This is one of the best historical gay romance I read lately, my only regret is that it's too short and left me with the desire to read more.

The setting is some years after the1812, since the only historical details I had to identify the era is the Battle of Salamanca. An old country mansion was abandoned after his last owner died during the war; years later two gentlemen arrive to re-open the mansion and with them arrives also a lot of work for the nearby village, which was slowly dying since it was mostly the mansion's owners that provided it with all type of job. Mathias is the bastard son of the village's whore; his only skill is to be way stronger than all the other men around, but Mathias is also a quite and almost shy man; he never speaks if not asked and he is always ready to hard work. Mathias suffers the jokes of the villagers, but he never reacts, and is quite behavior gains him some favors from some people.

When at the main house is needed a strong man to help the housekeeper to prepare the mansion for the Christmas two weeks party, Mathias is called. To Mathias doesn't matter what is murmured around the village about the abominations that happen inside the house, he wants only an honest work for the winter. But he is soon captivated by the steward of the house, Mr. Mason, a man who seems to be the master of himself and not a paid worker of two gentlemen. And then strange whispers are on the mouth of all the maids in the house, that are more than happy to work at the mansion, since, they said, they are more safe here than at home...

As I said the story is really short, 50 pages, but it has a very well developed plot, and Mathias is a well-round character; on the other hand Mr. Mason and the two gentlemen are only hinted, and I would really glad to read more, on how they arrive to live in a isolated country house, even if it's obviously conceivable.

There is a nice aspect in the book: sex is a so common activity in Mathias' life, with his mother's work, that he is not afraid of it, in every form it happens. And so it's not the sex that fascinates Mathias, but the intimacy: seeing a full naked body, stealing a gentle caress, smiling for an hidden secret that only lovers know... these are the things that Mathias doesn't know, and that he is drawn to discover. And so there is not explicit or detailed sex in this book, but more a sense of mystery and unknown, so strange for a man who has seen too much in his life.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/advent.htm

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