He Made Me Do It

Cover: 0/10
Description: 5/10
Plot: 8/10
Grammar: 6/10
Character development: 10/10
Read it all in one sitting in about 3 hours.

I went into this a bit apprehensively. Smut is not something I’m one to shy away from, and this certainly is a new spin on it that I haven’t read yet. A stepbrother MLM romance…a trope that certainly exists but usually not in books if you get what I’m saying. That aside, I was hooked from the first chapter and I read this in about 3 hours.
Zany is struggling with his identity as a gay muslim when his father remarries, and along with his new step mother comes a new step brother, Asher. Drawn to Asher immediately, he tries hard to hide his attraction. He soon discovers the attraction is reciprocated. The two must navigate Zayn’s religion and his homophobic father, while figuring out how they fit together.
First of all…this might be the steamiest book I’ve read in quite some time. The spice happens almost every chapter once the two have their first time together. Zayn’s struggles with being Muslim and gay is really the driving force of this book for me. His fear of what his religion says of being gay comes through painfully, and Asher does his best to understand and help. Zayn’s chapters were a bit heavy where Asher’s were more fun and light to read. Though a lot of his feelings about Zayn’s religion and it’s relation to their lives comes from a place of privilege, he also takes every opportunity to stand up for Zayn’s anytime anyone says something about it. One mild observation: the subplot of Asher’s “business” was kind of odd and didn’t serve the story at all.
Zayn’s father from the beginning I knew I was not going to enjoy, and I was right. I understand his religion has a view of what acceptable, but that’s no reason to treat your son the way he does. Ashers mother Sienna is more tolerable, albeit complacent. I went into this book with trepidation due to the whole stepbrother thing, but I really liked the story, the romance, and the ending.

Hmm. It was an okay story about stepbrothers that become lovers. It touched upon religious, culture and sexuality themes. I liked the two characters but it was a relationship that was built on sex from the beginning. Asher’s side job was odd and then it disappeared from the story. The ending was better than the beginning of the story. Overall, it was a quick, okay, romance between two step brothers.

I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have always been a fan of Zee Shine Storm, so I decided to try out this book. Bear in mind, this is the first MM book that I have ever read in my entire life. To be honest, I pretty much enjoyed it but I found that the religious aspect is a trigger for me. I thought I could handle it, but I just couldn't. Well, I blame myself for that. In my opinion, it is not something that should be used as a plot device. If I brushed away the religious aspect, then I would say that this book is quite good. I found it really steamy and the chemistry between Zayn and Asher is just off the chart. If you're in the mood for MM romance, then you should give this book a try.

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

Can you fall head over heels in love with a book so fast?? Because I totally just did. I loved this book most positively and absolutely, no one can convince me otherwise, it's a top favourite.

I should start of by saying, this book is definitely not for everyone and I can totally understand why, but if you're a fan of the forbidden romance trope and if you loved Feuds and Reckless Fury by K. Webster, then you'll definitely like this too because this book reminds me so much of K. Webster's amazing book!

I'm a sucker for the forbidden romance trope, and I also love the M/M romance genre, it's all I've been reading lately and I can keep reading them till kingdom come. This book is now a top favourite M/M of mine. Seriously. It's that good. It's sexy as sin, it's passionate, it's kinky, it's got everything.

Now there's also the religion aspect which I respect so so much because I have first hand experience of what that religion comprises of, my family knows, therefore I know, and I just connected so much more to Zayn and Asher because of it. When they started to talk about choices and sexuality, I was screaming at my tablet like YESSSSS SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS!!!

Anyways, read this book, give it a try, and let's talk about it!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zee Shine Storm for the earc in return for an honest review.

It's been a while since I've read a book like this, but here goes......
.....ok. so. The smut was engaging, kinda kinky. The book had a lot of romantic moments, through the thoughts and reflections of the characters. I wish I had gotten to see more of Zayn outside of Asher and his family. I think Zayn's religious struggles were well portrayed; there were so many times he became closed off to Asher because he believed what he was doing was wrong. Asher's hacking thing seemed kind of impossible, but was convenient for the premise of the story. The relationship between Zayn and Asher developed believably; they had many arguments and it was a bit before they got together. If you like this genre/trope, you should definitely read this book.

4 stars! (published August 13th!)

**Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
#HeMadeMeDoIt #NetGalley

Pros
+ Fijian author
+ m/m forbidden romance
+ gay rep, Muslim rep
+ The "forbidden" part of the romance is that the 2 MCs (both 17yo) have suddenly become brothers when their parents marry. This wasn't problematic for me, per se, because from the moment they first meet, they don't have brotherly feelings for one another. So, yes, they're technically step-brothers, but 1. they are not blood-related 2. they just started living together and 3. they never had brotherly feelings towards one another
+ Zayn (17yo): closeted and gay, religious (Muslim), straight-laced son, very close with his father (who is devoutly Muslim)
+ Asher (17yo): openly gay, loves to have a good time, very IT savvy, close with his mother, half French (his father)
+ The first half of the book is SO AMAZING (was going to be 4.5-5 stars if the book had stayed at that pace and trajectory). Zayn and Asher are attracted to one another straight off, but at first, Asher doesn't realize because Zayn is closeted. The first half of the book is them slowly realizing their mutual feelings and the struggle Zayn has with his religion and the torture he feels from keeping it from his father. I was so nervous and devastated at that point that I kept wanting to save Zayn from whatever was going to happen.

Neutral
/ If you have an issue with the forbidden step-brother trope, this will 1000% not be your cup of tea.
/ They develop a brother/incest kink, which is fine by me. I don't care what people do in the bedroom. However, again, if you can't look past that kink in the bedroom, then also don't read this book.

Cons
- Unfortunately, the second half of the book transitions from slow-burn sexual tension to an overabundance of full-out sex scenes. I am always down for sex scenes, but it was too many too fast! It cheapened/destroyed a lot of the longing/tension that was created in the first half of the book.
- As mentioned above, they have a brother/incest kink (which I don't care about if it stays in the bedroom). HOWEVER, they openly call each other "brother," "little brother," "big brother," and so on when in the company of other people, despite them and those other people knowing they are fucking. That made me cringe tbh. I'm fine with kink in the bedroom (and even out if that's the scene you're in), but to push it in the face of your parents (whose house you still live in!) and friends... cringe.
- The epilogue speeds the story along by a couple of years and I didn't want that. I didn't want to see what happened. I would have preferred to just read a second book, to be honest.

TW: homophobia, anti-Muslim bullying, incest/brother kink

CW: homophobia, islamophobia, various views in regards to being gay and various religion, bullying

This is the first book I've read of this kind of "taboo" genre. It isn't something I went out of my way too look for, but I was too curious not to have a read. I really like the way that the guys get to know each other, learn to have a friendship and it evolves - all while revolving around their faith (or lack of) and their exploration of of what that means for them.

I didn't expect to devour this so quickly, but I read it in under 48 hours and couldn't stop reading it every time I had the chance. Great MM story, with diversity through backgrounds, family origins, living experiences and outlooks on life - all while feeling that undenably pull towards the person they can't seem to get our of their head.

A religious gay boy, a love for the stepbrother and a title that could lead to a few different directions. I didn't know what to expect from this book and I have to admit, it blew my mind.

It was sweet, romantic and full of sensual moments that melt my heart for these two amazing characters. It was also kinky, dirty and packed with conflicting emotions and internal struggles and hats off to the author who brought all of these polar points together so naturally and created a beautiful story as a result.

With Zane, I got to witness the battle between what he was and what his faith wanted him to be. It was brutal and it felt real. Asher, the easygoing teenager, was naughty a bad influence and exactly what Zane desired. A match made in heaven if you ask me!

This is an original story with some taboos that not many dares to write about and I'm so glad it's a story full of hope because it could easily turn into a devastating and heartbreaking tale of hate and intolerance.

The writing is simple yet remarkable; with dual POV, each character’s voice is distinct in their chapter. I like the way the book was structured and the ending was a cherry on top. I'm sure the author, Zee Shine Storm, will soon be a well-known name in the genre of MM/dark romance and I can not wait to read more of her work.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and reviews this book.

REVIEW ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ He Made Me Do It by Zee Shine Storm is the story of Zayn, a boy with a major dilemma. Not only is he Muslim and trying to come to terms with being gay, but the object of his affection is his newly acquired stepbrother. Asher is cocky and rebellious and equally captivated by Zayn. So the is no denying the magnetism and fire between these two teens. How can love be wrong? How will this taboo relationship ever fit into the rigid parameters of Zayn’s faith? Torn between what appear to be polar opposites, does Zayn follow his heart and risk losing the family he loves?⠀
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This book has everything—strong and unforgettable characters, a poignant forbidden love story, a struggle between love and faith and sexy and sizzling love scenes that ignite the page. The author authentically captures Zayn’s inner struggle between his teaching and beliefs and the mere reality of who he is and that tough and bumpy road to self acceptance. It is so refreshing to see that we are now living in an era where a story like this can have a happy ending. If this had been written even two decades ago this story would have required a tragic ending with the characters receiving just retribution. This masterfully crafted story immediately has the reader totally invested in the lives of these teens with whom they will share laughter and tears. This is definitely one of the benchmark love stories of our time. ⠀

Gave it a shot, wasn't quite for me, content wise. It's well written so if the topic interests you, pick it up!

I received an EArc of this book for an honest review so here it is.

I requested this book because instantly the cover caught my eye and when I read the synopsis I immediately knew I needed to experience this story, I haven't had much experience with M/M books so I was excited to give this a go and broaden my reading material.

Immediately I fell in love with Zayn, a 17-year-old Muslim boy who lives with his widow father, being raised in a very religious household and always expected to be well behaved and mannered, raised to abide by his religious beliefs Zayn hides his true feelings and desires.
From a young age, he became more aware of his sexuality and knew he would not be accepted by his fellow Muslim community for feeling those ways, so he chose to hide and deny his true wants and desires.

Until Asher...

Oh my Asher was so freaking brilliant, his personality and attitude so vibrant and exactly what Zayn needed in his life, I honestly was a little nervous about the whole stepbrother situation, it's not that I haven't read stepbrother romances before (Because I have) I was just worried it would be cringy and not delivered well, but thank the heavens Zee Shine Storm executed this book perfectly, no cringy moments, just pure softness and cute interactions between two guys who can't resist one another.

He Made Me Do It is a fantastic stepbrother romance by Zee Shine Storm.

And yes, the author had me at stepbrothers!

There's a lot going on in this book. Taboo. Forbidden romance. Illegal work. Risky sex. And plenty of religious homophobia.

The forbidden relationship aspect is the main aspect throughout. First, they are new stepbrothers and that certainly is an issue in itself. But to make matters worse, Zayn is Muslim and is torn between his true feelings and his religious stance on homosexuality.

This story is tough to read. The tension is large and ever looming throughout.

But damn it's hot. If you enjoy stepbrother romances, this is a must read.

Asher is quite badass. He's certainly capable of a lot and very self assured. But poor Zayn struggles with his self esteem and his conscience.

Overall, I love this book. The boys are so damn good together and you can't help but to root for them to find happiness. I questioned how the author could ever help them find their happily ever after, but damn, they did and it's a fabulous ending.

He Made Me Do It had me engrossed throughout. I couldn't put this book down. This Zee Shine Storm romance is totally compelling and wonderful, yet definitely full of the stress of what's going to happen. I love it!

Perhaps my moral compass is a much darker grey than most because though this is labeled taboo, stepbrothers aren't related... so, all fair in love and lust in my little, crazy world haha

In any case, I really, really enjoyed this book. I was lured in by the prospect of taboo as well as the description of diverse main characters - a Muslim gay main character? I'm so in!! And I loved Zayn. All he wants is to be a good son, a good Muslim - which is all made difficult by the realization, from a young age, that he's gay.

And which is further complicated when his gorgeous new stepbrother moves in after his dad remarries. Bringing along all sorts of temptation and rebellion with him. Asher is all those things and utterly vibrant and unapologetic for who he is. And it's impossible for Zayn to stay away. Especially once they both realize that the attraction is mutual. Asher is the bad boy to Zayn's good boy but in all Asher's rebellious behavior, the love that his feelings evolve into is so supportive and sexy and strong and I was hooked.

The book had so much - sweetness, spiciness, laughter and heartache. It was well-written, dual POV, with distinct voices. There were some parts that I didn't really buy into (the strange way that Asher made his money) but it didn't necessarily detract completely from the love story I was wholly invested in.

Thank you to @netgalley and Zee Shine Storm for the ARC in return for an honest review.

3.25 stars

He Made Me Do It is a taboo stepbrother (m/m) romance. This was my first book by the author, so I really had no clue what to expect. So, the idea of a totally new author plus a little taboo kink had me picking up this little ditty.

Overall, I felt He Made Me Do It had a lot of potential, but the story just didn't go all the places my equally salty and smutty brain wanted it to go.

The premise is two young teenage (17 yo) boys. One is structured and regimented in his Muslim beliefs, the other is wild and crazy. Both are gay, one is out, the other is way closeted. Then there's the gray hat aspect. And of course the step-brother aspect. So, there's a lot going on. A lot of aspects converging.

There was a lot of telling in this book. You know what I mean, telling, not showing. It may be that I, personally, failed to fully connect with Zayn and Asher. *shrug* I guess I wanted more of Asher's extracurriculars to be discussed, but instead, it just felt very tacked on. I never really got to see how smart and devious and where did his computer skills come from? Where are his awesome home computers set up? And for Zayn, his religion was so important to him and his dad. I wanted him to have some more discussed resolution. A support group, maybe?

There is a lot of drama (as teenagers are bound to have) and lots of emotions (teenagers are drowning in them). Oh, and a LOT of sex (again, teenagers). So if this is up your alley, bonus! I'm not a huge fan of angsty drama, but give me some good feels and all the smexy times and I'm a happy girl.

A little safety squad note here... It sort of bothered me a large amount that Asher was supposedly so experienced but he never once discussed condoms, getting tested, or any of the necessary things. I know it's not sexy, but c'mon...

He Made Me Do It has an epilogue that gives you your feel-good HEA ending and a little humor added in. It was so good to be able to end Zayn and Asher's story that way. To see that they struggled and grew together, and then their ultimate ride off into the sunset was just a great note to end on.

I recommend this book if you are looking for an emotional m/m taboo romance that is a fairly quick read and has a happy ending.

*ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

This was as hot as expected but also mor emotional and gave what I think was an interesting and multifaceted view on queer relationships and religion. My only issue was the ending skipping significant chunks of time suddenly.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This is a MLM taboo romance that follows Zayne, a devoted Muslin trying to come to terms with his sexuality and identity, and Asher, Zayne's new stepbrother. I hate to say this, but this was just NOT for me. I ended up DNFing it at about 50%. I usually enjoy a good taboo romance, but Asher's fixation on referringg to Zayn and his brother and reiterating that they were family just made me super uncomfy. Also, I really couldn't get over the author's love of using the phrase "tight globes" and "tight mounds".

I'll be very curious to read through more own voices reviews to get a better idea of the accuracy of the representation.

Personally, I decided to request this book as it talks about a taboo topic. The not-so-fast and not-so-slow pacing of the plot of the book is something that I adore as it allows the details for the world building to fit in and make sense as the story advances. This book really allowed the readers to get to know the main characters as it provided two point-of-views which is a turn on for me. It just makes every action and every problem within the characters effective as the readers are able to see the reason or the source for the way they act around each other. Although I am fully aware before starting this book that it will contain a lot of steamy physical contact between the two characters, I find it excessive through the end of the story.

Overall, this is a fast, engaging, and a great book to read discussing the struggles of those closeted queer people who lived their lives tied to the religious beliefs of their ancestors.

This book was full of smut and sexy moments.

The story begins with Zyan, a Muslim boy who has hidden from his father that he is gay, and in general with conflicting feelings regarding his sexuality due to religion. Asher is the stepbrother (There is no blood relationship and they do not have feelings of brotherhood) Zyan and Asher meet when their parents get married and start a life together, at first there is some friction between them, especially since Asher's father is too ... well, not very nice. But eventually but they both realize they are drawn to each other

The story was beautiful, very sexy. taboo is not for many, even if it is clear that there is no blood relationship and they were not raised as brothers, in the story the behave like brothers in front of others.

I didn't like it too much, but it had nothing to do with taboo. More with the family, and the homophobia and religion.

* Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

This was my first book by Zee Shine Storm. I was intrigued from the blurb so I couldn't wait to devour Zayn & Asher's story. Zee did an amazing job letting us into the minds of both boys. It's hard enough coming to grips with your sexuality, so having the religious pressure on top of that can be so overwhelming. I absolutely adored this story. Well done, Zee! This book is a must read!

Title - He Made Me Do It

Author - Zee Shine Storm

Genre - Coming of Age

Plot :

This is the story of Zayn. Zayn who considers himself as religious as he can be and yet Zayn has a secret that he cannot tell anyone. Zayn is gay and this puts him in a conflict everyday. His life gets even more hard (even literally), when he finds out that his step-brother is also gay and he is attracted to him. How does Zayn thread such a thin line makes up this interesting novel.

My Take on the Book:

The main reason I picked up this one were the two most controversial topics that someone could touch upon. The book had so much potential by educating people about these topics and yet there were a lot of places, it did kind of fell flat. Unfortunately for me, it was more of a erotica with having sexual innuendos and references in almost every page. Personally, if the author had focused a bit more on the aspect of Zayn's conflict which kind of used to take a backseat (felt a bit forced) during the second half, the book would have done wonders. Still, hoping the author comes out with better book next time and honesty, I would not discourage anyone to pick this one up. The writing is pretty neat and the author does know how to keep the readers hooked, so that's something that worked well for the book.

My Ratings - 🌟🌟🌟💫 (3.5 out of 5 stars)

Thank you Net Galley for a chance to read this novel for an honest review. I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book! It had everything, and was everything that I wanted! Everyone who lives gay romance must read this!

I enjoyed this m/m romance story with the two main characters that were Asher Hannes and Zayn Ishak Marouhn. And also the rest of the characters to.

Zayn Ishak Marouhn is a 17 year old boy that is having problems with being gay and also the he is Muslim. He has not told anyone that he like guys than girl he  has been keep it a secret. So when his father remarries and he get a new stepmother and also a brother he is quite happy for his dad. But after sometime he realized that his brother keeps looking at him.

Asher Hannes is a 17 year old that is gay and also very smart. He like having fun and doing what ever that he want to. So when his mother remarried and he goes to live with her and her new husband. And he also finds out that he has a new brother that is the same age but he two months a part. He has to follow the rules that her new husband has told him. So when he find out that his new brother has been hiding his little secret he want to find out more.

This story was quite different than most m/m stories that I have read. It does has it twist and turn throughout it that where quite surprising. I did enjoyed the story but I had a hard time when the author talked about the  religion parts within the story.

I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. This is my honest unbiased opinion.

He Made Me Do It drew me in at the very start. I loved the back and forth between Zayn and Asher. The book thread the line between religion and sexuality very well and shows some incite into being a closeted Muslim male.