an affair with another high school student. This makes her question everything that they shared together, but before we learn more... The end... oh my god! It can not just end like that! The story ends with us not knowing whether or not that blonde cheerleader is or is not in a relationship with Tom or if Isabel and him will get back together. Overall I very much enojoyed this book and thought that Márquez did an excellent job at writing it and giving the topic a new persepctive. less

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