"Amor Prohibido"

Review - "Amor Prohibido" by Ellis Carrington

Great book - not long enough!!

Highly Recommended

Jacob is newly out of a long term abusive relationship, in need of some healing time mentally, physically and spiritually. A yoga retreat with his best gal pal to Mexico sounds like just the place to make things better, one way or another.

Pakal is spirit guide, having been sacrificed to the Mayan gods over a thousand years ago. His task is one he has been very successful at over the years - assist his charge in healing his broken spirit.

But one look at Jake, and Pakal feels things he has never experienced before. Could he be falling in love? Spirit guides are forbidden from entering into physical relationships with their charges. So where does that leave these two men?

This is a well written, thoroughly researched story of the old Mayan gods and how sacrifices made a thousand years ago affect the lives of a man living in today's world. I was intrigued by the depth of world and character building Ms. Carrington did, and the care she took in making both Jake and Pakal relevant to both the ancient world and now.

Pakal was beautifully drawn; his life ended too soon as a young man, and his devotion to his role as spiritual guide believable and touching. One has to wonder at the loneliness he must have been experiencing for these many years, touching a life for a brief moment in time then moving on to the next, having only his fellow guides as any sort of family or relationship.

And Jake. His life with his boyfriend carved large pieces out of his heart and spirit over the course of years of physical and mental abuse. The stamina it too to be a long term survivor is remarkable. The fact that he considered ending it not unusual, the guilt he felt understandable, the strength it took to end the relationship amazing, and the decision to possibly end his life heartbreaking. Those of us who haven't felt the sting of abuse like that cannot understand, from the outside, the decisions that make a person stay day after day, month after month and year after year. And I cannot guess where one finds the will to try to enter into a new relationship of any type. So I appreciate and admire the care it took to build this character.

My only wish is that this wonderful story had continued. Without giving too much away, the path of true love is never easy, and these two have more trials than most. I was satisfied with the resolution, and happy the door was left open to continue the story, or not. I was so engrossed in the storytelling, I wanted it to go on a lot longer than it did!

Very enthusiastically recommended.  Good job, Ms. Carrington!

Tom