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Taught to Love
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.
54 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 3, 2014
2 people are currently reading
31 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Masters
16 books21 followersT.J. Masters is a fifty-six-year-old author and life coach living in Hertfordshire just to the north of London, England. T.J. has shared thirty years of suburban life with his civil partner Ian, and they enjoy the love and support of T.J’s large Irish family who all live nearby. In 2009 T.J. took early retirement from a thirty-three-year school teaching career and decided to follow a new path. After qualifying as a life coach, T.J. found that he was coaching a couple of authors who were going through the process of giving birth to the book which “had always been inside them.” This rekindled T.J’s long-held desire to write and get published.
With a lifelong passion for books, learning, and the sharing of knowledge, T.J. woke up to the realization that he had stories to tell, books to write, and less than half a lifetime left to do it in. As for the kind of books he is writing… well, let’s just say that he decided to channel over thirty years of experience in the gay BDSM lifestyle into a genre where it would be most appreciated!
Alongside this passion for books and writing, T.J. also found an outlet for his inner geek and has become a great advocate for social media in various forms. Blogging has become a great outlet for T.J’s many interests including the writerly ones. The author has a website where he blogs regularly and he loves to interact with his readers and followers at http://www.tjmasters.com.
With a lifelong passion for books, learning, and the sharing of knowledge, T.J. woke up to the realization that he had stories to tell, books to write, and less than half a lifetime left to do it in. As for the kind of books he is writing… well, let’s just say that he decided to channel over thirty years of experience in the gay BDSM lifestyle into a genre where it would be most appreciated!
Alongside this passion for books and writing, T.J. also found an outlet for his inner geek and has become a great advocate for social media in various forms. Blogging has become a great outlet for T.J’s many interests including the writerly ones. The author has a website where he blogs regularly and he loves to interact with his readers and followers at http://www.tjmasters.com.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 23, 2014
1.5 stars rounded up because it was edited, and I save true scorn for Those Who Don't Understand the Comma.
This was a superficial, ridiculous GFY, so unbelievable on so many levels that when I narrated the basics to my (gay) brother over the phone, he was all, "Is THAT what straight people think? Seriously? Fuckers."
It's apparently what T.J. Masters thinks.
Ken, a grieving widower who will never love another woman again, canlove appreciate tolerate the first gay man, Rob, I think it was, who cooks for him, plays the piano (it reminds him of his DEAD WIFE. TEARS.), and tutors his teenage son.
Because said gay man is...MULTIPLE CHOICE, folks:
A. A warm body
B. A good cook
C. Not a woman, so no real love need be involved
D. All of the above
The dialogue was so artificial and painfully awkward, I'm certain that not even Anthony Hopkins in Remains of the Day spoke quite that properly. It's all, please, sir and thank you, sir (and NOT in a Dom way). It was nauseating.
The teen son is all for his dad having a boyfriend because his uncle is gay? The sheer fuckery astounds me.
There is one on-page sex scene, and it was all kinds ofsexy something:
Oh GOD, Well, I'm all hot and bothered. Aren't you?
Forget tension, romance, slow burn, character development, or, heaven forbid, a PLOT.
Christ on a bike. This book was appalling.
This was a superficial, ridiculous GFY, so unbelievable on so many levels that when I narrated the basics to my (gay) brother over the phone, he was all, "Is THAT what straight people think? Seriously? Fuckers."
It's apparently what T.J. Masters thinks.
Ken, a grieving widower who will never love another woman again, can
Because said gay man is...MULTIPLE CHOICE, folks:
A. A warm body
B. A good cook
C. Not a woman, so no real love need be involved
D. All of the above
The dialogue was so artificial and painfully awkward, I'm certain that not even Anthony Hopkins in Remains of the Day spoke quite that properly. It's all, please, sir and thank you, sir (and NOT in a Dom way). It was nauseating.
The teen son is all for his dad having a boyfriend because his uncle is gay? The sheer fuckery astounds me.
There is one on-page sex scene, and it was all kinds of
Ken apologized a couple times when our lovemaking efforts appeared to be clumsy and more akin to wrestling. I laughed this off and assured him it mattered little beside the reality of being there with him...Soon he got the hang of things and proved to be a passionate lover...When it came to anal sex I was more than happy to take the bottom role...His efforts were so athletic I was almost glad when he was unable to prolong it before he had his second powerful orgasm of the night.
Oh GOD, Well, I'm all hot and bothered. Aren't you?
Forget tension, romance, slow burn, character development, or, heaven forbid, a PLOT.
Christ on a bike. This book was appalling.
July 24, 2016
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.
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.
Read
July 29, 2016DNF The dialouge was so awaward and formal no real emotion and it got so silly that I had to give up
June 22, 2014
Really liked this book!
The only problem I had with it that it moves so fast especially as it has a significant GFY part .
I really liked the MC and I really could have read more of them
a slower built up for example some more details.
but overall this was a very pleasurable read for me with great characters and very solid and good writing by the author
Dani
The only problem I had with it that it moves so fast especially as it has a significant GFY part .
I really liked the MC and I really could have read more of them
a slower built up for example some more details.
but overall this was a very pleasurable read for me with great characters and very solid and good writing by the author
Dani
June 11, 2014
this was an impulse buy for me. I didnt read a single review before I bought it. That was a mistake. Sorry, but i regret spending 3 dollars on the book. This book was so unrealistic, that in my opinion, I'd believe that shapeshifters and vampires were possible before this story becomes possible.
August 12, 2018
I didn't buy gay for you sorry.
August 11, 2016
*** 1.5 Stars ***
Because it was well-edited, not because it was good.
Really Dreamspinners?! I thought you had standards. <-- Harsh, but true.
Because it was well-edited, not because it was good.
Really Dreamspinners?! I thought you had standards. <-- Harsh, but true.
June 23, 2014
4 star review by Cindy.
Rob Cooper is a good teacher who gets a little frustrated with parents who can’t be bothered with their children’s education. When he meets Ken Reid, however, he finds that the man isn’t uncaring, just oblivious.
Ken is a man so wrapped up in his own grief over the death of his wife that he is completely unaware of the problem his son Sam is having in school. When it’s brought to his attention by his sons teacher, he does everything he can to help him.
These are two good men who find each other through sad circumstances. Their story is sweet and a little funny and I enjoyed how the author managed to have a slow build-up in so few pages.
I have a bit of a problem with the whole “gay for you’ element going on in the story except for the fact that it almost makes sense here. Ken was so in love with his wife that he could never see another woman in her place but because Rob is a man, it doesn’t feel like he’s replacing her. With Rob it just feels like he’s moving on to something different…not less important or less in love, just a new kind of happiness.
Sam is adorable in his campaign to bring his favorite teacher and his father together and I enjoyed the little moments of them all together being domestic.
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I usually have an issue with short stories, because there’s not enough time for development, but this story managed to tell the full tell in 39 pages without making me feel cheated at the end.
It’s a happy story with very little angst and a good read for when you’re looking for something to make you smile.
I’ve read Taking the Gardener as well by this author and enjoy his writing style immensely. I’ll be looking for more stories from T.J. Masters in the future.
A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this, many more reviews, interviews, and giveaways!
Rob Cooper is a good teacher who gets a little frustrated with parents who can’t be bothered with their children’s education. When he meets Ken Reid, however, he finds that the man isn’t uncaring, just oblivious.
Ken is a man so wrapped up in his own grief over the death of his wife that he is completely unaware of the problem his son Sam is having in school. When it’s brought to his attention by his sons teacher, he does everything he can to help him.
These are two good men who find each other through sad circumstances. Their story is sweet and a little funny and I enjoyed how the author managed to have a slow build-up in so few pages.
I have a bit of a problem with the whole “gay for you’ element going on in the story except for the fact that it almost makes sense here. Ken was so in love with his wife that he could never see another woman in her place but because Rob is a man, it doesn’t feel like he’s replacing her. With Rob it just feels like he’s moving on to something different…not less important or less in love, just a new kind of happiness.
Sam is adorable in his campaign to bring his favorite teacher and his father together and I enjoyed the little moments of them all together being domestic.
Anyone who reads my reviews knows that I usually have an issue with short stories, because there’s not enough time for development, but this story managed to tell the full tell in 39 pages without making me feel cheated at the end.
It’s a happy story with very little angst and a good read for when you’re looking for something to make you smile.
I’ve read Taking the Gardener as well by this author and enjoy his writing style immensely. I’ll be looking for more stories from T.J. Masters in the future.
A copy of this book was provided for reviewing. Please visit www.lovebytesreviews.com to see this, many more reviews, interviews, and giveaways!
July 25, 2014
Ken Reid and his son Sam are still grieving over the loss of the woman they called wife, mother. For the most part, they are getting along, going through the motions day to day. But emotionally, it's taking a toll. Ken buries himself in his work to forget and Sam's grades are starting to decline. At the parent teacher conference, Ken meets Rob Cooper, one of Sam's teachers who is very blunt and to the point. It's an eye opener for a widower and now single father who had his head stuck in the sand.
Ken asks Rob to tutor Sam and it's at these weekly sessions at the Reid house that things slowly start changing. Rob loves to cook so he starts cooking for the guys after tutoring, at the same time teaching Sam to cook as well. And Sam is way smarter than anyone gives him credit for. He knows Mr. Cooper is gay and he see's the way he looks at his father. He even tells Rob, "You look at him the way he used to look at my mom." Which kind of broke my heart just a little. So, the question remains, can a man that has always been perceived as straight love another man? Can the Reid men and Rob become a family?
Okay, I've seen several reviewers state this was not a plausible story, the GFY was unrealistic, story not explored well enough. I'll agree with a tiny portion of that. The wording sometimes was juvenile for grown men conversing, but the story itself was meant to be lighthearted, I think. And I don't think this was the traditional type of GFY story. I didn't see Ken being gay just for Rob. What I saw was a man who was very grounded, open minded and free spirited who saw another like soul and was drawn to it. The wrapping didn't make a damn bit of difference.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a short little story about rebuilding your life and finding that second chance at love in a different place than you expected.
Ken asks Rob to tutor Sam and it's at these weekly sessions at the Reid house that things slowly start changing. Rob loves to cook so he starts cooking for the guys after tutoring, at the same time teaching Sam to cook as well. And Sam is way smarter than anyone gives him credit for. He knows Mr. Cooper is gay and he see's the way he looks at his father. He even tells Rob, "You look at him the way he used to look at my mom." Which kind of broke my heart just a little. So, the question remains, can a man that has always been perceived as straight love another man? Can the Reid men and Rob become a family?
Okay, I've seen several reviewers state this was not a plausible story, the GFY was unrealistic, story not explored well enough. I'll agree with a tiny portion of that. The wording sometimes was juvenile for grown men conversing, but the story itself was meant to be lighthearted, I think. And I don't think this was the traditional type of GFY story. I didn't see Ken being gay just for Rob. What I saw was a man who was very grounded, open minded and free spirited who saw another like soul and was drawn to it. The wrapping didn't make a damn bit of difference.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a short little story about rebuilding your life and finding that second chance at love in a different place than you expected.
July 23, 2016
I love the genuinity of this book! It is a book with three main characters that are well developed and who all of them can be your next door neighbors. It is a make you feel good book, a book that you bring out to sit on the couch with a cop of tea, a blanket and know that in the end it will all work out. But knowing that doesn't make the book boring or predictable because Rob Cooper and Ken Reid are together and on their own lovely characters that makes you turn each page eagerly.
The thing I love most about this book is that it is gentle, warm and loving. There are no throbbing cocks, rough random sex bending anyone over a table or having their arse scratched against a brick wall. No it is a sizzling romance, building slowly by a brilliant teachers desire to help a widower father and his teenage son get their life back on track and who happen to become their guardian angel.
This is my second by by T.J. Masters, the first one I read was Hands of Power and if the two books weren't signed with his name one would easily have thought that these two books were written by two different people. Knowing that this author can write such different books makes me eager to read more written by him. The only real objection I have is that it was to short. I could have read much, much more of this book and enjoyed it immensely!
The thing I love most about this book is that it is gentle, warm and loving. There are no throbbing cocks, rough random sex bending anyone over a table or having their arse scratched against a brick wall. No it is a sizzling romance, building slowly by a brilliant teachers desire to help a widower father and his teenage son get their life back on track and who happen to become their guardian angel.
This is my second by by T.J. Masters, the first one I read was Hands of Power and if the two books weren't signed with his name one would easily have thought that these two books were written by two different people. Knowing that this author can write such different books makes me eager to read more written by him. The only real objection I have is that it was to short. I could have read much, much more of this book and enjoyed it immensely!
July 17, 2014
Ken and Rob were great characters and Sam was adorable, but I could not connect with this book. It left me cold even though I really liked the characters.
June 18, 2014
I liked this one. Likable MC
June 2, 2016
I did like the characters but didn´t like the story because it´s so unbelievable.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews