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Brother
Nathan had always loved his twin brother. How could he not? They had been inseparable since before birth. They’d shaped each other. Were each other’s homes.
But even love, Nathan knew, could go too far. Too deep. So he had tried to keep his distance—had gone to a different college, tried to make a life without his brother.
Now that they’re both back home for summer, though, Nathan doesn’t know how to escape the way he feels…or the way his brother might feel in return.
Words: 14,460
But even love, Nathan knew, could go too far. Too deep. So he had tried to keep his distance—had gone to a different college, tried to make a life without his brother.
Now that they’re both back home for summer, though, Nathan doesn’t know how to escape the way he feels…or the way his brother might feel in return.
Words: 14,460
63 pages, ebook
First published June 14, 2022
3 people are currently reading
562 people want to read
About the author
Marina Vivancos
28 books917 followersWhen Marina was a child she couldn’t sleep. Night after dissolving night she just couldn’t sleep. Nothing much worked – until she started making up stories in her head. Suddenly, the transition into unconsciousness was a smooth dive into calm waters.
Marina is currently in a period of sleepless upheaval, and she hopes writing down the stories in her head will cast the same spell it did years ago.
You can find her being malhumorada on Twitter.
Marina is currently in a period of sleepless upheaval, and she hopes writing down the stories in her head will cast the same spell it did years ago.
You can find her being malhumorada on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
June 22, 2022
twincest may sound too narcissistic for some, but it’s a guilty pleasure.
i’m a marina vivancos stan, plain and simple. anything she writes that i find out about, i instantly add it to my tbr and impatiently patiently wait until it’s released so i can get my hands on it, no matter how soft and tender or dirty and rough the book is. so you bet that when i found out marina was going to release an incest romance, i had a countdown letting me know when it was release day. i hardly have anticipated releases now simply because of how much i’ve been let down, but i can’t deny the excitement i feel for this author.
so my disappointment is quite…shameful to me.
in fact, it’s the first time i’m giving something from this author two stars.
granted, the blurb does say this is barely 14k words, and many of my friends and other reviewers have stated how disappointed they were in the length. i knew this, and i tried very, very hard to not let it bother me and just say, “i know it’s short, so i won’t let it bother me” but it was more than difficult to ignore the fact that the book was only four chapters (and i don’t know how many pages, but somewhere around 40-60).
there honestly isn’t much to say about this that others haven’t, so i’ll second a lot of people’s thoughts on how short this felt. there was so much potential for the taboo twincest novel we were looking forward to. it felt like we were robbed and teased, given a glimpse of the potential the author has. and i know she has it! so why didn’t we get it all? for a book dealing with an intense topic like incest, this book lacked in many departments, including emotion, feeling, entertainment, and curiosity. the writing of marina still remains one of my favorites–beautiful and breezy, a sweet sound that you’re listening to without realizing how much time has passed. but those 14k words provided weren’t enough to fulfill me, which only resulted in utter disappointment and even disbelief.
but the length of it wasn’t even the full problem. it was also the execution. see, incest is one of the only taboo topics i read about. most of the rest trigger me (or bother, for a lack of better word). some for personal reasons, and others because of some sort of trauma i don’t have acknowledged and have no idea where it came from (generational trauma anyone?). so even though i haven’t really read incest/twincest, i don’t avoid it, and when i come across it, i come for how “wrong” it is. End Scene by nicky james and My Brother's Love by chara croft are two of the only mm incest books i’ve read, and one of my favorite things about them were how the brothers call each other brother. i don’t know what that says about my likes and tastes in books, but if you’re gonna give me an incest novel, you might as well actually make it incest. what is the point of a brother not calling their other half “brother,” hmm? it adds to the taboo topic of it and makes it better. this didn’t have that, and it added to the disappointment. sometimes it felt like the two weren’t even brothers but just best friends, which would be fine if that sibling love and connection was also there. instead, it felt like the two were just best friends obsessed with each other, but not brothers, no matter the fact that we knew they have been inseparable (literally) since birth.
there wasn’t anything memorable about both characters either. the book is told through nathan’s pov, who is quite the opposite of his twin, simon. while nate is more cold, isolated, and considered “boring” by many, simon is the outgoing, social, and brighter personality, but he won’t let others get away with insulting nate. they would both walk through fire for each other if it meant keeping them safe. all the talk and acknowledgment of the possessiveness and obsession they had of each other (especially simon towards nate) could have added to the growing and unwanted feelings the two had. reading about nate’s undesired feelings towards his twin brother and how disgusting he felt adds to that longing he feels. we don’t get simon’s pov, but we also know he’s felt/feeling the same. still, it really adds to the feelings of the characters and how they hate how they feel. it’s nothing new for these feelings to be added in an incest novel (more like common and normal), but i still like reading them because we can get an idea of the characters mind, see it through their lens and understand where they’re coming from. however, with nathan and simon’s case, i couldn’t understand how, where, and why nate felt attracted to his twin brother. there wasn’t any development, and i’m not even gonna use the length of the book as an excuse. Crybaby by this author is one of my favorites from this author, and one i always recommend to friends/readers who want to read more of marina, and it only stops at 70 some pages. it had such good character prose though, and it was easy to root for and even love the characters, as well as feel for them. i have read enough novellas to believe there is potential for an author to execute a story that can be fantastic, enjoyable, and memorable. i understand the short book doesn’t leave much room for enough character descriptions or backstory, but i would have appreciate some background on how it all started. instead, it felt like it was just something that was and we were supposed to accept it. i mean, that probably was the case, and that’s probably what a lot of others did, but i couldn’t get behind the relationship just accepting it all without understanding how it came to form in the first place. what exactly did nate see in simon? why did he become attracted to his own twin brother? when did these feelings start to shape up? i just wanted something.
i can’t even say i enjoyed this. while the possessiveness from simon towards nate is definitely something i was looking forward to, when i got to it, i asked myself, “that’s it?”
overall, i’m disappointed.
with that being said, marina vivancos is an underrated author, and i do wish more people read her books. if anyone is curious about her books, i highly recommend Rat Park, Divine River, and Crybaby instead of this.
i’m a marina vivancos stan, plain and simple. anything she writes that i find out about, i instantly add it to my tbr and impatiently patiently wait until it’s released so i can get my hands on it, no matter how soft and tender or dirty and rough the book is. so you bet that when i found out marina was going to release an incest romance, i had a countdown letting me know when it was release day. i hardly have anticipated releases now simply because of how much i’ve been let down, but i can’t deny the excitement i feel for this author.
so my disappointment is quite…shameful to me.
in fact, it’s the first time i’m giving something from this author two stars.
granted, the blurb does say this is barely 14k words, and many of my friends and other reviewers have stated how disappointed they were in the length. i knew this, and i tried very, very hard to not let it bother me and just say, “i know it’s short, so i won’t let it bother me” but it was more than difficult to ignore the fact that the book was only four chapters (and i don’t know how many pages, but somewhere around 40-60).
there honestly isn’t much to say about this that others haven’t, so i’ll second a lot of people’s thoughts on how short this felt. there was so much potential for the taboo twincest novel we were looking forward to. it felt like we were robbed and teased, given a glimpse of the potential the author has. and i know she has it! so why didn’t we get it all? for a book dealing with an intense topic like incest, this book lacked in many departments, including emotion, feeling, entertainment, and curiosity. the writing of marina still remains one of my favorites–beautiful and breezy, a sweet sound that you’re listening to without realizing how much time has passed. but those 14k words provided weren’t enough to fulfill me, which only resulted in utter disappointment and even disbelief.
but the length of it wasn’t even the full problem. it was also the execution. see, incest is one of the only taboo topics i read about. most of the rest trigger me (or bother, for a lack of better word). some for personal reasons, and others because of some sort of trauma i don’t have acknowledged and have no idea where it came from (generational trauma anyone?). so even though i haven’t really read incest/twincest, i don’t avoid it, and when i come across it, i come for how “wrong” it is. End Scene by nicky james and My Brother's Love by chara croft are two of the only mm incest books i’ve read, and one of my favorite things about them were how the brothers call each other brother. i don’t know what that says about my likes and tastes in books, but if you’re gonna give me an incest novel, you might as well actually make it incest. what is the point of a brother not calling their other half “brother,” hmm? it adds to the taboo topic of it and makes it better. this didn’t have that, and it added to the disappointment. sometimes it felt like the two weren’t even brothers but just best friends, which would be fine if that sibling love and connection was also there. instead, it felt like the two were just best friends obsessed with each other, but not brothers, no matter the fact that we knew they have been inseparable (literally) since birth.
there wasn’t anything memorable about both characters either. the book is told through nathan’s pov, who is quite the opposite of his twin, simon. while nate is more cold, isolated, and considered “boring” by many, simon is the outgoing, social, and brighter personality, but he won’t let others get away with insulting nate. they would both walk through fire for each other if it meant keeping them safe. all the talk and acknowledgment of the possessiveness and obsession they had of each other (especially simon towards nate) could have added to the growing and unwanted feelings the two had. reading about nate’s undesired feelings towards his twin brother and how disgusting he felt adds to that longing he feels. we don’t get simon’s pov, but we also know he’s felt/feeling the same. still, it really adds to the feelings of the characters and how they hate how they feel. it’s nothing new for these feelings to be added in an incest novel (more like common and normal), but i still like reading them because we can get an idea of the characters mind, see it through their lens and understand where they’re coming from. however, with nathan and simon’s case, i couldn’t understand how, where, and why nate felt attracted to his twin brother. there wasn’t any development, and i’m not even gonna use the length of the book as an excuse. Crybaby by this author is one of my favorites from this author, and one i always recommend to friends/readers who want to read more of marina, and it only stops at 70 some pages. it had such good character prose though, and it was easy to root for and even love the characters, as well as feel for them. i have read enough novellas to believe there is potential for an author to execute a story that can be fantastic, enjoyable, and memorable. i understand the short book doesn’t leave much room for enough character descriptions or backstory, but i would have appreciate some background on how it all started. instead, it felt like it was just something that was and we were supposed to accept it. i mean, that probably was the case, and that’s probably what a lot of others did, but i couldn’t get behind the relationship just accepting it all without understanding how it came to form in the first place. what exactly did nate see in simon? why did he become attracted to his own twin brother? when did these feelings start to shape up? i just wanted something.
i can’t even say i enjoyed this. while the possessiveness from simon towards nate is definitely something i was looking forward to, when i got to it, i asked myself, “that’s it?”
overall, i’m disappointed.
with that being said, marina vivancos is an underrated author, and i do wish more people read her books. if anyone is curious about her books, i highly recommend Rat Park, Divine River, and Crybaby instead of this.
June 15, 2022
4 “Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?” stars
He’d felt so guilty for so long. So wrong.
But now. Now he got to look at his brother the same way he’d done as a kid—with an uncomplicated kind of love that shone through him.
Okay. Maybe not exactly as he had as a kid.
Holy. Shit.
Look, let’s be honest here. I love this author and I always read her newest books when they come out. But this is not why i’m here in the first place. This book is about twin brothers. And i’m a massive fan of anything taboo, you just tell me that a book is taboo and i’ll read it, I don’t even need to know anything else about a book.
But this is one of the most enjoyable taboo story I have read in a while. Safe to say that I have read many of them, but it’s not often that I really enjoy everything about them like I enjoyed every aspects of this one.
Brief Summary
Nathan has always been super close to his twin brother, Simon. But Nathan had fallen in love with him so he decides to distance himself, thinking that Simon doesn’t want him. But turns out that they are both in love with each and they decide to be together.
I really enjoy taboo stories that have a part of angst because of the fact that they know that they shouldn’t be together, but that are also super sweet and very romantic. And it was the case of this one, which really worked for me. I thought that this one achieved a really good balance between the angst about the fact that they shouldn’t be together and the love that they felt for each other.
Also, my favourite part of stories about twins is when the book keeps telling you how much like each other they are, I feel like it just enhances the taboo portion of the book and I loved how this one did that, a lot.
My favourite thing in books is pining. I just love a good long and grueling pining. And there was so much pining in this book and it really worked for me. I just loved reading about them pining for each other. And the pining made it so rewarding when they finally got together and got everything that they had wished for.
These two were so cute together. I loved how they always made place for each other and how they always checked on each other to make sure that they other was alright. I just really enjoyed reading how much Simon and Nathan cared for each other and how they were ready to do everything for each other.
I’m absolutely weak for super possessive main characters who just wants their partners all to themselves and it was the case for both characters in this story and I just loved that. This story was very possessive and I absolutely adored that, so so much.
“I want you to never look at anybody else, never think of anybody else like this. Want you to know every single second of every single day that you’re mine. That nobody can ever fucking touch you the way I do.”
The sex scenes in this book. Wow. Just wow. I don’t have words to describe how hot they were. They just took my breath away because damn, they were absolutely perfect and everything I wanted them to be.
My one thing about this book is just that it’s way too short for me. If this book was a full length story it probably would have been one of my favourite book of the year. I just enjoyed everything about this book so much and I wanted more, so much more.
I absolutely adored this one. This was everything I wanted it to be and I just appreciated it, a lot. This book was just the exact kind of taboo morcel I wanted to read and I had the best of time reading this one.
I received an arc of this book, and this is my honest opinion
He’d felt so guilty for so long. So wrong.
But now. Now he got to look at his brother the same way he’d done as a kid—with an uncomplicated kind of love that shone through him.
Okay. Maybe not exactly as he had as a kid.
Holy. Shit.
Look, let’s be honest here. I love this author and I always read her newest books when they come out. But this is not why i’m here in the first place. This book is about twin brothers. And i’m a massive fan of anything taboo, you just tell me that a book is taboo and i’ll read it, I don’t even need to know anything else about a book.
But this is one of the most enjoyable taboo story I have read in a while. Safe to say that I have read many of them, but it’s not often that I really enjoy everything about them like I enjoyed every aspects of this one.
Brief Summary
Nathan has always been super close to his twin brother, Simon. But Nathan had fallen in love with him so he decides to distance himself, thinking that Simon doesn’t want him. But turns out that they are both in love with each and they decide to be together.
I really enjoy taboo stories that have a part of angst because of the fact that they know that they shouldn’t be together, but that are also super sweet and very romantic. And it was the case of this one, which really worked for me. I thought that this one achieved a really good balance between the angst about the fact that they shouldn’t be together and the love that they felt for each other.
Also, my favourite part of stories about twins is when the book keeps telling you how much like each other they are, I feel like it just enhances the taboo portion of the book and I loved how this one did that, a lot.
My favourite thing in books is pining. I just love a good long and grueling pining. And there was so much pining in this book and it really worked for me. I just loved reading about them pining for each other. And the pining made it so rewarding when they finally got together and got everything that they had wished for.
These two were so cute together. I loved how they always made place for each other and how they always checked on each other to make sure that they other was alright. I just really enjoyed reading how much Simon and Nathan cared for each other and how they were ready to do everything for each other.
I’m absolutely weak for super possessive main characters who just wants their partners all to themselves and it was the case for both characters in this story and I just loved that. This story was very possessive and I absolutely adored that, so so much.
“I want you to never look at anybody else, never think of anybody else like this. Want you to know every single second of every single day that you’re mine. That nobody can ever fucking touch you the way I do.”
The sex scenes in this book. Wow. Just wow. I don’t have words to describe how hot they were. They just took my breath away because damn, they were absolutely perfect and everything I wanted them to be.
My one thing about this book is just that it’s way too short for me. If this book was a full length story it probably would have been one of my favourite book of the year. I just enjoyed everything about this book so much and I wanted more, so much more.
I absolutely adored this one. This was everything I wanted it to be and I just appreciated it, a lot. This book was just the exact kind of taboo morcel I wanted to read and I had the best of time reading this one.
I received an arc of this book, and this is my honest opinion
June 26, 2022
"who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?"
✦ taboo, very short, but hot.
✦ i am actually not really a fan of reading anything related to incest, but this is Marina Vivancos we're talking about, so i had to check this out. i'm glad i did, because once you get over the whole brothers aspect, it's kinda hot lmao.
"i didn’t know what loneliness was until i left you."
✦ the forbidden aspect, the codependency and the possessiveness were great. this had some angsty little moments that i appreciated too.
✦ would have been way better if it was a little longer imo, but for a novella, it was good.
"if he dies, i die."
✦ taboo, very short, but hot.
✦ i am actually not really a fan of reading anything related to incest, but this is Marina Vivancos we're talking about, so i had to check this out. i'm glad i did, because once you get over the whole brothers aspect, it's kinda hot lmao.
"i didn’t know what loneliness was until i left you."
✦ the forbidden aspect, the codependency and the possessiveness were great. this had some angsty little moments that i appreciated too.
✦ would have been way better if it was a little longer imo, but for a novella, it was good.
"if he dies, i die."
July 26, 2022
Super taboo short story.
3,5 stars.
A love between two twin brothers.
Can you imagine something more taboo than this?
Though is kind of sweet the story between the two of them, but I'm not a reliable source, because I forgot/deleted in my mind they were twin brothers.
How would they make it work?
It was too short, a lot of questions left answered, but I guess it's got to be this way, due to the enormous taboo this is.
June 17, 2022
This story caught my eye for being taboo 👀
It reminded me of the movie called From beginning to end, it's a film that tells the story of two brothers who fall in love and are connected from the beginning. They're not twins, but it's a similar story.
It's a very beautiful Brazilian film.
About the book : I loved it! Incest is a taboo, a delicate topic. I accept that in fiction if it is written delicately. I think the connection of the characters here goes beyond being brothers, it's a soul connection that transcends our normality. Marina vivancos was able to express this in a small but intense story ❤️🔥
It reminded me of the movie called From beginning to end, it's a film that tells the story of two brothers who fall in love and are connected from the beginning. They're not twins, but it's a similar story.
It's a very beautiful Brazilian film.
About the book : I loved it! Incest is a taboo, a delicate topic. I accept that in fiction if it is written delicately. I think the connection of the characters here goes beyond being brothers, it's a soul connection that transcends our normality. Marina vivancos was able to express this in a small but intense story ❤️🔥
June 3, 2023
Reread 1: Dec 13, 2022
honestly the ending of this book pisses me off everything cus DAMNIT! Why do books end! 😭😭😭
Reread 2: May 30, 2023 why does it get better every time I reread this
.
.
.
This might just be the BEST incest book I HAVE EVER READ 😭🫶💘💝💖
and I am SOBBING at the fact that this is a novella. There is NOTHING more cruel than this ending that just ended oh so fucking beautifully.
I need a SEQUEL MARINA!!!!!!!!!!
gosh, this book, THESE WORDS, every fucking second of this book made me FEEL like my skin got ELECTROCUTED. I was fucking SHIVERING while reading this book.
GOD, what a book.
What a fucking book.
Loved and adored every second of this. I cannot believe it just ended.
/
/
/
/
/
My only con?
WHY IS HE NAMED SIMON???!! I ALREADY HAVE BAD ENOUGH MEMORIES OF SO MANY SIMON CHARACTERS IN MY LIFE!!!!
sksks, jk
Reread 2: May 30, 2023 why does it get better every time I reread this
.
.
.
This might just be the BEST incest book I HAVE EVER READ 😭🫶💘💝💖
and I am SOBBING at the fact that this is a novella. There is NOTHING more cruel than this ending that just ended oh so fucking beautifully.
I need a SEQUEL MARINA!!!!!!!!!!
���Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?”
gosh, this book, THESE WORDS, every fucking second of this book made me FEEL like my skin got ELECTROCUTED. I was fucking SHIVERING while reading this book.
GOD, what a book.
Everybody thought that Simon bulldozed over Nathan in most things. That his loud personality dwarfed Nathan’s, made him unable to speak up.
The truth was, nobody listened to Nathan the way Simon did.When he wanted space, or quiet, or peace, Simon was there barricading the door so that nobody came in.
What a fucking book.
Nathan had always loved the fact that they weremirror twins. That they were identical if they were facing each other. That if they pressed together, all their freckles would line up, become whole.
When he was done, he lay there and let himself be looked over by Simon. Thinner and softer than his brother, but the same shape, the same colours. Even under their skin, Nathan imagined, their organs would look the same. Their blood.
Loved and adored every second of this. I cannot believe it just ended.
/
/
/
/
/
My only con?
WHY IS HE NAMED SIMON???!! I ALREADY HAVE BAD ENOUGH MEMORIES OF SO MANY SIMON CHARACTERS IN MY LIFE!!!!
sksks, jk
June 22, 2022
4.25**** stars
Thought I’d give my two cents on this one, too…
I didn't mind at all that it was so short. If this were a full-length novel it probably would’ve been full of longing and PINING. And I don’t need that in my books, honestly. So for me, as a lover of short stories, this was perfect as it was.
It was fast paced, still full of longing and desperation, hot as fuck and there also was soooo much tenderness. I loved it. Sure, there were unanswered questions but at the end they were happy (for now). So so happy - it was all I needed.
Thought I’d give my two cents on this one, too…
I didn't mind at all that it was so short. If this were a full-length novel it probably would’ve been full of longing and PINING. And I don’t need that in my books, honestly. So for me, as a lover of short stories, this was perfect as it was.
It was fast paced, still full of longing and desperation, hot as fuck and there also was soooo much tenderness. I loved it. Sure, there were unanswered questions but at the end they were happy (for now). So so happy - it was all I needed.
“Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?”
♡♡♡
June 18, 2022
Hot, intense, and as beautifully written as every Marina Vivancos book I’ve read so far — BUT way too short to properly address all the feels! Come on, this was like teasing a starving person with the sight & smell of a feast, but only feeding them crumbs! What I wouldn’t give for 200+ more pages of Nate and Simon and their delicious dynamic. 😩 And maybe just a little more angst, and pining… *daydreaming*
June 13, 2022
Marina Vivancos is a new-to-me author and I enjoyed her writing. This was a novella (not my favourite length of book!) and it was a really short one too, just four chapters long.
As the title suggests, this is a taboo MM romance, between brothers - mirror twins, Nathan and Simon.
It will not be for everyone, give the forbidden nature of the relationship, but if you enjoy the angst and guilty longing associated with taboo reads - and particularly with twincest - you’ll love this one.
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
As the title suggests, this is a taboo MM romance, between brothers - mirror twins, Nathan and Simon.
It will not be for everyone, give the forbidden nature of the relationship, but if you enjoy the angst and guilty longing associated with taboo reads - and particularly with twincest - you’ll love this one.
3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 15, 2022
Vivancos can pack a lot of emotion into a small package, but even then, there's a limit. This one is just too short to pull it off. Every time I was just getting pulled into a scene, into the emotions, it would end or change. They were always just a bit short of complete and it was intensely frustrating.
This did have some very emotional moments - I loved the hotel scene! I wish more of the story had been like that, all those intense emotions and angst and feels. It just needs more time to breathe.
The story felt like it was picking up speed as I read along, getting rushed at the end. It lost its impact because of that. I think their relationship was supposed to have this-was-inevitable vibes, but I never quite felt that. The possessive you-belong-only-to-me attitude is great, I love it, but it just didn't quite work for me here...because again, this was too short to develop the base for that. Instead of communicating the deep need, years of pent up emotions, and angst between them, and the possessiveness being doubled by the twin bond, it just felt a little demanding. Not very different from a non-twin pairing. So close.
The end I found quite abrupt as well. Their connection, once they came together, felt a little glossed over.
Overall, this was almost amazing. I don't know why it was so short. A little bit more time to make the scenes complete and it could have been a 5 star. I know Vivancos can do the emotions, there's evidence of that here even, but you still need page time to build that angst in.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
This did have some very emotional moments - I loved the hotel scene! I wish more of the story had been like that, all those intense emotions and angst and feels. It just needs more time to breathe.
The story felt like it was picking up speed as I read along, getting rushed at the end. It lost its impact because of that. I think their relationship was supposed to have this-was-inevitable vibes, but I never quite felt that. The possessive you-belong-only-to-me attitude is great, I love it, but it just didn't quite work for me here...because again, this was too short to develop the base for that. Instead of communicating the deep need, years of pent up emotions, and angst between them, and the possessiveness being doubled by the twin bond, it just felt a little demanding. Not very different from a non-twin pairing. So close.
The end I found quite abrupt as well. Their connection, once they came together, felt a little glossed over.
Overall, this was almost amazing. I don't know why it was so short. A little bit more time to make the scenes complete and it could have been a 5 star. I know Vivancos can do the emotions, there's evidence of that here even, but you still need page time to build that angst in.
Read more reviews on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 30, 2022
Short and taboo 😍
June 22, 2022
Yes, it's twincest. Yes, it's short. And yes, it's hot.
I knew what I was getting into, and I was curious after reading the reviews.
You can't do much character development in a 14k words novella. Still, I could feel where Nate and Simon were coming from: having been so close and inseparable for their entire life, I could understand their need to get even closer. And I could understand why Nate felt the need to put distance between them when he realized what kind of relationship he wanted from Simon.
What I liked: once they got IT going, their previous closeness made it easy for them to be completely honest with each other about their sexual fantasies.
It's quick, it's intense, and it's hot. If that's what you're looking for in a book, you can't go wrong here 😬
I knew what I was getting into, and I was curious after reading the reviews.
You can't do much character development in a 14k words novella. Still, I could feel where Nate and Simon were coming from: having been so close and inseparable for their entire life, I could understand their need to get even closer. And I could understand why Nate felt the need to put distance between them when he realized what kind of relationship he wanted from Simon.
What I liked: once they got IT going, their previous closeness made it easy for them to be completely honest with each other about their sexual fantasies.
It's quick, it's intense, and it's hot. If that's what you're looking for in a book, you can't go wrong here 😬
June 16, 2022
Holy short, Batman! 3.5 stars rounded up. I’m used to Marina’s books always leaving us wanting more, but this one seemed to be extra short. I still really enjoyed it and it had a lot packed into it, but I definitely wanted more. I still adore Marina’s writing. And I’m always hungry for good taboo.
June 13, 2022
★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews for an advanced copy of this book!
I LIVE for taboo romance. So when I read the blurb and found out this was twincest, I was immediately in. I haven’t read any MV books before but I do have several on my TBR.
This book was good… but it left me wanting.
First, and this is just a personal preference, but I like first person over third. I just feel like I connect better in that POV. Brother is written in third person POV and it’s from Nathan’s perspective. We don’t get to see Simon’s side, or his thoughts.
Second, this book is only four chapters long. I finished it in 35 minutes and I just wanted more. More detail, more length, more angst. I wanted it all but didn’t get that here.
Still, if you’re a junkie for taboo romance like me, definitely pick this up when it releases. Even if it is only four chapters, it’s still enjoyable as hell and worth the quick read.
Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews for an advanced copy of this book!
I LIVE for taboo romance. So when I read the blurb and found out this was twincest, I was immediately in. I haven’t read any MV books before but I do have several on my TBR.
This book was good… but it left me wanting.
First, and this is just a personal preference, but I like first person over third. I just feel like I connect better in that POV. Brother is written in third person POV and it’s from Nathan’s perspective. We don’t get to see Simon’s side, or his thoughts.
Second, this book is only four chapters long. I finished it in 35 minutes and I just wanted more. More detail, more length, more angst. I wanted it all but didn’t get that here.
Still, if you’re a junkie for taboo romance like me, definitely pick this up when it releases. Even if it is only four chapters, it’s still enjoyable as hell and worth the quick read.
June 18, 2022
I have a few books by Marina Vivancos on my tbr, but haven't read any one of them yet. Just never got around to pick one up. But I hear good things about her writing, so when I got a chance to request an ARC for her newest novella, I jumped in.
And yes, I was aware of the fact that this is a taboo book. But sometimes that's something I'm in the mood for. There's something special about them: the forbidden longing, the confused and mixed up feelings, knowing that it's wrong to want things with someone you shouldn't. Besides the taboo aspect, I also love it when those emotions are coming to the surface.
And they did in this book.
It's written from Nathan's pov only, and I loved how vulnerable he was. How confused, and how guilty he felt for wanting Simon. How WRONG his needs were. In an attempt to save their relationship (they had always been close), he even decides to attend a different college, the first time they are doing something separately. He feels like he has no choice, because he doesn't want to lose the deep connection he already has with Simon, and he fears that he will if Simon found out what went on in his mind. The craving for something deeper, something more with his twin brother.
I loved how protective Simon was, how things developed when both brothers find out what the other's been wanting all along.
It's a well written novella, and the author managed to pack a lot of feelings in only a few chapters. I wished it would have been longer, get a glimpse in how they deal with their family and friends, and how they manage their future together. But alas, this is all we get. And it was something beautiful!
I kindly received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest, voluntary review
And yes, I was aware of the fact that this is a taboo book. But sometimes that's something I'm in the mood for. There's something special about them: the forbidden longing, the confused and mixed up feelings, knowing that it's wrong to want things with someone you shouldn't. Besides the taboo aspect, I also love it when those emotions are coming to the surface.
And they did in this book.
It's written from Nathan's pov only, and I loved how vulnerable he was. How confused, and how guilty he felt for wanting Simon. How WRONG his needs were. In an attempt to save their relationship (they had always been close), he even decides to attend a different college, the first time they are doing something separately. He feels like he has no choice, because he doesn't want to lose the deep connection he already has with Simon, and he fears that he will if Simon found out what went on in his mind. The craving for something deeper, something more with his twin brother.
I loved how protective Simon was, how things developed when both brothers find out what the other's been wanting all along.
It's a well written novella, and the author managed to pack a lot of feelings in only a few chapters. I wished it would have been longer, get a glimpse in how they deal with their family and friends, and how they manage their future together. But alas, this is all we get. And it was something beautiful!
I kindly received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest, voluntary review
June 23, 2022
Twincest!? - Yes, please. I'm right there! 👀
I love reading taboo books and twincest is one of my favorite kind.
This short novella was amazing! It was exactly what I needed. It is fast paces, interesting, hot, emotional, touching, warm and without anything unnecessary.
These two were just 🙌🥵🥰
If you enjoy taboo books and you're looking for something short to read this is perfect.
I love reading taboo books and twincest is one of my favorite kind.
This short novella was amazing! It was exactly what I needed. It is fast paces, interesting, hot, emotional, touching, warm and without anything unnecessary.
These two were just 🙌🥵🥰
If you enjoy taboo books and you're looking for something short to read this is perfect.
alone in the dark with his brother - and therefore not alone at all.
"Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?"
June 20, 2022
I actually enjoyed it. The pinning, and possessiveness were beautifully captured but I think 50 pages are not enough to write a great taboo romance.
December 22, 2022
Marina Vivancos has a wonderful way of telling stories. I love this style. I had been hesitant to read this book until now because it is just way too short. And my fear has come true. This book is insanely good, but the ending is so abrupt and completely unpredictable that it's supposed to end at this point that it's maddeningly disappointing.
I had just gotten really deep into the new relationship between Nate and Simon and had made myself really comfortable in the story when suddenly it all ended. Huh, what the fuck? Somehow I didn't notice the remaining number of pages and it caught me of guard. That was mean. 😢
The twincest narrative is quite unique, there are so many books on the subject, but I think Marina has found her own unique approach here. The dynamic between the brothers is very interesting. The little bit of sex that is on display has that extra something and is quite spicy, I would have liked to see more of that.
God, what would that feel like? To be held down by Simon and fucked. To feel himself open up, inch by inch for his cock? Nathan would feel so full, stuffed and complete and still wanting more. Simon would be ruthless and loving and consuming. Would eat Nathan up bit by bit until there was nothing left of Nathan that wasn’t Simon’s.
An excruciating, blinding fire filled Nathan. Simon’s tongue was in his mouth, licking, eating him up, and all Nathan’s wanting body could do was arch, lips pressing back, hands grabbing at Simon with the greed that comes after malnourishment. 😍😍😍
I had just gotten really deep into the new relationship between Nate and Simon and had made myself really comfortable in the story when suddenly it all ended. Huh, what the fuck? Somehow I didn't notice the remaining number of pages and it caught me of guard. That was mean. 😢
The twincest narrative is quite unique, there are so many books on the subject, but I think Marina has found her own unique approach here. The dynamic between the brothers is very interesting. The little bit of sex that is on display has that extra something and is quite spicy, I would have liked to see more of that.
God, what would that feel like? To be held down by Simon and fucked. To feel himself open up, inch by inch for his cock? Nathan would feel so full, stuffed and complete and still wanting more. Simon would be ruthless and loving and consuming. Would eat Nathan up bit by bit until there was nothing left of Nathan that wasn’t Simon’s.
An excruciating, blinding fire filled Nathan. Simon’s tongue was in his mouth, licking, eating him up, and all Nathan’s wanting body could do was arch, lips pressing back, hands grabbing at Simon with the greed that comes after malnourishment. 😍😍😍
November 16, 2025
Picked this up for my kink bingo reading challenge
I'm a slut for toxic codependency and possessiveness, turns out that also applies to twins 😆 It's Marina Viavancos though, so of course it's good.
I'm a slut for toxic codependency and possessiveness, turns out that also applies to twins 😆 It's Marina Viavancos though, so of course it's good.
June 25, 2022
4 stars
This was just what I needed something short and taboo.
"Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?"
"If he dies,I die"
This was just what I needed something short and taboo.
"Who the fuck do you think you belong to if not me?"
"If he dies,I die"
June 24, 2022
* 3.5 stars *
I liked this but it was way too short, especially for this trope.
There were many flashbacks that took away time from the present. I know that they were supposed to set the background and give us a glimpse of what Nathan and Simon's relationship was like previous to them leaving for college, but there needed to be more time to include everything in the story and still leave time for the scenes set in the present to develop.
It felt kind of like a prologue to a longer story. And it could have been, as there was so much potential.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
I liked this but it was way too short, especially for this trope.
There were many flashbacks that took away time from the present. I know that they were supposed to set the background and give us a glimpse of what Nathan and Simon's relationship was like previous to them leaving for college, but there needed to be more time to include everything in the story and still leave time for the scenes set in the present to develop.
It felt kind of like a prologue to a longer story. And it could have been, as there was so much potential.
~ I read an ARC of this book. ~
June 17, 2022
3.5 stars - this would have been 5 stars if it was a smidge longer.
The twins were great, the emotional and angsty feelings were executed so well. I just wanted more! As soon as the story started gaining momentum the scene would abruptly change onto something else. (It's a me problem with novella length books in general, not the book's problem.)
The twins were great, the emotional and angsty feelings were executed so well. I just wanted more! As soon as the story started gaining momentum the scene would abruptly change onto something else. (It's a me problem with novella length books in general, not the book's problem.)
June 20, 2022
2.75 ⭐️
changed the rating because i can’t stop being bothered by how unsatisfied i was.
default review:
the moment i saw this on my feed, i added it straight away. that’s the weird thing i have with taboo stories. i don’t even need deep context of the blurb. guilty pleasure, honestly 🙂 so it started pretty common storyline - one of the twin already had “weird sexy” feelings for the other brother and he decided to stay away to do the right thing. but ofc it didn’t work that way, and the story starts there.
if this was longer, i believe there will be more depth to their relationship because it was there, it was just not much. it was less than 100 pages (?) i was confused by how the chapter moves from one to the next. were they in college? in high school? i understand what the story line was - include moments and times where it moves the plot according to how they will end up together - and it makes sense. it was just a little confusing i had to reread multiple times to reconfirm everything. but i still like this. i just needed a little more of Simon’s POV :)
changed the rating because i can’t stop being bothered by how unsatisfied i was.
default review:
the moment i saw this on my feed, i added it straight away. that’s the weird thing i have with taboo stories. i don’t even need deep context of the blurb. guilty pleasure, honestly 🙂 so it started pretty common storyline - one of the twin already had “weird sexy” feelings for the other brother and he decided to stay away to do the right thing. but ofc it didn’t work that way, and the story starts there.
“Was it worth it, then? Going so far away?”
The words were bitter, shot through with that same anger that had bubbled underneath the surface the last few months before college. Before separating.
if this was longer, i believe there will be more depth to their relationship because it was there, it was just not much. it was less than 100 pages (?) i was confused by how the chapter moves from one to the next. were they in college? in high school? i understand what the story line was - include moments and times where it moves the plot according to how they will end up together - and it makes sense. it was just a little confusing i had to reread multiple times to reconfirm everything. but i still like this. i just needed a little more of Simon’s POV :)
”You thought about this,”
Simon murmured into his mouth.
“Yeah. Yeah, Si, so many times.”
“Tell me. Tell me, tell me, please.”
June 19, 2022
What a beautifully emotional little book. The longing these two had for each other came through on every page. There is a certain feeling the summer between college years gives where you're an adult but still growing and the tangle of the past, family, new friends, and new experiences all come together. The vibe of long hot days spent by the water. Somehow this short book about incest between twin brothers captured summer perfectly. Even the length of the book worked since it was as fleeting as one of those college summers. I loved it 5 stars rounded down.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
May 27, 2025
taboo stories have me in a chokehold and this one was sitting on my tbr way too long.
It kicks off with a classic setup, one twin already feeling those wrong but so right feelings and trying to stay away to be the “good guy.” (Spoiler: it doesn’t work.) And from there, it spirals into all the delicious tension you’d expect.
It’s short what I usually really love and while the potential for deeper emotional messiness was totally there, it just didn’t have time to really get into it. The structure was a little chaotic too. I kept rereading like “wait... are we in high school? college?? when did that happen??” But once I pieced it together, the plot mostly tracked.
It was okay but it also could have been so much better!!
It kicks off with a classic setup, one twin already feeling those wrong but so right feelings and trying to stay away to be the “good guy.” (Spoiler: it doesn’t work.) And from there, it spirals into all the delicious tension you’d expect.
It’s short what I usually really love and while the potential for deeper emotional messiness was totally there, it just didn’t have time to really get into it. The structure was a little chaotic too. I kept rereading like “wait... are we in high school? college?? when did that happen??” But once I pieced it together, the plot mostly tracked.
It was okay but it also could have been so much better!!
March 4, 2024
2.5/5.
Nice, sure. Didn’t wow me though.
Also, this reminded me so much of Off Limits. But this book was for sure better.
Nice, sure. Didn’t wow me though.
Also, this reminded me so much of Off Limits. But this book was for sure better.
August 17, 2022
Vivancos's writing is once again very evocative and sentimental. You could really feel the yearning and the angst in this short story. I liked how unreliable the MC's POV was in the end, and since we only get his POV, we were as perplexed as him about the true meaning of his brother's actions. This made the later scenes with both of them so sweet and satisfying. Vivancos did the taboo aspect well, and the codependacy between the twins felt very real. My only gripe is that it was so short!
July 13, 2022
SO HOT. it had me sobbing one minute and hot asf the next🥵.
June 11, 2022
I don’t really read this genre - taboos; incest, but I like to try new things, and expand my horizons as it were, and I like trying new-to-me authors. So when Brothers was on offer, I decided to give it a go.
Marina has a really lovely writing style. It’s soft and languid and holds a lot of emotion and passion. She uses a single POV, which I really like for a short story. And the story it self was beautiful. You really felt the pull of desire and love between these twins. Tearing themselves apart physically and emotionally to deny their feelings, afraid of losing the either. It was raw and sweet.
< ARC provided by GRR and this is my honest review >
Marina has a really lovely writing style. It’s soft and languid and holds a lot of emotion and passion. She uses a single POV, which I really like for a short story. And the story it self was beautiful. You really felt the pull of desire and love between these twins. Tearing themselves apart physically and emotionally to deny their feelings, afraid of losing the either. It was raw and sweet.
< ARC provided by GRR and this is my honest review >
June 13, 2022
It's a short and taboo just the way I liked it. Not sure I'll like it irl.
But this was fun to read if you're into this kind of story.
Make your decisions wisely.
But this was fun to read if you're into this kind of story.
Make your decisions wisely.
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