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Leta Blake
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Pictures of You ('90s Coming of Age Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Leta Blake (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 647 ratings
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Peter Mandel is an 18-year-old private school senior who’s passionate about photography and bent on keeping his attractions secret. Enter Adam Algedi, a charming, worldly guy who doesn't do labels, but does want to do Peter.

Swept away on a journey of first love and intimate discovery, Peter hopes for a future where he won't have to hide his truth. But as the web of lies he and Adam are weaving grows relentlessly tangled, can Peter find the confidence to do the right thing? Or will his crush on Daniel, a college acquaintance, put him on a different path?

Join Peter in the first book of this critically acclaimed trilogy as he struggles to love and be loved and to grow into a man worthy of his own respect.

Leta Blake's ’90s Coming of Age series is a must-read for fans of New Adult Romance and coming-of-age fiction.

This series by Leta Blake is an M/M New Adult Coming-of-Age Romance set in the early 1990s.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    '90s Coming of Age
  2. Print length
    316 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    April 25, 2023
  5. File size
    1.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. See all details
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From the Publisher

B&W image of young man putting on jean jacket "love was like honey too much made a big mess"
Paperback - Black & White Cover
Paperback - Original Cover
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Ebook - You Are Not Me
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Customer Reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars 3
4.6 out of 5 stars 647
4.7 out of 5 stars 517
4.7 out of 5 stars 517
Price $14.99 $16.99 $7.99 $7.99
Other Options Matte 6X9" Black & White Cover Paperback Matte 6X9" Color Cover Paperback Available on Kindle Unlimited Book 2 in the '90s Coming of Age series - Available on Kindle Unlimited

Editorial Reviews

Review

  • "Go ahead and start getting excited about this." ~ Katie, Back Porch Reader

  • "An amazing story that I couldn't put down!" ~ Jaime, Alpha Book Club

  • "Oh, I just loved this one! Pictures of You had me captivated from start to finish and I can not wait for more in Peter's journey." ~ Jay, Joyfully Jay Reviews

  • "Five freakin' awesome stars. Wow, Leta, you have outdone yourself." ~ Jewel, My Fiction Nook

  • "I couldn't put this book down. I absolutely loved it." ~ Tracy, Bayou Book Junkie

  • "[Pictures of You is] out of this world good." ~ Amber, Love Bytes Reviews

  • "What a book! It consumed me from start to finish." ~ Amy, Goodreads Librarian/Reader

  • "Don't miss this one people. You want on this ride." ~ Erin, Diverse Reader Reviews
  • "I would give this book ten stars if I could. It's going on my all-time favorites shelf. It was absolutely amazing." ~ Stacey Jo, Goodreads reviewer/reader

About the Author

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake's educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: eepurl.com/bdn32H

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0C3474WV1
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Leta Blake Books, LLC; 2nd edition (April 25, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 25, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.4 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 316 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1537740040
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 647 ratings

About the author

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Leta Blake

Leta Blake

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Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites like Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for nearly a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.

If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Bonus material for the Heat of Love series, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married series, Training Season series, Smoky Mountain Dreams, Mr. Frosty Pants, The River Leith, and more is available on Leta Blake's Patreon account. Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/letablake

Or you can find out more about her by following her online:

On the web: https://letablake.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/letablake

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/LetaBlake

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
647 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story touching, poignant, and evocative. They praise the writing quality as well-written and flowing smoothly. The characters are described as believable and likable. Many find the book sweet and spicy, with a lighthearted tone. However, opinions differ on the emotional content - some find it heartbreaking and intense, while others find it funny and lighthearted.

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Narrative styleWriting qualityCharacter developmentSweetnessBeautyHumorEmotional content
19 customers mention "Narrative style"19 positive0 negative

Customers find the story touching, poignant, and bittersweet. They describe it as a heartfelt coming-of-age tale told in words and pictures. The book provides a realistic view into life in the early 1990s for young queer men. It is described as an exquisite journey of love and hurt.

"...this is a story about growing up, learning life's complicated and painful, learning who you are and what you are capable of doing when you love..." Read more

"...I found him to be very believable and likable...." Read more

"...This book provides a very realistic view into life in the early 90s for young queer men...." Read more

"...It is a story told in words but also in the photographs Peter takes. Every significant moment in his life is reflected in his pictures...." Read more

11 customers mention "Writing quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's writing quality. They say it flows well, with rich language and a sexy plot.

"...The way Leta writs is pure magic, describing life in the 1990’s in an effortless way that is both believable and seamless in the story...." Read more

"P.O.Y. is an excellent example of wonderful first person writing!..." Read more

"...It was beautifully written with all the right descriptions of teenage life...." Read more

"...full of longing, lust, love, external and internal conflict... beautifully written... I felt everything!..." Read more

8 customers mention "Character development"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters well-developed and believable. They appreciate the love between Peter and Adam. The book is described as sweet, romantic, and heartbreaking at times.

"...Each character is delicately constructed, tangibly real, almost at your fingertips...." Read more

"...I found him to be very believable and likable...." Read more

"...Leta Blake created deeply developed characters...." Read more

"...The book is beautiful, the writing excellent, and the characters multidimensional. I love this book. It will forever be one of my favorites." Read more

6 customers mention "Sweetness"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book's sweetness. They found the love between Peter and Adam well-portrayed, even though he had issues.

"...I love Peter, he is a very talented boy although he’s got a lot of issues to work through, specially his feelings of worthlessness...." Read more

"...It is sweet and romantic at times and heartbreaking and gutting at others...." Read more

"...Ah, naïve, wonderfully sweet Peter, whom I adore. How can I not? To my surprise, even more captivating than Peter was his love interest, Adam...." Read more

"A somewhat sweet, somewhat spicy 90's coming of age story. Not my go-to genre, but enjoyable nonetheless...." Read more

5 customers mention "Beauty"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful and heartbreaking. They appreciate the photography and writing that describe color, emotion, and pain in a way that wraps them up and pulls them in.

"...The rollercoaster Leta Blake takes us on is so painfully beautiful and real it hard to decide whether you want to get off it or go on another round,..." Read more

"...Every significant moment in his life is reflected in his pictures. Beautiful, funny and sad pictures are reminders of his journey towards..." Read more

"...I just completed Leta Blake’s masterful “Pictures of You,” one of the finest I’ve ever read...." Read more

"...The book is beautiful, the writing excellent, and the characters multidimensional. I love this book. It will forever be one of my favorites." Read more

4 customers mention "Humor"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book lighthearted and humorous. They describe it as sweet, painful, and complex.

"...I usually read sweet romantic MM books, sexy and lighthearted, this book was so different from what I’m used to it was a bit of a shock- but what a..." Read more

"...Beautiful, funny and sad pictures are reminders of his journey towards adulthood. Leta Blake created deeply developed characters...." Read more

"This book had me on a roller coaster of emotions. Happiness, sadness, anger. I loved it so much, that's the best kind of read in my opinion...." Read more

"Sweet, painful, funny and complex, like all the best coming of age stories...." Read more

19 customers mention "Emotional content"13 positive6 negative

Customers have different views on the emotional content of the book. Some find it heartbreaking, intense, and full of longing, lust, and love. Others feel the story cuts too close to the bone and there is no happy ending.

"...Describing color, emotion and pain in words that wrap you up and pull you into the story, and you give yourself up willingly and let them drag you..." Read more

"...The emotional load of this book is as intense as feelings are during adolescence...." Read more

"...It is sweet and romantic at times and heartbreaking and gutting at others...." Read more

"...And I found the story cutting too close to the bone for me. Dredging up too many memories I didn't expect to deal with...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Neta_BER
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, heartbreaking and the best book I read to this day!!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This book left me raw, sad, angry, happy, suffocating and free at the same time. I did not think this book would be like this and after reading Leta Blake’s ‘Smoky Mountain Dreams’ I was expecting a great journey, character developments and rich language in a sexy plot that was touching but sweet. I could never expect the powerful surge of emotions I would have while reading, at times physically finding it hard to read when the plot twisted my heart and left me feeling like I need a good old ugly cry to let it all out. I usually read sweet romantic MM books, sexy and lighthearted, this book was so different from what I’m used to it was a bit of a shock- but what a fantastic way to discover this treasure of a book.

    Each character is delicately constructed, tangibly real, almost at your fingertips. The life of highschool graduates, foolish choices and intricate social rules. They each need to find their place, fit in, and it’s not simple, as life usually is hard and complex.
    Peter’s world is so beautifully depicted through his photography, his soul bared with every click of the camera. Adam swoops into his life out of the blue, in this new year of so many changes in his life and their attraction is immediate and furious, but in the early 90’s life is very hard for a Gay man, especially in a small town. The relationship twists when Adam insists on hiding it and Peter is dragged into the duplicity with him. He struggles to come to terms with his love for Adam and the pain he causes him by lying and Peter’s own lies, both to himself and his friends. The rollercoaster Leta Blake takes us on is so painfully beautiful and real it hard to decide whether you want to get off it or go on another round, and maybe throw up when you’re at the top. I both hated Adam and wanted him to be what Peter needed him to be, but like in reality people can only be themselves and what we want is not usually what we get.

    The way Leta writs is pure magic, describing life in the 1990’s in an effortless way that is both believable and seamless in the story. Describing color, emotion and pain in words that wrap you up and pull you into the story, and you give yourself up willingly and let them drag you in to drown in them. This is nothing like an MM romance, there is no happy ending but this is a book that everybody needs to read. It reminded me of Norwegian Wood by Murakami, of Anne Of Green Gables and TJ Klune’s books. My head is still spinning from the depth of emotions this book left me in. this is a story about growing up, learning life's complicated and painful, learning who you are and what you are capable of doing when you love someone, even if that love is twisted and at times cruel. This is a book for everyone who liked a story about living, a coming of age sort of book that brings back nostalgic memories and the notion that even in highschool live is so very full, overflowing. This book will stay with me for a long time, and i recomended to all readers, not just MM genre lovers, because it’s just that good!
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Greg M.
    4.0 out of 5 stars First Person Rules!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    P.O.Y. is an excellent example of wonderful first person writing! Blake wrote the book solely from the perspective of Peter, a high school senior, self-proclaimed nerd, and photography wizard. I found him to be very believable and likable. He is an only child and new student at a prestigious college prep school in conservative Tennessee of 1990. At new student orientation he meets Adam, a guy he considers out of his league. Their relationship is fraught with conflict and is the subject of the book. Peter’s emotions run the gamut, often changing completely in a few moments. There is plenty of teenage sex though I wouldn’t call it graphic.

    I thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters.

    If the reader is looking for a book with no conflict, this isn’t the one. But someone who wants a very enjoyable read in this genre ought to like it. Old school first person rules!
    2 people found this helpful
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  • susana
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and heartbreaking
    Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    For a teenager, finding love and being reciprocated should be the best thing in the world… But sometimes it is not
    Peter Mandel is a geeky young man who has had to leave his public school for a private school, Kingsley High, to evade the bullying he suffered in his previous one. At Kingsley High’s orientation day he meets Adam Algedi, who’s just moved into Knoxville from Jordan. Adam is handsome, attractive and he seems to be interested in being Adam’s friend…. And maybe something more. Peter’s happiness at finding somebody to love soon turns into disappointment and ire, as Adam’s lies and actions spin a twisted web of deception that threatens to destroy Peter’s feelings…
    So. Good. This book is just amazing. We accompany Peter in his year as a senior student at Kingsley High, and we become privileged witness of his discovery of love and pain. It is 1991, and Adam has already suffered a lot of abuse by the jocks in his previous school. Sweet and shy, Adam’s family is an unconventional one: Jew father, Catholic mother, he is raised as none. We find through the book that his mum has issues which prevent her from being the mother Peter expected. But Peter is more or less happy, and he witness the world through the eye of his Leica M6, which accompanies him everywhere he goes. When Peter meets Adam, he cannot believe he can be interested in him. The first days of their relationship he’s afraid that as soon as they start the school, Adam will realise he’s a loser and won’t want to be friends any more. But Adam keeps Peter by his side, and this way Peter gets to hang with the coolest people of Kingsley… And become a cool guy for once in his life. And he also finds his first love and experiences with Adam. His happiness at this new situation soon crumbles, as Adam finds himself a girlfriend. Throughout the academic year, Peter struggles with the situation, and his feelings of love soon are tainted by the hurt and the shame for what they are doing, and something that should be pure and beautiful turns into something ugly and distressing….
    The emotional load of this book is as intense as feelings are during adolescence. I love Peter, he is a very talented boy although he’s got a lot of issues to work through, specially his feelings of worthlessness. He is infatuation with Adam comes from the fact that somebody as handsome wants to be with him…. Then he falls for Adam, because he can be really charming and sweet. I’ve seen several reviews raging against Adam, but I somehow cannot bring myself to hate him. Adam is his worse enemy: raised with a strict father and having had an abusive first relationship, Adam is struggling with his own nature, trying to deny it to accommodate what others expect from him. I can see a HEA for Peter in the future, but I cannot imagine Adam ever reaching a happy end… And that just breaks my heart.
    Adam and Peter’s relationship is twisted and deceitful and it is bound to end badly. The perfect image of how their relationship works is the time they spend together during Spring break. Beautiful and sparkly in the daylight, heartbreaking at nights…. Adam, who at the beginning promises Peter that he will always defend him from those harassing and hurting him, ends up being the one who hurts him most.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Carolan Ivey
    5.0 out of 5 stars The most evocative M/M fiction I've read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Yes, you will note I gave this book five stars. No, I didn't finish it. I've set it aside for now because for some reason I thought it was a romance, but I found myself having feelings of sadness, even anger. And I found the story cutting too close to the bone for me. Dredging up too many memories I didn't expect to deal with. So for now I've set this beautifully written story aside, and I'll come back to it better prepared.

    "Pictures of You" is not an MM Romance. It's LGBTQ+, coming of age fiction with romanTIC elements, The story continues over three books and several years timeline, so be prepared to settle in for the long haul. I think it'll be worth the effort when I come back to finish the series.

    I definitely recommend this books. Just go in armed with tissues and a nerf brick to throw when you get mad. Because you will. :)
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Natasha Featherstone
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read!!!
    Reviewed in Canada on November 23, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Why did I wait so long to read this story? Leta Blake did an amazing job of telling Peter's story. I felt all his happiness and all his sorrow, as well as what it was like to be gay in the 90's. I would definitely recommend this book.
    Report
  • ReadingIsFun
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delicately narrated portrait of a boy on his way to selfdiscovery
    Reviewed in Germany on April 29, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    What a story!! I am so absolutely invested in Peter's journey. Leta Blake did an amazing job portraying him, his thoughts and actions.
    I can't wait to read the next book just wanted to express my enthusiasm and the way it touched my heart.
    Report
  • Paul Ryan
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
    Reviewed in Canada on June 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Very well written and good descriptions of the characters. Could really get inside them. Looking forward to moving on in the series.
    Report
  • Nigel
    4.0 out of 5 stars surprisingly good coming of age novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 3, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    A sensitively written novel reflecting well the angst of finding out you are gay. The characters are well rounded identifiable and sympathetic. Yes there are sex scenes but appropriate and in context. Not the over detailed masturbatory fantasies for frustrated heterosexual women that most female MM authors are prone to write. Well done Ms Blake.
    Report
  • Amy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Obsessed
    Reviewed in Australia on May 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    When I tell you this book consumed me, I'm not even coming close. It was read in a few hours. I didn't want to stop and yet I didn't want it to end. Thank god it's book one in a three book series and the ready are all available because let me tell you that I am going straight into book 2 right now.

    This story is a coming of age mm romance and it had me in a chokehold from start to finish. The feelings this book gave me. I felt all of the angst and the emotions that the characters went through in this story. This was so well written and developed and I can't wait to see how book two pans out.

    Side note. Peter must be protected at all costs! I just wanna give him a big hug! Adam drove me crazy at times. Some of his choices made me so angry.

    "I glanced at Adam. He smiled at me, warmth suffusing his face. Yeah. He’d be able to manipulate me. I was sure of that. A week around him and I was already a goner."

    "For once in my life, I wanted to win. Even if I was tired and I wasn’t even sure what that meant anymore."

    "At that moment, I didn’t care what might happen later. I didn’t care what anyone might think, or how anyone might feel if we were ever found out. He loved me. I knew he did. And for now that was good enough."
    Report

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