Review: Forsaken by J.R. Gray
Note: This ARC was provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.
Forsaken is the newest standalone novel from author J.R. Gray and it tells the complicated love story of Titus and Angel. Titus was a young man who was brought up believing he was destined to become the next great prophet of their community. He was told he was born into the role and he knew what would be demanded of him, and he wishes for nothing more than to live up to what is expected of him. Except... Titus, more often than not, does not deem himself worthy of such a revered role. There are things he wants that he's been taught is abhorrent. So why is it that someone like him who is supposed to be a prophet be diseased by thoughts, feelings, and desires that he should not be having? When he comes upon someone who looks more like a fallen angel than an injured man, Titus finds himself in a battle he isn't sure he's wholly prepared for--one where he will have to choose between the one thing he has always held on to--his religion--and the only thing that seems to make sense to Titus--his Angel.
I'm often intrigued by stories that have religious slant to them when it comes to LGBTQIA romances, mainly because I'm curious to see how whichever religion is depicted and how everything will play out with the couple. In J.R. Gray's novel, the religion of choice has a cult-like feel to. They've interpreted the bible according to whichever conservative and phobic views they hold to be true. In short, they use what should be a holy book to justify their unholy beliefs. Well, maybe not unholy to some, but then any supposed faith-based organization that does not know how to practice acceptance is one I consider unholy. I more than appreciated the fact that Gray did not make the cult into some cartoon version of more known religions. His portrayal of that group as well as the relationship between Titus and Angel had me recognizing that this wasn't going to be your run-of-the-mill religion versus gay romance story. Gray's storytelling left me impressed, and I hope readers give Forsaken a fair shot. This get 4.5 stars. ♥
I'm often intrigued by stories that have religious slant to them when it comes to LGBTQIA romances, mainly because I'm curious to see how whichever religion is depicted and how everything will play out with the couple. In J.R. Gray's novel, the religion of choice has a cult-like feel to. They've interpreted the bible according to whichever conservative and phobic views they hold to be true. In short, they use what should be a holy book to justify their unholy beliefs. Well, maybe not unholy to some, but then any supposed faith-based organization that does not know how to practice acceptance is one I consider unholy. I more than appreciated the fact that Gray did not make the cult into some cartoon version of more known religions. His portrayal of that group as well as the relationship between Titus and Angel had me recognizing that this wasn't going to be your run-of-the-mill religion versus gay romance story. Gray's storytelling left me impressed, and I hope readers give Forsaken a fair shot. This get 4.5 stars. ♥
Date Read: 02 March 2018
Learn more about J.R. Gray.
Purchase Forsaken on Amazon.
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