Reviewed by Stephen K
TITLE: He Made Me Do It
AUTHOR: Zee Shine Storm
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 266 Pages
RELEASE DATE: August 13th 2021
BLURB:
Zayn
What is it like to be both Muslim and gay? Honestly? It feels like I’ve been cursed for all eternity. And then I had to go and fall for Asher Hannes and make it even more complicated.
Not only was he a guy, he happened to be my cocky and rebellious stepbrother who became the reason I began to get in trouble for things that weren’t even my fault.
Just seven months of his mother having married my dad, seven months of living under the same roof with him and sometimes even sharing the same bed and I already knew I was going to hell. Because I couldn’t keep fighting who I was around him. I couldn’t keep ignoring how I felt.
Wanting him was wrong. I never intended to cross any lines. But he made me do it anyway.
Note: This is a high school romance but with 18+ content. It does contain controversial themes relating to religion and homophobia but overall, it’s a feel-good love story.
REVIEW:
They say that in polite dinner conversation one never brings up sex or religion. This book should clearly NOT be read at dinner as it does both.
One half romance, one half erotica, one half mystery tale this is a great read. That is, if you’re not “weirded out” by the taboo nature of a step-brothers’ relationship. These two horny youngsters are both legal, if only barely, and one of them seems to have an apparent incest kink which pushes this further toward the risque.
Zayn is struggling with acknowledging that he’s gay and is trying to reconcile that with his Muslim faith.
Asher is an out and proud gay teen. He’s a tech savvy teen-tease. He’s got way too much money at his disposal, a job beyond his years, more sexual experience than any ten teens, and the hots for his new step brother.
Zane’s struggling over reconciling his emerging desires with his spirituality. But when Asher, the puckishly provocative step-brother invades Zayn’s life, that becomes next to impossible. Zayn, raised a Muslim, and longing to maintain the filial bonds with his father, is conflicted. He’s torn between trying to come to terms with the strictures of his traditional religion, and what just “feels right.”
These are teens of high school age, and the frequency of the “naughty” scenes in this tale seems very realistic, (from what ancient memories I recall). However, it may make some readers uncomfortable. Some of the more prudish may even find it outright perverted.
On the other hand, I was raised in a religious home, and I found it an interesting look at someone confronting the beliefs of an organized religion. One can have a longing for the fellowship of a religious community, and yet, realize that not all religious teachings are divinely inspired.
This novel also has strong romance plot elements as well, which I found sweetly endearing. Both boys have previously been raised as only children. They are now trying to sort out what they are feeling. How much is filial love versus how much erotic love. The stakes feel high, and the devastation that might happen if their relationship goes public, is more than enough dramatic tension for any two novels.
There’s also a bit of “hacking” sub-plot which I felt was somewhat unnecessary. It wasn’t nearly as well fleshed out and not very credible for the most part, but it’s easily dismissed.
The tale does seem to arrive at a HFN ending that seemed reasonable. It’s even a bit affirming despite my doubts that they’d ever get there.
But wait there’s more! The last few chapters are a sort of epilogue set later in France. Several other reviewers felt that these felt extraneous and should really have been presented in a separate book. I agree. They felt rushed, not as well fleshed out, and some of the events they touched on felt significantly short changed. That said, it’s the author’s tale to tell, and if this is all we get, it’s still an interesting read.
I would probably NOT recommend this to anyone below the drinking age who is currently struggling with issues of faith themselves, but it is certainly an interesting read for those of us who’ve made the trip. Socrates is often credited with having said “The unexamined life is not worth living. ” In addition to being a “fun read” this novel was also worthwhile in that it gave me an opportunity to re-examine parts of my life involving religion.
RATING: 
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