Blessed Isle by Alex Beecroft There is a mix of all the best novels by Alex Beecroft in this novella. Of course there is, the setting is the same she loves so much, a military ship sailing in stranger seas, and there are two men, two officers, who fall in love. Where is the difference? Well maybe in the way the story starts, they are safe and in love in Rio de Janeiro, retired from the Army and enjoying an almost “marriage” bliss. So here is the main difference, we can read of their story, and fear for them, but we know that, in the end, they will find a way to stay together.
And at the beginning I also thought that Alex Beecroft had become more daring, the first scene, with one of them sleepless at night looking at his naked lover in bed was quite erotic, was it the prelude to a sexier story? But no, as usual, there is a lot of hidden eroticism, desires and forbidden thirsts, but all happens behind a closed door.
The very nice thing of this novella is the narration path. First Harry, the captain, and then Garnet, his lieutenant, tell their own story from the different perspective they saw it. And from their narration you can understand the men. Harry is conservative and almost shy, despite his rank, he is not arrogant, and maybe he is also a bit naive; when he realizes his feelings for Garnet he is both tempted than troubled, and above all he thinks to be alone in his desires, that he could almost corrupt the lesser officer. And then we read Garnet’s point of view, how he almost seduced Harry, how he was always aware of the forbidden desire of the man, that were the same as his. Garnet in a way fill the voids Harry’s narration left and he is also the spirited one, who probably gives a bit of spice to the entire story.
Not to Reason Why by Mark R. Probst
When you are telling a story set in the middle of the war between Army and Native Americans, 1876, and you are aware of how tragic it was, it’s quite difficult to have an happily ever after romance. Plus, if you add to that that one of the main character is married and apparently content of his life, the quest for romance is even harder.
Brett and Dermot are fellow officers, but Dermot has also the sacred fire for his mission and instead Brett was forced into it. Dermot has all settled in front of him, a long and satisfying career in the Army, a wife who is willing to wait for him, and a good friend in Brett. On the other hand, Brett has nothing sure, the only thing he certainly knows, since it is eating him alive, is that he is in love with Dermot and that love it’s not only forbidden, it’s also impossible.
From the first pages the reader knows that the story is heaving on angst, the only thing that console him is that, in the end, Brett finds the courage to express his feelings for Dermot, and Dermot proves to be the good man Brett thought he was and the reader had the chance to see. And maybe, there is even a little possibility that a romance for Brett is at hand.
I like that, for once, it wasn’t the “gay” character the perfect one; if you compare Dermot and Brett, probably Dermot is a better man, he is not only a good officer and a good husband, but he is also able to accept Brett for who he is, a good friend, and not for who he loves, another man. On the other hand, I think Brett is a very troubled man, and not so strong: he is not a bad man, but he is for sure not perfect like Dermot. And in the end, if I have to choose, I probably prefer him to Dermot, not since he is gay, but since I have always preferred the imperfect one; but some of Brett’s actions are not exactly what I would expect from a novel’s hero.
No Darkness by Jordan Taylor
Again I had the feeling from the beginning of the story that I wouldn’t find an happily ever after here. I don’t know, but every story I read involving the WWI has never had an happily ever after. I remember my history professor told us that the WWI marked a passage in the way men did was, they lost their quality of men to become meat to slaughter. And the men in command lost their quality of knights to become even more detached from the simple soldiers.
Darnell is a lieutenant, and Fisher a simple soldier. There is no reason for them to be together if not for the war and a bomb that traps them in a cellar of an abandoned farm. In the hours they are forced to be together, Darnell and Fisher learn that they have more in common of what they thought; it’s not a clear discovery, more a play of unsaid words and uncompleted motions. Fisher is more open than Darnell, even in his childish memories the reader seems to find some sign of what Fisher is trying to communicate to Darnell, and instead for Darnell it’s more a play to understand what he is not saying: he is married but doesn’t want children. He has a good wife but he doesn’t seem to miss her so much other than missing the simple life they had together. There is a lot of possibilities for these two men, and they come out from the “darkness” in a strong way to the reader, but still, in the end, the darkness is stronger than them.
The reader is aware that Darnell and Fisher can be something more for each other. And this is the reason why, sorry, I don’t understand why the story has to be so tragic, to be faithful to the history? Since the war was so cruel that it couldn’t have been different? I can understand that, but still, I prefer to have at least a smallest chance to a better future, for how much unbelievable it could be.
Our One and Only by E.N. Holland
This is probably a very unexpected pleasure to read. Unexpected since ab absurdo, this was the most sad of all the story above, one of the two lovers of the story is already dead at the beginning of it, and from that moment on, all we read is how the remaining one has to cope with his pain, a pain he can share with only few people, the one who were aware that Philip was not only a dear friend of Eddie.
This story had me almost in tear, above all since I was not seeing any chance of happiness for Philip. Every chapter is 10 years in his life and chapter after chapter I was finding him always alone, 10 years older and with that pain still strong, so strong to blind him to any other possibility. And to make thing worse, Eddie, even if dead, chapter after chapter was coming out like a wonderful man, someone who Philip was right to mourn. How was it possible for him to forget and going on with his life?
So no, in the end I was not expecting an happily ever after for Philip, but I didn’t feel cheated by it; the author was plainly clear from the first page, Eddie was dead and there wouldn’t have been no coming back of the good soldier for relieving Philip of his grief. The only thing I was expecting was for Philip to find a way to be at peace with his pain, to find a way to stop to believe in an happily ever after. Oh guys, I’m in tear right now, writing this sentence, since I can still feel Philip’s pain and it’s so strong, but I can also feel Eddie’s love for him and also it’s stronger, so stronger that even 40 years after, he is still able to give an hope to Philip, the hope that also him can have an happily ever after. In a way, to be happy again, Philip had to finally being angry with Eddie, for being an hero, being angry with him for the exact reason why he loved and still loves him so much.
So in the end, if the purpose of this anthology was to make me cry, well it reached it. I didn’t cry for Alex Beecroft’s story, in a way it’s a sweet and light story with little angst; I didn’t cry for Mark Probst’s story, I enjoyed the setting, but not so much the characters; I maybe almost cried for Jordan Taylor’s story, but as I said, there was an oppressive atmosphere, and truth be told, the love between the two men was only hinted (the scene in the darkness when Fisher tries with all his remaining strength to reach for Darnell, that was the scene that almost brought me in tears)… but boys, how I cried and still am crying for E.N. Holland’s story! If you want a reason to read the anthology, well this story is your reason.
http://www.bcpinepress.com/ (ebook)
http://www.cheyennepublishing.com/books/h
Amazon: Hidden Conflict: Tales from Lost Voices in Battle
Amazon Kindle: Hidden Conflict: Tales from Lost Voices in Battle
The Rainbow Awards: Third (and last!) Phase: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/85035
In a futuristic world where people went back to live like in the nineteen century, it's like the industrial revolution never happened, and the work of engines is done by slaves. Slavery is also legal, all cons, at the third conviction, lost their freedom rights and are sold into auctions. Jacob is the wealthy owner of a farm that not only utlize the work of those men on his land, but profits also of their well-endowed body in beds. When David arrives to his farm injustily framed of theft, Jacob suspects that he is innocent, but nevertheless decides to enjoy his new slave in bed.This is probably the most interesting point of the short story: I really don't know if I like so much Jacob, he is not a nice man. But I think that this gives deepness to his character. I have the feeling that Jacob has never had a trouble in his life, even if it's not said, I think he was born wealthy and raised as a spoiled child, everything he wanted he had to have. So Jacob is not a bad man, he is only selfish. And he doesn't see anything wrong in owning slaves, since this is what he has always seen and learned as the only right thing to do to manage the new turn of his futuristic world. When he sees a slave he doesn't see a man, he sees a beast. Even when he starts to care for David, sometime he still refers to him as a stud, a beast, a pony. It's both a way to play kinky, but also his innate perception of things.
On the other hand, truth be told, David is not so strong or independent to help Jacob seeing him in a different way. Oh, he is strong in body, but as attitude, he is very much a submissive. Even the way he was convicted and condemned, I didn't feel like he fought hard to avoid it. He sometime seemed to me a martyr, someone who accepted his destiny since he thought it was right for him to go through all of that. It's not that the story is a real BDSM story, but it has its hints to that: the bench, the almost non-con sex, even if David enjoys his first experience and he doesn't protest, nevertheless he didn't agree to it, and he has no other chance.
The story is really short, less than 40 pages, but I think that, even in so few pages, it manages to build an interesting alternative reality, worthy maybe to be further explored.
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s
The Rainbow Awards: Third (and last!) Phase: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/85035
This is actually a book that won me over in time and not from the first pages as usually a book does. I'm very much the reader that, if at page 5 is not yet taken by the book, goes back to the blurb to see if I missed something, than read the last page, maybe the before the last page (I know, I know, shoot me on the place!) and then, if nothing else happens, I close it and open another one. No friends, I'm not such a martyr to finish a book I don't like, and so I don't post of book I don't like at all.Said that, Stand and Deliver arrived to me with a big handicap, it's a menages a trois. Usually I don't read them, but this was an all male menages and plus it was an historical romance, so, well, I decided to give it a try. Another handicap was the starting point of the story, a young earl kidnapped by two highwaymen who becomes their private sex toy... well, a part from the "highwayman" factor, it didn't seem an accurate historical romance, and I have my idea: or you are perfect in what you write, full details and all, or you are at the opposite, the historical setting is barely there, and you instead focus on the characters. Scarlet Blackwell chose the second way.
Lucien is a young earl indeed, comes to his wealth maybe too soon. At nearly 30 years old, he spent all his life doing nothing, and now he is obviously bored. When his coach is cut off by four masked men, Lucien should be scared, and instead he is bored. He doesn't need the money he has with him, he could be very well give them to the men and being happy and alive, but he instead decides to not "stand and deliver". He dares one of the two leaders of the group and obviously he looses the challenge, managing only to see in face the other man. The same man who now forbids to his fellow highwayman to kill Lucien and instead kidnaps him.
Ambrosius is the man who saves Lucien and instead Dante is the one who would have preferred to kill him. They have a strange relationship, a man linked them, Sebastian, Ambrosius' lover and Dante's best friend, and now that he is died, the two men seem to find in each other comfort. But Dante is full of rage, and he thinks all the wealthy men he robs are the enemy, and instead Ambrosius is more the mourning type. With them there are also Robert and August, two lovers who play the role of silent best friends, usually characters that are not fated to last in the story, but don't worry this is not the case. All four of them live in a cottage in the forest, and no, it's not a retelling of Robin Hood, they don't rob the richer to give to the poorer, from what I gathered that is simply another job for them.
The main focus of the story it's not the "strange" career chosen by Ambrosius or Dante, or the tiredness of life that distresses Lucien, it's instead the play of domino among the three men (and even a bit with Robert and August, even if this couple remain exclusive). Lucien thinks to be in love with Ambrosius, but lusts after Dante. Lucien believes Ambrosius and Dante to be in love, and so he would not be against the idea to be third in the menages, if only for the chance to be with Ambrosius. Dante wants first to kill then to bed Lucien, but at the same time he behaves like he is trying to please Ambrosius, like if he is gifting him with a new toy to distract the man from the pain of losing his former lover. In all of this Ambrosius is the perfect mourning romance hero, with an aurea of sadness and imploring eyes, always trying to "say" something to Lucien, but actually never saying.
That's, the play between the three it was what kept me reading. Oh yes, there is sex, a lot of sex, even a threesome, and it was probably good, but the sex wasn't the main event in the story. The sex was always a tool, to persuade, to comfort, or to barter, and it was always used in the right way. The sex was not free and in this way it was right.
I usually don't like when the sex is too much in comparison of the story, and I'm true, I wasn't expecting for Stand and Deliver to balance it as good as it did. Lucien is for sure the better character, above all since he didn't change: he was and is and will be always a bored son of the aristocracy who has found a new toy; Dante and Ambrosius can believe that Lucien is their captive, but Lucien and the reader know better.
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s
The Rainbow Awards: Phase 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/82368
This was a strange book for me to read since it was a discovery after other. When I browsed my reading folder to pick up a book, my eyes caught the name of Maia Strong: it was not a new name for me, I read another book, a fantasy gay romance, and I remembered that I liked it, so I picked that one. Usually before starting I go to the publisher website to read the blurb (not reviews, I don't like to be even unwillingly lead on my judge): the blurb serves me to be mentally ready to the story, it's a contemporary, a paranormal, a fantasy, it's a romance, a thriller, it's angst, light... something like that. The blurb in this case was strange, it seemed an ordinary story about a man from a very religious jewish family who has not the courage to come out to them. Nothing strange or odd there. But then there was a word, brothel... I'm not so skilled in the matter to know if "brothels" are legal or not in every country of the world, I know they aren't in Italy, but I think they are in some northern European country, even if maybe they are not called brothel. So first question on my mind: where the book was set? and in which era? Then there was the issue of the law, a changing in love troubled the main character, a clear reference to homosexuality and prejudice... so again, my question was: I was starting a contemporary romance? or an historical? or something other? Knowing, if if slightly the author, I had an advantage point, I knew it was possible that the book was a fantasy. The cover didn't help, it was "neutral", even if, I don't know, that cover makes me thing to a contemporary romance... it's something in the men, the hair cut, even the physique.Anyway, long preface to say that Client Privileges is a fantasy romance; more, it's setting in the same universe of The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing, the previous fantasy romance I read by Maia Strong, and one secondary character, that has only a reference cameo here, is a main character in the other story, and an event that happens here is also a main event in there. The time span of the two story is in parallel, so they are both stand alone, but I think that, if your read the previous one, and you liked it, it will be nice for you to read this one, and viceversa.
There are common elements in the two stories, above all the way the author deals with the fantasy setting. It's actually an "ordinary" way, she seems so familiar with her universe that she feels like unnecessary to spend time in details, the city, the environment in which the characters live, is out there, plain and clear, without forced imaginary. It's a point of strength for me, I actually don't like very much fantasy or futuristic novel since usually I'm bothered by all the heavy set around: more the author build a complicated universe, more he needs to explain it to the readers, and more he risks to overdo. Maia Strong built a fantasy universe that is basically a feudalism society, each municipality is ordered by a town council or by guilds; the overall feeling is of something neat and pleasant to live, even with its trouble. There is poverty, there are difference in social status, there is prejudice.
There is also an hanging feeling, it's very hard for me to explain: it's like the setting is "ancient" but the characters are modern. People move in a town where houses, shops, and vehicle are "old", but they behave and think with a "modern" mind. It's not a criticism, I think it's a very difficult balance to maintain, and not an easy task to write a believable story, something I think the author reached. These words, balance, believable, are the essence of the story, this is not a "rollercoast" type of story, but more a pleasant travel in a coach along the country.
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?m
Series:
1) The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/31702
2) Client Privileges
The Rainbow Awards: Phase 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/82368
First of all, big warning: if you don't like a chick with masculine "characteristics" (don't let me go into details), you will not like this book. I think we have to be quite sincere, there are books written by men for men AND women, there are books written by women for women AND men, and then there are books written by men FOR men and by women FOR women. It's not impossible that men could enjoy romance only for women, I know there are out there men who read, for example, Danielle Steel, and more recently, Suzanne Brockmann. But they are aware that they are entering an exclusive playfield, a playfield that is open to special admission nevertheless.Enraptured is a romance by women for women. It's a man on man story, but the I would not say that it's gay. True, being setting in a futuristic world where "homosexuality" is not more an issue, there is not even the smallest problem for the "all male" nature of the characters. More, being an inter-breed story, between Demons and genetically modified Humans, the issue is more the difference in race than the same-sex relationship. To add spicy to the thing, the Demons are an all male breed, their women all died for a virus centuries before, and they naturally modified their genetics to be able to reproduce between males. So yes, there is male pregnancy in there, and that is another plus factor for the submissive male to be more a chick than a rooster.
Said all that, it's a good romance? IF you try to read it knowing the purpose for which it was written, then yes: Enraptured is a funny romp, the futuristic setting is light and easy and the story didn't fall in the overadorned style that usually these stories have. The futuristic world is very much like a medieval "romance" setting, not the real Middle Ages, but more the fictional rendering that you often find in a romance novel; the plot is classic, the bastard son of a king raised in a monastery and subject to the lascivious attention of a villain, a powerful mage. Just when the evil father promised the innocent son to the villain for a much abhorred mating, an handsome stranger prince comes to the rescue of the "damsel" in distress. Only that the prince is not exactly a "prince charming", but more a demon with black leathery wings.
Where is the originality of the story? I think it's in the lightness, all events, even when dramatic, are more funny than angst. This is more a sexy romp than a sci-fiction novel. There are also a lot of kind homages to similar fiction out there: the human princes have long and colorful hair, they have to be virgin till they come to age, and so on.
So yes, if read with the right perspective, this debut novel by Scarlet Hyacinth is very nice, and I think I will read also the following books in the saga.
http://www.bookstrand.com/product-enrapt
The Rainbow Awards: Phase 2: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/82368
Julian is a gentleman of the beginning of the nineteen century. He is wealthy and handsome, and deeply in love with his best friend Richard. But his love is impossible, he knows that, and now Richard is returned from a journey abroad with a beautiful and charming bride. Fortunatey their friendship seems not to be affected from the new marital status of Richard and Julian still have a lot of chance to stay near his love, even if this is a pleasure filled of pain.Richard has understood to be in love with Julian also before his friend. For this reason he has left and searched for a bride to try to forget his love. But one year later his marriage he has to admit that his feelings are still here and deeply than before. And no more he can deny to himself the hunger he bears for Julian. He will do anything to finally have his friend by his side, soul and body.
A very brief novel who explore the hidden world of gay love in the upper society of the nineteen century. The most important merit of this work is that it not underestimate the trouble and the perils to love another man in a place and in a time where this act was a crime punishable with death. Too short to give me a full impression of the two characters, it seems to me that they are sketched with a certain degree of reality.
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?m
The Rainbow Awards: First Week results: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/81134
There is a bit of Cinderfella, a bit of The Beauty and the Beast, and yes, also a bit of the Puss in Boots, all mixed together in a resulting tale that is a winning formula. Often I read historical fantasy tale, but most of the time they have not originality, they are only a way to tell a story of man love in frilly garments without the burden to do an historical accurate research. in Year of the Cat, Selah March is not trying to masquerade an historical tale with the fantasy freedom, she wants to tell you a fairy tale, a naughty fairy tale, and she reaches her purpose. Etienne is the third and favorite son of an old merchant. His father always sheltered him from his older brothers and from the outside world. It's not that Etienne is dumb, it's only that he has a gentle soul and a tendency to obey if commanded, and not willingness to rebel. His father knows that, once he dies, Etienne will not survive at his brothers' rage and tells Etienne to run away, in a isolated cottage in the forest. To this exchange there is a witness, a silver cat.
The cat, that Etienne will call Jacques, is a cursed man. More than 50 years before he was cursed by a witch and now he doesn't remember anything of his previous life, he behaves more like a beast than a man, even when he is in his human form. Jacques is damned to be a cat by day and a man by night. And like a cat, he is drawn by pretty things, things with which he wants to play. At first he thinks Etienne being an angel, someone who will surely help him to break the curse. But when he realizes that Etienne is only an innocent boy, he changes his plans: Jacques will play with Etienne, he will use him for his pleasure, always treating him like a precious thing, his precious toy.
And so it's, the relationship between Jacques and Etienne is very strange, their sexual intercourse edges on pain, but then Jacques is always careful to provide Etienne with everything he needs, a shelter, food, books, even music papers. Only that Etienne has to behave, he is Jacques' property, more his slave than his master, even if Jacques tells people that Etienne is a wealthy marquis, and Jacques is his manservant.
It's strange, there is obviously a BDSM tone in the story, but more than a modern thing dipped in a fantasy context, I see Jacques' behavior like something I would expect from a cat, being jealous and protective at the same time of the things he loves. Even the play with knives I found very right, have you ever seen a cat playing with a bird or a mouse he caught? They can be very cruel. So yes, the BDSM tone sounds very good in this fantasy tale, and it didn't ring wrong as other time similar tale did.
And a nice surprise was also Etienne: in many fairy tale, the damsel in distress is not exactly a clever woman... Cinderella, Belle, and other colleagues, if not for the help of some fairy godmother or divine intervention, they were more sacrificial lambs than real heroines. Instead Etienne, even if debauched innocent, has an inner strength that will help him by his own. Etienne is not, and will never be, a leader or a fighter, at least not with his fists, but he is clever, and above all he is in love. But even if in love, he knows where to rely his trust, not on his brothers, or on a wealthy patron... even if in rags and scruffy, his cat / man is the right one. And to add a point to Etienne's cleverness, it didn't take him long to realize that the silver cat Jacques was the same man who appeared to him one night, barely few hours... I do think Belle took longer to find out who the Beast was!
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Ye
Amazon Kindle: Year Of The Cat
The Rainbow Awards: First Week results: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/81134
This is a historical anthology, with a bit of paranormal in one of the tales, and with plenty of different approaches on the same genre, the historical romance. With more or less 25 pages each, all the stories should be considered "shorts", but what struck me (positively) is than no one of them has the feeling to be rushed, all of them are well plotted and the characters have a good development, almost an impossible thing to achieve in a short story, and here we have 4 examples of that.My Outlaw by Stormy Glenn: I was curios to read this short story, I'm used to a "futuristic" Stormy Glenn, with a push on the erotic side, and maybe with a bit of Alpha/omega play. How was it possible to shift all of it back in time, to the late nineteen century in the wild wild West? When Daniel is kidnapped by the notorious outlaw Black Bart, I didn't feel like he was so upset by his captive condition. From the first moment he sees the handsome outlaw, Daniel seems more than eager to play catch and go with the man, and even if he has a meaning behavior, Black Bart actually doesn't do anything to hurt the younger man. My Outlaw is a romp in the desert, with all the element I was used to find in other Glenn's books, and with a final twist that gives thuthfulness to all the tale.
Forbidden by H.C. Brown: set in the 1075, Middle Age and Norman conquest period, this would led the reader to believe that it was a savage romance, with the damsel (in this case male damsel) in distress who will be saved by his knight in shining armor, a big and strong, and maybe stranger man, more used to the battle field than the bedroom... right? Wrong! Our "damsel" in distress is Renoir, the younger son of a Norman baron; even if he looks like the right weak partner in a savage romance, blonde hair, fair skin, Renoir is not exactly an innocent. He is living in sin, and his father is tired of that, more King William himself wants for him to marry an older woman with plenty of lands but no man around. Instead of rebelling to the imposition, like every "damsel" in distress would do, maybe even run away, Renoir accepts to marry the woman and leave with his male lover to live in blissful isolation. And now another side of Renoir comes out: maybe he is so aloof and unromantic, since he has a broken heart? And his lost lover maybe is the knight in shining armor we were all expecting? As I said, this tale has a plot and characters development that is impressive for how short the story is. The overall approach on the story is that of a farce (word used not in a derogative way), it reminds me some old plays with the trick of the exchanged character; the story is more heavy in the plot twists than in the historical accuracy, but I think that was the aim of the author.
Poisoned Heart by Anna O’Neill: here is the slightly paranormal tale. In Edo-period Japan, Raiden is seeking vengeance against is guest-brother, a man his family welcomed and who killed Raiden's parents. Now Raiden has managed to learn the magic to travel back in time, and he wants to kill Masashi before the man could kill his parents. But even before starting his travel, Raiden seems unwell with the idea to kill an unarmed Masashi, it seems like he wants to give a chance to the man. I don't feel so much hate inside Raiden's heart, more betrayal, but not the betrayal of a guest-brother, more that of a lover. And so it's, when Raiden steps back in time, he can see the old Raiden, the fifteen years old who looks upon Masashi with starstrucked eyes. Only that now Raiden can see Masashi also with different eyes, those of an adult and not of a teenager. More Raiden has now the knowledge to understand that maybe Masashi was a victim like him.
Deliverance by Aleksandr Voinov: the last tale is setting during the Crusades and William is a medieval knight who wants to do penance for his sins, the sin to have loved a man. In the Templar order William suppressed all his secret desires, not only for men but for anything that is mundane. He thinks to be at peace, to have finally found his path. But William is in denyal, he is not repentant, he is only far from any temptation. As soon as he is faced with it, in the form of Guy, his past lover, all William's hidden desires are freed. I like Guy's approach to the problem: he didn't near William with a broken heart or recriminations, he didn't try to convince William that what he is doing is wrong, he simply states that William was not free to take a decision regarding both of them, he had obligations that prevented him to join the Templar. It's a very logic and effective way to face the problem.
3 out of 4 of these authors were new to me, and so I can't say if this work is better than any other previous work. I don't even know so well their background to understand if they are newbie or not... What I can say is that I think this is a good quality product. BTW, in no one of the short stories is played the card of the "blushing" virgin, so common in so many other historical gay romances... a coincidence or a choice?
https://www.nobleromance.com/ItemDisplay.a
Setting the rules for the Rainbow Awards, first phase will start soon: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/79926
When I was young I read a lot of classics and enjoy them very much. Strong stories with well written characters and able to take you awake till late and eager to read more. Sometime romance, cause there were a love story on them, but not erotic cause there were no sex on them. But I didn't miss the sex, cause I could imagine in my mind what happened behind the closed door of a bedroom, usually between a married couple. Captain's Surrender is a such story? in some way yes. In an epublished world where sex is the easiest way to drawn the reader (and I'm first in line to it, as I always say I like my sex scene...) Alex Beecroft has chosen the hardest way, writing a very good story, with wonderful but very human characters and giving us a lot of love but very few sex, barely some hints. I'm accusing her for it? Oh, no, not at all. Cause her book is right like it is and one of that book I will read again and again, to find every time something new in the very rich prose she has used.Josh is a midshipman in a ship under the command of a crazy captain. A man who has no problem to beat to death a sailor who has spoken aloud his believes, unfortunately not the same of his captain, and who will have no problem to hang a man framed with sodomy (and in that time he has also the right to doing it). So Josh, who judge himself an abomination to crave the touch of another man, tries to do his work and not react to the captain's wickedness. But he knows that the captain has read into him and soon or later he will hang. And then Peter enters his life: a young lieutenant, third son of a nobleman, but with no money of his own, Peter his the epitome of grace and cavalry. To Josh's eyes he is like an angel, someone he can't dirty with his sin. But Peter his like a magnet, and soon Josh finds himself to surrender to this man, with body and soul.
Josh is a wonderful character. He is the real "noble" man, and even if he is younger, and less cultured than Peter, he is more wise and I think also more brave. He first of all thinks to the better of whom he beloved and then maybe to his desire. Peter instead is like you can imagine a nobleman and a spoilt son: sure he is good, full of his own idea of what is right and what is wrong in the world, but he is also sure that he is like a gift to Josh. He never say it aloud, but sometime his behaviour let me think like he is doing a favour to Josh. Oh, yes, he loves John, no doubt in it, but at what he renounces to stay with Josh? Nothing, and when he has to take a decision, what do you think he will do? So in the end I like a lot Josh and I think he maybe deserves someone better of Peter, and to regain my sympathy, Peter has to behaviour very good.
As you see, every book that manages to awaken in you such strong feelings is for sure a good book. Due to the matter, historical fiction setting in the sea world, I was exepcting it to be maybe a little bit demanding, and instead I have read it in a session, without grown tired neither for a moment, and eager to turn the page to see what would be happened to my heroes (yes even to Peter, cause I wanted to see if he made amends for his selfishness :-) )http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/cap
Amazon: Captain's Surrender
Alex Beecroft's In the Spotlight post: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/53435
Cover Art by Anne Cain
Second in the Futuristic Regency series by J.L. Langley, this is the story of Payton, the older brother of Aiden, and second in line to the throne of Regelence. Regelence is a planet where men can marry, more it's more common for the peers to marry a man, and they can also procreate in lab an heir with the genes from both male parents and without the female component.Payton is a IT geek and Nate, Aiden's husband, asks him to help in decipher a message which probably hides a conspiracy against both Regelence than Englor, the other planet in the Alliance that lives accordingly to the Regency rules. But in Englor those rules are more strictly than in Regelence, and even if same-sex marriage is not against the law, it's highly discouraged. And so Payton, who is a pampered prince nursed to become a beautiful ornament to the arm of a powerful and rich man, finds himself suddenly free to roams Englor's street without a chaperon, even if it appears that his genetically modified interest in other men is not so welcomed.
But not all the men on Englor are the same, and Payton meets Simon, not other than the heir to Englor's throne. Simon is a friendly and very sexy man, one that, as soon as he spots the pretty new officer, can't help to seduce him. Not that Payton resists so much to the advances... it's almost not clear if Simon seduces Payton or if Payton is the "innocent" seducer.
Even if Simon is the supposed Alpha male, he is really too open and young to be a real dominant character; Simon is the perfect scoundrel, very good in the battle field as well as in the bedroom, no matter that, in his case, the chosen bedroom partner is a male and not a maid. And Payton is not the usual virgin maid type of character; true, he is virgin, but he is a lot older than his 19 years old. In a way, Payton is more ready to be a king than Simon; Simon still needs the advice of faithful counselors, but not since he is prudent, I believe since he is still too young. So Payton and Simon make a good match, and together maybe they will manage to not destroy Englor...
As usual in a J.L. Langley's book, there is a lot of funny situations, and Payton is the perfect little firecracker, cute and to be handed with caution. Not sure if Simon is strong enough to handle him. So funny and sex as well, but I have to said that the sex it seemed more... dirty, but in a good way. Sex was always an heavy component in the mix for the previous books by the same author, but in this case it was an orgy of sense, down and dirty; with the balance of the humor, the result is a very involving story.
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/the-e
Amazon: The Englor Affair (Sci-Regency)
Amazon Kindle: The Englor Affair
Series:
1) My Fair Captain: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/10650
2) The Englor Affair
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Cover Art by Anne Cain
Marry Me Or Die is a funny romp and I don't believe it wants to be more. It's a futuristic novella where D.J. Manly rewrites the old classic "shotgun marriage" story: Silus is 24 years old and happy to enjoy the freedom of being a bachelor. In the futuristic planet where he lives, Laden, homosexuality is no more forbidden, and so same-sex marriage; but even if Silus is totally gay, he doesn't want to profit of the chance he has to marry a man, he is more than good alone and free to have sex with as many men as he wants. All of this changes when Laden passes under the control of the Monostones and their king: it's an almost peaceful transition if not for the fact that the Monostones are strictly monogamous, and the new king, as first act, promulgates a law: it's forbidden to be over 18 and unmarried, who will go against the law will be prosecuted, condemned to hard labour and in the worst cases to death... and Silus is a very bad case!But there is an escaping way, Crash the son of the king and the one who is in command to judge the outlaws, will be soon 18 years old and he obviously has to marry. Even if the king believes his soon to be innocent and still virgin, Crash has had the chance to taste what it means being sexual free, and it's not at all happy to have to renounce to that freedom. Since he can't avoid it, he will choose the more experience man he can put his hands on, and Silus meets the requirements. So here is the proposal: or Silus will marry Crash, and remain married to him for at least 15 years, and not cheating around, or he will die. Obviously there is not choice, and then Crash is a little pretty thing, no harsh job to marry him.
As in the best tradition of romance, the shotgun marriage will turn in true and forever love, not before the two young men have the chance to experiment a bit in bed. As I said, I think the author took this as a light and funny story, there is no much drama, and all the events are more funny than really dangerous. Even the time Silus spent in prison wasn't bad, he received so much marriage proposal to last a life. Both men, Silus and Crash, are young and horny, and they behave according to their role; love is a nice cherry on top of the main course that is the sex, and the reason why Crash proclaims he is in love with Silus is that since he can't stand without having sex with him... he doesn't miss Silus' mind or wit, or sense of humor... he misses something specific, and please, don't let me go into details ;-) Anyway, again I think that the author deals with the characters in line with their role: they are two young men at their full sexual potential, and for now, it's more important sex than love.
Said that, and considering that this is a novella, there is no much time left for any other development, but if you are out for a sexy funny romp, this is a good choice.
http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/inde
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A Rose Among the Ruins is another of those gay historical romance that author and readers have to tag as fantasy to allow the possibility of a man on man love story in medieval time to be possible. But aside the small expedient of the love potion to loosen the reluctance of both men to admit they are in love with another man and the use of an imaginary kingdom, all the novel is a pure medieval romance, there are no more magic, or fantasy creatures or permissive behavior.Rhicer is the Master of Arms for the king of Ageselm. He is also one of the oldest friend of the king and a faithful servant. It's many years that their kingdom is at was with the near kingdom of Mordyn, and finally they have found a truce: Emyl of Ageselm will marry the Mordyn princess and will sign a peace treaty. Rhicer is not so sure to like the idea, he has lost his soon to be bride 20 years ago to the hands of Mordyn warriors, she killed herself after being raped, and Rhicer has no good feelings in his heart for those men. More, the young men of Ageselm had to learn how to fight when they were way too younger, like Kanath, that is now Rhicer's lieutenant.
Rhicer and Kanath are good friends and fellow warriors, but never once it passed in their mind that they can be more. True, Rhicer has listened to some whispered tales of norther barbarians who bond in war with other men, but it's not something he can even consider... and even if he can consider it, what is the mechanism? With a woman he knows, but with a man? Surely it's not possible. But actually those are thoughts that Rhicer starts to have after Kanath stole a bottle of wine from the bride's dowry. Kanath believes it to be a simple bottle, and instead it's a love potion, intended to ease the first night between the king and the princess. When Kanath shares with Rhicer the bottle, everything changes between them.
Where Rhicer has loved a woman before, and knows the feeling, Kanath is still to young. And impulsive. When the love potion starts to work between them, Kanath is both repulsed than attracted by their feelings; but he is also to scared to do something, other than being irrationally jealous when some woman is near Rhicer. It will be Rhicer instead that, with the wise of his older age, will analyze their situation and try to find a suitable solution. And again, when that solution will not work, it will be again him that will find another one painful solution, but the only possible for two men in love in that situation.
Even if it's a fantasy that tends to be more realistic than some historical romance I read, A Rose Among the Ruins manages to still remain a romantic love story. More, it's also a quite naughty love story, once the two men understand how good it can be sex between men. This is only a novella and so the sex scenes weigh a bit on the length of the story, but since they are good, I didn't mind. Actually I think that, with some time more spent after they discover of the love potion they have taken and before they take their final decision, this story could have been without problem a full novel. But even like this, it's for sure above the average of many gay historical romance I read.
http://dreamspinnerpress.3dcartstores.co
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It seems that the story of the Pauper and the Prince is pretty common among whom likes to revisited the gay romance with a fantasy / historical flavor.This is the time of Mark Alders and his definitely fantasy tale. In a medieval fantasy kingdom, there is a sad prince, Wilhelm, who likes men but has to marry a woman to have an heir, and an even sadder pauper, Pavel, a very young man who has to barter his body for a piece of stale bread. Between the two, the one more clever to me it seems Pavel: despite his young age, Pavel knows that he can't be fussy with his partner choices, even if he fancies the handsome prince who looks at him with hungry eyes, the ones who give him food in exchange of sex are the lower class men who do that behind their stores. True, there is not much romance in this part of the story, but it serves the reader to understand Pavel and his disbelief to Wilhelm unselfishness: Pavel can't believe him since in his life no one has never given him something without asking something else in exchange.
This is true for people, but Pavel has a very special friend, a chimera, a mythical being with the body of a dragon and the head of a lion, who has always protected Pavel since the boy was less than 10 years old. But the chimera, Odoacro, can't protect Pavel from the ugly things of the human world, and can't prevent the man to sell his body for food. And so the chimera decides to push Pavel in Wilhelm's arms, hoping for the prince to be kinder than the other men. When Pavel goes to Wilhelm with his usually blunt barter, sex for food, Wilhelm is at first excited by the prospect, but then also horrified: he doesn't want the man like that, in his naivete, Wilhelm still wants Pavel for love not for sex; doesn't matter if the man has sold himself to other men, with Wilhelm will be only love. And so he asks only a kiss in exchange for the food Pavel needs.
The way as Wilhelm behaves, confirms to the chimera that he is the right man for his young friend. In a way the chimera is the fatherly figure both men lacked in their life: Wilhelm's father is not exactly a supporting parent, but truth be told, it's probably the way any normal parent will behave in his same situation. If I'm true, I didn't like so much how he ends up, quite a bloody way, but all the second part of the story took a decisively turns towards fantasy that almost borders on myth and magic. It's strange, despite being very sexy, and the sex quite explicit, let alone the memories of poor Pavel and the way he had to gain his morsel, the story nevertheless maintain a fanciful taste, I don't know, I had the feeling that both Wilhelm than Pavel were more boy at play than real men at work. It was like all the work was done by the others, like the chimera or Catherine, Wilhelm's fiance, and to Pavel and Wilhelm only be left the good share, like they suffered enough before the reader met them, and now it was time for them to be happy.
On the contrary of other similar novels I read lately, The Pauper's Prize is a full fantasy tale, and of the old school. It is not, and it doesn't want to be, historically accurate; this is like one of those classical fairy-tales where you don't question if the dress of the princess is right for her age! For a first book I read by this author, I have to say that it's a nice discovery.
http://www.extasybooks.net/ebjmsite/inde
Amazon Kindle: The Pauper's Prize
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Elected by Pepper EspinozaThis is a really short, 35 pages, but really nice story. Sam and Owen know each other. More, they probably spent more than one night together knowing each other better. But Sam and Owen can't be friends.
Sam is a Republican strategist while Owen is a Democratic news producer; and even if it's not clear if Sam really believes in what he promotes, it's more than clear than Owen is a Democratic for passion and not only for convenience. In the only 35 pages we had, it's not said how they met, probably for work related reasons, but Owen knows very well and in a very intimate way Sam, and Sam is more than willing to prolong this acquaintance, if they are discreet. Sam is also willing to make some changes in his life, to find a work that allows him to be near Owen, even to behave as Owen's boyfriend in their private life, if he could maintain his public face. And their attraction is so strong, and truth be told, Sam's behavior when they are alone is really good, that Owen is willing on his side to let go the "little" facts that he absolutely doesn't like Sam's boss, Sam's work, Sam's public face.
The story is a really good example of how you can't choose the person you love. And that it's better to try to fit together you different personality rather than be sturdy and wait for the other to change. Being extremist only led you to be alone in your bed.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/El
Peanut Butter Kisses by Pepper EspinozaAs the candies in the title, this romance is sweet like sugar.
Peter is a big pastry chef, he is at the top in every competition, but always second. He is again competing at a national level and again he has as an assistant Josh. Josh is a young chef who looks with starry eyes upon Peter: for Josh everything Peter creates is perfect, and when Peter loses, for Josh is almost a personal matter. Obviously Josh is in love with Peter but he has never had the courage to make a move on Peter, both since he doesn't judge himself worthy of the love of wonderguy Peter, and because he really doesn't know if Peter is gay, since the man never express an interest in him, other than for work.
But this time Peter seems a bit more interested in Josh as a man than in Josh as a pastry assistant...
The story is short, less than 40 pages, but really really sweet. I like above all the fact that Peter is really not a special guy, maybe he is even a bit overweight, and he is really a sweet guy; but for the loving eyes of Josh he is wonderful.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Pe
Amazon Kindle: Peanut Butter Kisses
The Obsolete Man by Pepper EspinozaThis is a really, really, really nice short story... I have said to many really? well sorry but it's what I was continuing to replay in my mind while reading this book.
James is an average man; good looking, nice, beautiful eyes, probably if he was a little more self-conscious he could be the classical successful man, and instead he is quite and maybe even a little shy, he doesn't consider himself worthy of more than he has and he settles down to a life that maybe it's not what he dreamed, but that is good and so why change? There is a part of James' life that remains obscure, and it's how he ended married with a woman when he is clearly attracted by men. Anyway James being a nice man as I said, has never thought to cheat on his wife, even if he has noticed the handsome man on the 7.23 a.m. train he takes every morning to work.
But if drama didn't hit James' life, he would probably have continued with his daily routine till the end of his working life to then settle down again in a retirement routine, letting that handsome man slip in a hidden closet of his mind. But in a blink of a moment, James becomes an obsolete man: at 45 years old he is too old to learn again how to be printing technician in the publishing firm he has worked for 25 years and he is fried; his wife, that probably has never shared passion with him, has not enough patience to support her husband in a life change, and leaves him. Without his daily routine of going to work and coming back home, James is lost, and the only solution he sees is to end his life "using" that daily routing, throwing himself under the 7.23 a.m. train.
In the spur of the moment, and since he has really nothing to loose, James decides to devote his last day to realize his secret fantasy, approaching the man of his dreams, the handsome stranger on that train. He is nicely surprised when Chad not only welcomes the approach but confesses that also him had noticed James before. There is no question on the fact that Chad is gay, maybe since we are at San Francisco, and Chad has "that" attitude, maybe only since he welcomes James' approach in a way a straight man wouldn't do, anyway James chooses the "straight" way (pun intended) and asks Chad to follow him in an hotel and share a morning of sex. And Chad accepts.
Chad's character is not really full developed, at least not as James' one. He is a nice man, he is gentle and caring, and from the things he says, we can understand that he is not selfish; he not only noticed James since he was a nice looking man, but he also noticed when the man stopped to smile, so in a way, he noticed when life started to spiralling down for him. He is not so unselfish to refuse an offer of easy sex from an almost stranger, even if Chad knows that something is not right with the man, but then he is really nice, trying while having sex, to also understand James' reasons and troubles.
I don't believe that James really wanted to commit suicide, he only needed a nice gesture from someone; but if that gesture hasn't come, probably James would have gone on with his intent, the author is really good in mounting the tension till the break point.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Ob
The Prince Who Never Smiled by Pepper EspinozaLeopold is the prince of a fantasy medieval kingdom. He has never smiled and so people think that he is deformed or maybe cursed. Recently his mother is not well and her only wish is to see her son's smile and so the king, who is deeply in love with his wife, sends out a decree: the first person who will make his son smile will marry him.
After being subjected to all the type of "show" from a string of wanna-to-be princess, Leopold takes a break and goes on an hunting expedition in the country, and here he meets Dexter, a young peasant who is going to court in search of a well-paid job to help his family. Leopold, who actually prefers the company of men, even if, till this moment, neither men were able to make him smile, as soon as he sees Dexter, can't help the smile on his face. Why is not exactly clear, if not a sudden case of love at first sight, since Dexter hasn't done anything of really funny.
This is the classic example of Cinderfella's story, with also a bit of breeches rippers: Leopold is besotted by Dexter, and he claims that he only wants to please him for once, since till this moment people only pleased him. But truth be told, Leopold bends upon a full debauching plan to strip Dexter of his virginity, and there is a bit of droit du seigneur in this story, with Dexter that feels as he can't deny anything to Leopold since he is his prince. But Dexter is not so against the idea, and once Leopold shows him what they can do together, he is more than a willing participant. He almost forgets that he has a family at home waiting for him.The story is a quite enjoyable novella, a funny romp between the sheets with a fairy tale atmosphere (even if nothing of really "strange" or out of ordinary happens), but all in all it's more tender and romantic that real funny, with almost a little core of sadness.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Pr
Amazon: It's Only Love
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At first, reading the blurb of this story, you can think for it to be a fantasy tale: the king of a small realm who falls in love for a woodsman and makes him his consort... how else it could happen if not in a fantasy tale? But truth be told, if you pass upon this detail (not little, you are right), The King's Tale is all for all an old fashioned historical romance. The time and custom are well described and researched, and even the "trick" they use to be together is historically based: the handfasting ceremony was common among the medieval people in what is now England, two people, usually a man and a woman, forged a pact to be together for an year; if within the year they had a child, the pact would turn in a marriage, if not, they would have the change to come back to their family without any other string to bound them. The handfasting was a regular and recognized ceremony well before the institution of the modern christian marriage and for the hereditary law it was biding as well. But shall we come back to the story. Christopher is the beloved son of a kingdom in the Cornish coast. The time is perhaps the late X century or the beginning of the XI; I don't believe it is after the Norman conquest, since the custom are more similar to the old Saxon legends. But truth be told there is a feudalism structure that resembles very much what was introduced by the Norman; and there is also a reference to a King Henry, who, from an historical point of view, could be linked to King Henry I, the son of William the Conqueror. I believe the author did an hard work to write an historically accurate novel allowing herself only some small freedom to make Christopher and Dafydd a possible match.
At the beginning of the story, Christopher is just became king, after the death of his father. Even if his father knew of his son's preferences for men, he told to his son that he had still to marry, to produce an heir to the kingdom. So Christopher is travelling the kingdom in search of a woman he can love, but obviously the quest is impossible. Christopher can't really love a woman. At the same time, Dafydd, the fourth son of a wealthy welshman, moved to Christopher's kingdom: as fourth in line he has nothing on his own, and his father prompted him to search his own path far from their land (maybe fearing for him to be an obstacle to his other sons). So Dafydd is leading a quite and comfortable life as woodsman, even if he is way more skilled than the task requires. On a snowy night, Christopher searches shelter in Dafydd's cottage and some days after in Dafydd's bed; when he asks to the man what he wants in exchange of his kindness, Dafydd replies that he wants a story of beauty, since he has seen few beauty in his life. And Christopher decides that he will tell to the man a tale of beauty AND love. He makes Dafydd his consort and brings him to live to the castle.
As I said, the chance for it to be real are few, but not impossible. Christopher's choice is not easy and not seen well by all his people. But he is the King, and what he wants he has. This is probably the best part of him and yet also the baddest: Christopher doesn't ask to Dafydd if he wants to be his consort, doesn't give him a choice; he brings the man to the castle and forces him upon his people. In doing so, he also puts the man at great risk, and what will happen it's in part due to his decision. If someone could think that Christopher is selfish and uncaring, I think instead that he is coherent to his character: he is a leader, he was raised to command and to have his wishes satisfied; he can be good and merciful, but only if he wishes, he has not to be. He may asks, but most of the time, he doesn't since he is not used to be refused.
A different man from Dafydd probably will have not bear such a man. But Dafydd is a gentle soul, he has not a selfish bone in him and he deeply loves Christopher. Even before the king's desire for him, he was already in love with him, a love he feeds from afar. He is also a strong man, both in body than in will, and only due to that love he can submit to Christopher's love, that is both love than ownership. Both Christopher than Dafydd know that it was Dafydd's choice to submit, and this is the reason why their relationship could last.
As I said I will tag the story as fantasy only since there are not clear references to a precise time period, but for all the rest, the story is pure historical. Even Christopher's decision to bear a bastard child he can then claim as an heir is the obvious decision that a man in his situation and time would have done. So, even if at first I didn't like the momentary interference of a woman between the two men, it was necessary as the only way to allow them to be together.
The King's Tale surprised me, since I was not expecting for it to be so "real", I opened it ready to read a fantasy tale, and instead I lost myself in an engrossing era, the Middle Ages, that I have always loved. I would also like to highlight the effort of the author to use a language that is right for that era, an expedient that maybe at first could make it difficult for a common reader to start the book, but that in the end, it has a main role in allowing that "lost in the tale" feeling that I mentioned above.
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/current
Amazon: The King's Tale
Amazon Kindle: The King's Tale
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I remember when the two authors were planning to write this book, Angelia Sparrow wondered if it was possible for a boy raised as a girl, and having no real contact with anyone if not his own maid and guardian, a man himself disguised as a woman, to really believe that all people, men and women, have a penis, and the only difference that distinct them is how they behave in public.The book is a good and precise retelling of the Robin Hood's legend. The twist is that Marion, the bastard son of dead King Richard I, was raised by Sir David as a princess. Sir David was Richard's lover, and was supposed to be killed during the crusade. Instead, to accomplish the last dying bed desire of his lover, he disguised as a woman, Bess, and collected Marion from his peasant mother family, and brought her to Locksley, where Robin's father betrothed his son to "princess" Marion. Years later, Robin is an outlaw and Marion is taken in almost captivity by the Sheriff of Notthingham.
Adult Robin, even if he doesn't know Marion's true nature, is not against the idea of man on man love, in fact, among his merry band, he is quite intimate both with Will Scarlett than Little John. But with them it's more friendship than love, and when he meets Marion, and discovers his true nature, it's no problem at all to fall in love and swear to his guardian Bess, that he will take good care of the "princess". In all this plan, poor Marion doesn't come out as a very clever boy, he is all in all the perfect example of how a young lady was raised at that time, with little regard to his mind, since she doesn't need it, and all the efforts spend to make her a perfect and proper lady. But Marion has some surprise on her bow.
The story and the point of view on the history is more Hollywood type than historically accurate, means that it's more important to show the nice and naughty side of the age, than the real life style, much as it is always done on the movie from the Errol Flynn's time to Kevin Costner, passing from Sean Connery and also Walt Disney. Said that, if someone wonders why there are so many homosexual relationship, maybe the strange thing is that there are so many in the same place, but don't forget that they are not historically inaccurate, it's well known that Richard I was scolded both from the Pope than from his mother to have not accomplished his due as an husband.
There is quite a lot of sex in the story, but even it is accurate, having in mind, for example, Marion's innocence, or the discomfort of having sex in the wood without the proper equipment (oils and similar). All of that, managing to make it good and enjoyable nevertheless.
I think that the quality of this book is above to the usual level I found on Ellora's Cave and for once, even the cover is right for the story itself.
http://www.jasminejade.com/p-7439-heart-o
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If Leopold was a woman, it would have been the classical heroine who no romance author chooses as main character. Usually a widow, or a fallen woman, in the Regency romance they are friends, mistress (usually abandoned at the beginning of the story), housekeeper. Some daring romance authors made them the main heroine, but seldom, and usually with no much success. And so that Ava March decided to write the story of a corresponding male version it's quite original, and daring as well. In the few M/M historical romance you can find around, the men are strong and dominant figures, full of sense of honor, or innocent young boys, the male version of the damsel in distress. If the man is a rake, it's probably due to a poor childhood, to a lack of love that made him aloof.Leopold instead is "weak" to the pleasure of flesh since he is basically easy to fall into temptation. At 19 years old, when he was starting to realize that he preferred men, he fell in love with Arthur, the nephew of his father's solicitor. While Leopold was a noble man, the fourth son of a Viscount, Arthur, even if middle class and wealthy, was on a different level. To Leopold that didn't matter, but he was really young, and as I said, not so strong, neither then. He let pass too much time to make clear his feelings with Arthur, and the man chose another. Falling in despair, Leopold spent the following ten years drinking stupor his pain, and sharing his favors with everyone was willing. Not a good way to prove to Arthur that he did the wrong choice.
Where Leopold could care less of the society, his father's title and money protecting him, Arthur has to be discreet; his position depends from his job, and his job from his reputation. A relationship with a discreet man, albeit cold, it's better than an hot affair with a young man apparently unable to be low profile. But even if sure, the relationship is also unsatisfying, and when it ends, for natural death, Arthur is tempted to accept an invite for a brief stay at Leopold's country home. Leopold's intentions are clear, and Arthur is willing to surrender, only for few days.
While Arthur is the hero you are expecting from a man on man Regency romance, as I said, it's Leopold who wins my sympathy. Leopold is not a strong man, without Arthur's love he is no one, not "man" enough to resolve his self-confidence issues by himself. Basically Leopold is a spoiled child, as fourth male child, his father doesn't expect to much from him, but loving him, he gave everything to his child. Not having the bear his father's expectation, Leopold is free to live his life as he wants, but on the other hand, he has no real purpose. I don't feel as Leopold charges of something his father, he is a beloved child, and he expects to be loved. When Arthur doesn't do that by himself, Leopold his willing to help him to take the right decision, to let him taste what he is missing. From the unconditionally love of his father, Leopold wants to pass to the unconditionally love of Arthur: it's only natural, why someone shouldn't love him?
Said like that, it could seem that Leopold isn't a nice character, and it's absolutely wrong. Ava March describes him in a way that the reader is all for Leopold, and when Arthur, with right, states his perplexity, the reader only thinks that he is not right with Leopold, that he should be more flexible and understanding. Leopold is an easy man to love (no pun intended).
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Cover Art by April Martinez
This is an old fashioned vampire novel. Lately vampires are become dream lover type and reader forgot that they are actually deadly creature. Creature of the night and shadows. And the Victorian London is a place that suits them, since even during the day, the reader has always the impression that the sky is cloudy and the weather is rainy. There is seldom full day light, and even if you click on the gaslight, nevertheless the rooms are always full of shadows. People also are more enthralling, same man than during the day light would make you change your path, at night it is a tempting alley.Collin Foster is a reporter for an important newspaper; he loves to find the true, he loves to bring justice, but people like to read about scandal. Just an year before Collin was following and helped to bring to justice a children murderer, but it was not a news that makes the paper for days. And now, when Collin brings to light a brothel for very wealthy men who prefer the company of their same sex, now Collin is all over the news, the wealthy men are flying away in France or somewhere else, and the poor boys who worked there are in prison. And Collin is not feeling as he brought to justice some sinner, he is feeling bad, since those men are like him, only that Collin has never had the chance, or the courage, to follow his instincts.
One night he meets by chance an handsome man, Eduard de Sonnac. He is a stranger, he probably will leave the city soon, and Collin is tempted. Not only by the beauty of the man, but also by his deepness: de Sonnac seems to know so much and he is enthralling. Collin is tempted and he surrenders to temptation.
This is a novel which told a story in the middle of a bigger event. A lot is happened before to Eduard, and his character is only hinted here. More of the story is about Collin. Collin is quite a complicated man; not only he is homosexual, he has also chosen a strange career for a middle class man like him. Plus there is a dark and gothic story in his past, the murder of his sister, an event that was never really explained or resolved. Collin has a thirst for justice, and he tries to qualm this thirst with his work as reporter. But Collin has not a black and white perspective on the world, he is too much on the edge to have the sacred fire of a true reporter inside him: Collin is horrified by the fate of the victims when they are innocent, but he is also able to feel for the guilty ones when their acts are something unintentional. Collin can feel for who lives in the shadows, since he is like them. The only important difference between him and them is that Collin is a very strong man, able to resist to the darkest desires, even when they are sexual desires... at least he is able to resist till he meets Eduard. It's strange, Collin at first is so controlled, almost cold, but then he is even more passionate than Eduard, and I have the feel that he could be a stronger man than Eduard, if taught well.
As I said Eduard is not so much developed, it would be interesting to read his story before and after Collin. And I have the feeling that the author is not finished with them, there is still a lot to say, a lot to develop and secrets to unveil.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/Wr
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The Adventures of Nico and Gianni, London 1712, is, like the title lets presume, a farce set in the world of theatre, opera and more of the XVIII century. I'm not using the word "farce" in a derogative way, but in the way it was used many years ago, to describe a play, comedy or drama, where the necessity to be real was not the main purpose of the story. The story had to be entertaining, and various, and possible full of surprise, that always left the reader wondering. And then, if there was also a love story or two, maybe complicated, maybe interconnected, even better. The Adventures of Nico and Gianni is all of this, and if it manages to be also an in deep view on the world of Opera and the life of castrati who sang it, even better. Nico is a 19 years old castrato from Neaples (Napoli); he has quite a good life in Neaples, but nothing special, since he is one among the many castrati who are raised in the local music college. So he decides to find his success in London, where Lord John, a wealthy aristocratic Englishman is founding a new theatrical company. Right the day he is living Neaples, his childhood friend, 17 years old Gianni, another castrato, decides to join him: Gianni, like Nico, is an orphan, and he was raised inside the church. At nine years old they were operated, and while Nico found his path outside the church, Gianni is almost taken captive by a powerful cardinal who uses him like a plaything. Gianni has a good and innocent nature, but he is suffering from this situation and Nico has no heart to leave him alone.
And here there is another thing that make the story more a farce than a real historical drama: all the characters, especially the Italian ones, bore a name that is the description of their attitude; Nico is "Premuroso" than in English sounds like "attentive", Gianni is "Frivolo" than means "frivolous", but there are also a Claudio "Indegno" (unworthy), villain of the story, a Giulio Cantabile (singable), composer; among the English characters, there are Mrs Busybody, matchmaker, Herbert Heartsease, lover, Peter Penetrable, he-whore, Dr Knitbone, a doctor... Just from the name you can identify the character, exactly like in those Italian farces where the same role was played always by the same mask, so that the spectator could easily identify the role.
When Nico and Gianni arrive in London, they discover that there is only one role left for a male soprano and two roles for female soprano... the decision is soon taken, Gianni with his very feminine feature will audition for the female role as Giannina. Things go so well that Nico is taken as second male soprano, and Gianni, now Giannina, is the first female soprano. On the same opera there is also another Italian castrato, Claudio Indegno, who is not so happy to see his position of best male soprano put in danger by these new arrivals.
The opera is a success and Giannina draws the attention of their benefactor, Lord John; at the same time Nico falls in love for Lord John's best friend, Robert. While Nico has to not deny his true nature since Robert is like him, a man drawn by his same sex, Gianni doesn't unveil his true identity to "her" suitor, Lord John. Meanwhile other characters enter the scene, like Mrs Busybody, a female columnist for The Spectator, a local newspaper, who is a bit too masculine to be a real woman, and Herbert, her "nephew", a Danish man who was raised by pirates, and rescued by Mrs Busybody when he was 10.
Among performance, odd parties, raid from the police, processes for sodomy or attempt to sodomy (with a fine but important distinction), lost and found sons, improbable masking, and even some cameo appearance form Queen Anne, the Adventures of Nico and Gianni go on, always with a light mood rather than drama. All in all, Nico and Gianni are two young men caught in a world bigger than them, all they want is to find a true and sincere love; in a way Gianni is luckier than Nico, he immediately finds his true love in John, but their is an impossible love, due to the little "surprise" Gianni is bringing under his gown. Nico instead is torn between Robert, his perfect dream man, noble but maybe a bit detached (and truth be told, I don't like him so much), and poor but sincere Herbert, with his big body, his strange accent and his gentle behaviour; where Robert is cultured and clever, Herbert is maybe more simple, but I like him better.
So if you are searching romance, other than adventures, in this story there is plenty, and I will give an important hint to the romantic hearts: don't worry, thanks to the fact that the story is maybe not too "serious", I believe that you will not be disappointed by how it wraps up. I don't know if it makes sense, but the story is not serious, but the history is very detailed; what I mean is that unrealistic characters (or at least characters with an unrealistic development) are immersed in a very realistic setting. The details on the time, places, even custom and dresses, are very much true; I have the feeling that also the history lover will not be disappointed by this book. It’s like I read not an historical novel, but a novel written by a man of that age who wanted to be over the lines.
Amazon: The Adventures Of Nico And Gianni: London 1712
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Cover Art by Eon Alan Day
The Vampire King's Husband is a stand alone book by Amber Kell, an author that in the past used me to short stories inside a series. Instead I believe this short story was planned as a one shot. It has a fantasy setting, an apparently medieval town: the young hero is searching work as apprentice from a blacksmith, there is a castle overlooking the town, the life inside the castle has a strict order level... all hints that the way of life is somewhat historical. Then, here and there, I found some pieces that goes against this idea, one of the young blood donors of the castle wants to be a musician and he plays a guitar, Bastion, the young hero, studied 20 foreign language and he was taught the bare hand fighting... All right, being this a fantasy tale, they are not point that are so important, it's only to let you have an idea of the feeling of the story.Another thing that makes it a fantasy and not an historical story, is that Vasska, the king, is a centuries old vampire. He is still unmarried and he asks the Goddess to send him a mate, Bastion. As Vasska said to the Goddess, woman or man doesn't matter, and so the homosexual nature of their relationship is not something that arises trouble. It's more a question of vicious relatives that were almost convinced that Vasska would have never been able to find a mate. Beside, Bastion is an impoverished nobleman, he is cultured and pretty, so he is the perfect "bride" for the king. There is some "rebellion" from Bastion's side, who doesn't like to be treated like a pretty boy, but basically it's what he is, and the only thing he has to do his to be pretty and to love Vasska.
The story is not very long, less than 40 pages, and all the dangers Bastion has to face are always resolved quickly and without loss... but, truth be told, in so few pages you can't expect nothing more.
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Walk Among Us by Vivien DeanI appreciated in the past Vivien Dean's originality, when she gave a twist on an unusual vampire romance. Now she creates another terrific (or horrific...) novel about an former priest who sees demons...
Calvin is back on his hometown near Chicago for his father's funeral. But Calvin is not mourning the loss of his father, since the man was an homophobic who kicked him out when he found his son was gay. But Calvin managed to build a good life in New York as an appreciated artist. Actually he doesn't know why he bothers to come back, since no one in the small town seems to understand his detached behavior. And then during the funeral a sniper killed a man and Calvin sees him perfectly. Matthew is a very handsome man with a brooding behavior and tormented eyes. The artist in Calvin is immediately attracted by this perfect image, and the man in Calvin is attracted by the handsome man.
In an usual romance, you would expected that Calvin is horrified by Matthew's action, but like Calvin is detached by his father's death, he seems to be detached by all the little world around the man. Calvin doesn't know the man Matthew killed, and he is more interesting in Matthew, than in the act he did. Probably Calvin closed something in his soul when his father kicked him out, he hid in the safe of his heart all the emotions, and now he has like a shield around him. A shield that protects him from the demons.
The demons prey on the mourning souls, and this is the reason why Matthew was at the funeral of Calvin's father. Matthew is only a man, not an hero. He is not thrilled by the idea to have the skill to see demons, and if possible, he avoids the crowd, so he has less chance to see demons. But here and there, Matthew's conscience nags him and he needs to do something to stop the demons. So he goes to funeral, the likely place to find mourning soul. But this time is not a relative of the dead who is mourning: Calvin doesn't regret his father's death, and so he is not the target for the demon.
The book is not very long, less than 90 pages, but it's very well plotted. It mixes very well the demon's matter with the erotic part, and the two erotic scenes in the book are really good and arousing. Calvin's character is a bit more developed than Matthew, even if probably Matthew is the most intriguing. All in all another very good book by Vivien Dean.
http://www.samhainpublishing.com/romance/w
Amazon Kindle: Walk Among Us: A Calling of Souls story
If All the Sand Were Pearl by Pepper EspinozaFirst of all the setting: I would say a fantasy world... there are not high-tech elements to make it a futurist novel, and the only "modern" intrusion, is the presence of some plastic dildos... in the past there were dildos but they are made of wood, I believe. So yes, I will go for the fantasy.
Anyway, in this fantasy world, same sex marriage is not forbidden, even if it is not common for the simplest reason: wealthy families needs heirs and in a same sex marriage a natural heir is not possible. Jag is the last son of a once wealthy family; since he was born when all his other siblings were just betrothed or married, he was left with a decision: become a scholar or a priest. He set for priest and he was happy with the decision at 12 years old, but later one thing of priesthood left him "unsatisfied": chastity. Anyway he has never had a chance to be sexually active and so he really doesn't know what he is losing. He only knows that he dreams of the hard body of a man rather than that of a woman. So when financial problems push his family to negotiate an arranged marriage also for him, the only choice he is left is the gender of the betrothed... and he chooses a man.
Jag has never seen before his betrothed and he fears the wedding night. He is not sure of what expecting, and since he is rather young, also the physical appearance of the man is a huge problem for him. And then, is he enough attractive for the other man? Jag is lithe and small, he has the body of a scholar and he only knows that his betrothed is a big man used to work outside. The more innocent problems swirl in his mind, the same questions a virgin maid would have in the same situation.
Brace lost the hope to find a suitable partner long ago. He prefers man and no noble family would allow him to marry one of its son. And now he has a last chance. But he doesn't want to marry a man compelled to take a decision he doesn't like. And so he sends to Jag a gift, a very rare pearl, worthy enough to buy back his freedom and allow to him and his family a comfortable future. With that pearl in his possession, if Jag will decide to marry him, he will do that only according to his real desire.
Brace is a good man; he has no problem to find a willing partner for a one night tryst, but he wants a long term relationship. He doesn't want an husband to fill his nights, he wants a man to fill his days. Brace is true and simple like the life he likes: his horses, his travels... More than a lover he needs a companion.
In the end, you would expected for Jag to be the brooding one, the scholar type, and instead Jag unveils to be a young man waiting to be freed, and Brace could be the key to his freedom.
The story is pretty classic, and in this case "classic" is the right term, since this novel has an old fashioned style, but it's also erotic, the sex scenes are good and explicit, but always in line with the mood of the novel, even if that plastic dildos make them a bit kinky.
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/if-a
Amazon Kindle: If All the Sand Were Pearl
No Fear in Love by Jamie CraigThis is the second story I read in the A Calling of Souls anthology by Samhain Publishing, and like the other one is a story about a night which changes forever the life of two men.
Weston and Mark were buddy friends since they were teenagers; from a small English village, they share everything since they both feel stranger among other people. Probably Weston realized before his friend what that strangeness was, he loves his friend Mark, and it's not a friendly love. But Weston probably is more cautious and probably he fears to leave the comfort of his small village life and so he searched shelter in the church and in the chastity: he became an Anglican pastor. He removed passionate love from his life and most of the time he is content with it. Not when he is with Mark.
Mark chose to leave the small village for the big city, for London. He still returns back sometime, mostly to spend time with his best friend Weston. Also Mark is gay, but he has not chosen chastity... instead he tried to search his love in a lot of men, only to realize that he has just found it, and he is Weston. So now Mark is determined to spend a night with Weston, to prove him how it could be between them, and to have at least that night for them.
And so Mark consciously seduces Weston, he destabilizes his friend beliefs, and he puts the seed of doubt in his mind; is the church only a substitute of what Weston really wants? can he risk his comfort life for the uncertainty of a life with Mark?
I like both Weston than Mark, but in both of them I found something to blame: why Weston didn't dare to fight for his love and instead chose the easy way of becoming a priest? if he knew that his friend was gay (and he knew it since he said that Mark went to him the first time he was with a man), why he lied to himself?
On the other hand Mark... perhaps he didn't realize to be in love with Weston before moving to London and realizing that he was searching the man in other partners. I could think so, and thinking in that way, I find him nicer than Weston, since he decides to do something, he decides to risk their friendship in the hope to obtain love.
The story is not very long, 60 pages, and since it's mostly a one night story, there is not much space to develop the characters. They haven't the chance to interact with other people, the issue of Weston being a priest is not so much a problem, if not for him, there is not judgment from outside. There is also no space to develop Mark and Weston's relationship as friends, to let us know how they were as young gay teens in a small village. The story is appealing and I'd like to read something more both before than after the central night.http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/no-f
Amazon Kindle: No Fear in Love: A Calling of Souls story
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Cover Art by Anne Cain
Cover Art by Anne Cain
This is only a short story, a sexy romp in fancy dress, or better naked, since the two main heroes are mostly in bed than not. Warin is a sorcerer but this time not even his magical power can help him, his sister was kidnapped and he has to pay the ransom. Being a poor sorcerer, a mix between a bandit and a rogue, the only solution he finds is to himself kidnap another person, and the chosen prey is a sad prince. Benedict is the beloved bastard son of a king, but he is not happy; his father doesn't take him in captivity, but he is so worried about the danger around his son, that it almost the same. Benedict has no chance to be what he really wants to be and to love who he wants, another man. Warin met him an year before, he stole an intimate encounter with the prince in a dark corner of the palace and then, like a good rogue, he flies away, leaving the sad prince even sadder than before.
Now that Warin has Benedict all for himself for a few day, there no idea in Warin's mind to behave like a honored man, he has every intention to debauch once for all the prince... only that the prince is not at all against the idea. Moreover, he is a willing participant in his debauching.
The real plot of the story, the kidnapping of Warin's sister and the one of Benedict is soon forgotten in favor of the romp between the sheets of the two men. Actually sometime it seems that the real reason for Warin to kidnap Benedict is not a ransom, or at least not a ransom in gold... the treasure that Warin wants, and that he steals is of a more physical nature, and Benedict has no regret in giving it away: Benedict is like the princess in the tower who, instead of repel the dangerous man, throws down a rope from the window for the dashing and dangerous rogue to have an easiest access to his room.
http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/So
Amazon Kindle: Sorcerer's Lover
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I don't know, but I have the feeling that Ava March wanted to prove that she can write an accurate gay historical romance... the previous book, Bound by Deception was really good, but, maybe since it was short, or maybe since it was only the starting of a relationship, when all the odds seem smaller, reader actually didn't indulge in wondering if there was historical accuracy.Lord Oliver and Lord Vincent were in love, Lord Oliver deceived Lord Vincent but only for love, and at the end of the novella they were happily in love ever after... or not? At the end of the previous book Vincent admits to be attracted by men, and in particular to be attracted by his friend Oliver, but a lot of question are still opened; Oliver is still a destitute aristocrat that barely makes the ends meet, he has not the wealth or the means to allow him to be above the law, and he is to proud to accept help from Vincent. On the other end Vincent has the means, but probably not still the willingness; he has barely accepted his preferences for men, maybe helped by the fact that now he can satisfy them easily in the safe haven of Oliver's apartment.
But Vincent is not still at peace with himself, he still considers his desires as a deviance and since him first judge them, he has the idea that everyone around him are judging them. And so if previously Oliver, even if poor and out of fashion, had the chance to frequent Vincent in public as his friend, now Vincent limits their encounters to shabby places or in private. Now Oliver, other than feeling inferior due to his financial situation, feels like Vincent is considering him his mistress. So the happily ever after we thought they found at the end of the first book, is not so happily in the end...
And since this is the second book, the author now has the chance to deal with her characters in society... how they can remain inside the boundaries of the ton even after? The obviously and only answer is: they can't. The author decides to not use the easily short cut of making them both wealthy and noble, and saying that the law is not equal for all, that noblemen are judged with a different parameter; the only concession that the author does to the romance, and the romance reader, is to write that the heroes, and Vincent in particular, are still very young, 24 years old, and so the necessity to marry and produce an heir is not yet so imperative... and maybe it will never be, since Vincent is a second son, like Oliver, and if his older brother does his due, Vincent will have a change to become an old bachelor, with a very special friend by his side like Oliver... but never openly and always with discretion.
And so my final verdict is that Bound to Him is less pink glasses perspective that Bound by Deception, more realistic, and being so, feels truer, and probably will appeal to the more selective historical romance readers. Anyway, again, to be only a novella, the quality standard is very high.
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Amazon Kindle: Bound to Him
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2) Bound to Him
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Cover Art by April Martinez
The first thing that drew me to this novel was the cover... and it was not a surprise to discover that this an Anne Cain's original cover. Since it's a commissioned artwork, it reflects perfectly the story, an historical romance, and the setting, that folly in the background is part of the story. And so it is also explained the second reason I wanted to read this book, it's an historical romance, and so I was expecting another breeches rippers, one of my favorite genre as all you know. And I was not disappointed in my expectation, on the contrary this is "exactly" a real breeches rippers and to be so, one of the main character has to be a sort of damsel in distress, but I'm not saying in a derogatory way. The book respects all the rule of a Regency Romance, and so we have the dashing and dangerous earl, with a notorious reputation among the ton, and the young and innocent new "beau" of the season, who obviously falls immediately on the net of the aforesaid lord. Only that the "beau" is himself an earl, the American Earl, just arrived from the former colony to claim the title of a distant relative. Leander was the first to be surprised by the turn of the event, he was the fat too often ill third son of a american farmer, forced to bed for most of his childhood and youth. For that reason no one expected from him to be healthy enough to attend College, and so he gave the money his grandfather left for his tuition to his two brother to invest in a merchant ship. Unfortunately the ship, with his two brothers above, got lost at sea, soon after the death for illness of his father, and so, when the news of the inheritance arrived to his american small village, Leander was the only one left to claim the title of Earl of Dearborne.
Now in London he is seen by society like an odd but funny stranger, someone no one has the courage to scorn due to his title and wealth. He also finds a group of aristocratic scholars who share his love for history and books and so he is able to obtain his place among the ton. His strange and secluded upbringing allowed Leander to form a strange way to judge and be judged, and so when he becomes friend with Julien, Earl of Blackstone, he pays little attention to the gossip that the man has "strange" preferences... also since Leander himself is quite attracted by Julien, and starts to wonder if his apparent indifference for women and his only and one interest for a youth friend was not the proof that also him has odd preferences regarding bed companions. Even if innocent, Leander is more than eager to follow his instinct and willing to let Julien being his teacher.
At first Julien is not interest in having an affair with another member of the ton. Due to a bad past experience, Julien reserved himself to pay for his bed partner, and he has a "mistress" settled in a comfortable house. But more or less at the same time of Leander's arrival, Julien is starting to get bored of his temporary partner, and so his interest is sparkled but the young Earl. There is no plan of seduction, instead Julien at first tried to discourage Leander, but when he realizes that the young man is willing, all his reserves are put aside. The conquer is slow but steady, and step by step, Leander experiment a kiss, a stroke, a rub and... well, you can imagine! All Leander's innocence is violated meeting after meeting, but with mutual satisfaction and eager participation. When I said that Leander is a damsel in distress I meant exactly this part of the story, Leander is not a "manly" figure, he was not raised to be a man according to the rule of the XIX century, and so he is extremely innocent and vulnerable; Julien assumes the role of his protector and teacher, and so apparently stronger. But Leander, even if innocent, is smart and clever, only gentler than most of the men.
The fact that their relationship is not something acceptable by the common rules of society and by the law, is not underestimated. It seems that Julien and Leander are excused only due to their high rank position and wealth, but if both of them were not part of the ton, would not be allowed for them to be seen together in society.
Overall the book is almost a classic Regency romance, also in the length, almost 300 pages. I believe that readers like me, who came from an Historical Romance background, will enjoy very much this one. The novel is first in the Timeless Dreams line by Dreamspinner Press, a line I'm sure will love: stories of M/M romance in historical settings. While reaction to same-sex relationships throughout time and across cultures has not always been positive, these stories celebrate M/M love in a manner that may address, minimize, or ignore historical stigma. You can visit the rough and tumble Old West, travel the ancient kingdoms of desert sheikhs, see the black and red lacquer of the Far East, or dance in dramatic Regency England. No matter where or when, in the romantic worlds of Timeless Dreams, our heroes always live happily ever after (description of the line from Dreamspinner Press website).
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/current
Amazon Kindle: The Desire for Dearborne
Amazon: The Desire for Dearborne
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Pure Fully is an historical romance with a bit of gothic and eroticism thrown in the middle to spice the things. Alastair is the second son of a noble and wealthy family and even if it's not exactly said in the book, I have the feeling that he both regrets than enjoys the freedom he has from being a second son; no one is expecting something from him, his mother is not pressuring him to marry, his father is not insisting he does something worthy in his life, he probably has an allowance that let him live in a comfortable way, he can do whatever he likes inside the boundaries of good society, and he doesn't know what to do! Better something he knows, he is in love with Jude, the soon-to-be fiance of his cousin Charlotte, but loving Jude is not something he is allowed to do, neither if he is a second son and so it's not asked from him to produce an heir.Truth be told, Alastair doesn't exactly know what loving a man means; he has sexual fantasies on Jude, but for him it's a first experience, and he is deeply convinced that it's a sin, and so he tries to shun the idea from his mind and body. Probably due to his tentative denial, Alastair doesn't realize that the attraction is mutual and that Jude is not at all the unaware object of his desire. Jude knows and actually he is waiting for Alastair to loose his battle with his conscience. But when that battle lasts too long, Jude looses his patience and forces a bit the hand; when a bet with Charlotte and Viola (Alastair's sister) dare both men to spend a night in a gothic temple in the garden (a pure folly of the time, both the temple than the bet), Jude plans to seduce Alastair if the man will not willingly surrender to his inner desires.
Most of the story is a pure historical romance, without any paranormal event; but almost to the end, a secret in the closet of Alastair's family comes out in the most unexpected way, a ghost who claims his toll after years of denial, and Alastair is the man who has to fulfill that request. I like that the paranormal event arrives so late in the story, since this novel is a very good historical novel and I prefer for it to be defined more from the historical genre than the paranormal one. Alastair's struggle with his inner demons, the fear for something unknown that prevents him to see that the interest his mutual, is dealt with a good hand for a novella; probably Alastair would never allow to his desire to become clear, not realizing that what he felt was not some sinful deviation of his mind, but something that could be common among his peers: Alastair has never had the chance to be in contact with that reality.
On the other hand, Jude had time to digest and analyze the matter; when he was still young he was "molested" by an older man, but even if he didn't particularly like the man, he liked the act. He had then another chance to "taste", and this only reinforce his belief that he actually prefers men over women. But unlike Alistair, Jude has to marry and produce an heir, and so he is planning to do it as soon as possible to then spend the rest of his life as he prefers. Here probably is the big difference between Alastair and Jude, in the way they "feel", Alastair so strong and impulsive, Jude more daring but at the same time more calculator; they are both probably an example of how a man in that period would face the matter, someone like Alastair would flight abroad or live in denial for all his life, someone like Jude would build a safe nest around him, far from society, but maintaining the privileges from being a member of it. The author chooses to not tell us who is wrong or who is right, probably since there is nor wrong or right, and so both men, Alastair and Jude, come out as likable characters (even if, if I'm to be true, I prefer the impulsive Alastair, who, in a way, would have preferred to not compromise for their love) and the final solution is a real and possible one.
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The Wrong Path was a sweet tale setting in a fantasy kingdom I tagged "Back to the Future", since it mixed the common elements of a Regency historical with a fantasy/futuristic setting. Someone could also call it Neo-Regency... Anyway the starting point of the story was one of the most used in a classical Regency, the heir of a wealthy and noble family, Zeke, is forced by his father to married the heir of another wealthy family, to merge the respective wealth. Only that Zeke is not so happy with his father decision, he is an artist and a dreamer and he doesn't want to marry a stranger; not that he has any decision in the matter, and so in the previous book, Zeke was on his path to the near city to meet the prospective fiance. Only that he took the wrong path and ended in the arms of Crispin, instead. Crispin is rich but not noble, he is a middle class man who has just dumped his deceptive lover and wants only to relax in his country cottage.Twists and Turns continues where The Wrong Path ended, from the morning after of the "notorious" debauching of the virgin act led by Crispin on a very willing Zeke. Now Zeke is compromised, and Crispin has to do the right thing, talk to Zeke's father to ask Zeke's hand in marriage. The only problem is that Crispin is only a middle class man and Zeke a nobleman, and Crispin's father is not so happy to loose his commercial agreement with the other family.
This is again another short story, and it's again only a step more in Crispin and Zeke's story; as The Wrong Path lasted half a day and a night, Twists and Turns last only a day. Short story by short story, step by step, maybe in the end we will have a really nice Neo-Regency novel! Due to the strict connections between the two short stories, I recommend to read both in the right order.
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Amazon Kindle: Twists and Turns
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Main Bookshelf: Suspenseful fantasy, historical fantasy, friendship fiction, heterosexual love stories, original gen and original het hurt/comfort and darkfic, fiction recommendations, and nonfiction. Content:
The Three Lands: He vowed himself to his god. Now the god is growing impatient... The Three Lands, a fantasy series on friendship, romance, and betrayal in times of war and peace.
Darkling Plain: Separated in time and place, a young woman and two young men are united in their goal: to protect those they care for from the destruction of battle. The odds are against them. Darkling Plain, fantasy tales about young people in times of conflict.
High Bookshelf: Suspenseful fantasy, historical fantasy, contemporary fiction, friendship fiction, original slash hurt/comfort and darkfic, gay fiction, gay erotic love stories, gay erotica, leather fiction, fiction recommendations, and nonfiction. Content:
Ethernal Dungeon: In a cool, dark cavern, guarded by men and by oaths, lies a dungeon in which prisoners fearfully await the inevitable. The inevitable will be replaced by the unexpected. The Eternal Dungeon, a historical fantasy series set in a land where the psychologists wield whips.
Life Prison: They are imprisoned until death, and their lives cannot get worse . . . or so they think. But when an unlikely alliance forms against their captors, the reformers risk losing what little comforts they possess. Life Prison, a historical fantasy series about male desire and determination in Victorian prisons.
My Review of Mercy's Prisoner 1: Life Prison: Life Prison is a tale on the Mercy's Prisoner series; it's setting in a fantasy world which resembles the Victorian period. In this world, life in prison is regulated as in the Dante's Inferno, every circles (prison's level) hides an atrocity for the prisoners who deserve to be there. Mind this last point: the prisoners are not innocents hold in captivity for some unbelievable injustice, they are guilty and sometime of an atrocity maybe even worst of what they now suffer in prison.
Merrick is a murder of the worst type: he consciously killed his three years old niece. He didn't act on the spur of the moment, he planned the kill; and now he replies it in his memory as the best moment of his life. In prison Merrick is not thinking at freedom, he is thinking at death; he wants to die but the only rule the guards have is to not kill the prisoners, or to not help them to kill themself. Other than, guards can do whatever they want, and they have no problem at follow this rule. Prisoners are no more than free whores for the guard who have them in hold.
To Merrick is assigned a new guard, Thomas. Thomas is young and idealist and the truly thinks that life in prison, even if a forever captivity, could be dignified for the prisoners. The initial incredulity of Merrick turns at first in opportunity: maybe Merrick can manipulate this man, maybe he can reach his purpose. But Thomas, for how young he is, it's not so naivee as he seems. Merrick will learn that a firm hold can be more tight than a strong one.
It's not a romance what happens between Merrick and Thomas, but it's a relationship. They build something together, even if it's not love. Reading the play of minds is almost as good as reading the sexual interaction between the two.
Life Prison is the tale of what the title tells right: the life in prison; it's not a journey toward freedom, or better it's not a journey toward the freedom outside the prison, but it's the journey of a man who learns to "live" in prison. Till he meets Thomas, Merrick is not living, he is waiting to die. Merrick is not a man who can live outside: he finds in prison, and in the confinement of prison, a suitable environment for him; outside he would be a criminal, a reject of the society; inside he is a man.
Michael's House: In a world where temples are dying and sacred theaters have been replaced by brothels, what will happen when a hard-headed businessman joins forces with an idealist? Michael's House, a historical fantasy series set in an Edwardian slum.
My Review of Michael's House: First of all I would like to re-post what the same author wrote to introduce the story: Whipster deals with the ethical issues surrounding youth prostitution in a fantasy setting based on Edwardian times. The novel has no onscreen sex and little onscreen violence. The primary focus of the story is on the interactions between the adult characters.
I wanted to repost the same words, since, even if in a fantasy setting, the author chose to not use the easy way to have only boys "of legal age" to act as "whores". In his fantasy world, a boy in age to be an apprentice could be "sold" by his parents to a whorehouse; sex between adult paying customers and underage boys (between 11 and 21 years old) is not only allowed, but in some case also promoting by the government. Said boys, obviously, should immediately interrupt their profession once they reach the 21 years age, and find another job... that it's quite impossible since they are shunned by society and most of the time they end to beggar or worst.
Michael was one of those boys; having him a strong will he survived through his teen years, with the help of two other boys: the fellow whore Hasan, a boy two years younger than him, and the good boy Janus, the son of an important family who decided to go against his same family to befriend a whore. And when Michael is forced to "retire" to the "old" age of 21 years old, Janus and Michael open their business, a whorehouse. It could sound strange that Janus, a man who only has in mind the good of the boys, accepts to be the one who whores them, but probably he accept the lesser evil: giving them an healthy house, the chance to study and the possibility to save some money during their apprentice, could allow them to not end on the street when they are of age. These are Janus' reason. And Michael? he claims to not having heart, but in all the book, I never see him mistreat a boy, but truth be told, I didn't find a reason for him to open a whorehouse if not that it's the only thing that he knew; and maybe also since in this way he has a reason to bind Janus to him.
Between Janus and Michael there is not a classical love story, but it's not only a friendship. Michael says that Janus is his conscience, and maybe, if Janus asked, he would allow the man to being intimate with him, but they have not that type of relationship. Michael is not able to "physically" love, for him sex is not love, and so he can't associate it with Janus. And then there is Hasan: Michael loves also Hasan, and so neither with him he can have a physical relationship. In a way Michael needs both men: Hasan represents his past and Janus his future, and so he needs both of them in his life, but no one of them can't be "touched" and "defiled" by sex.
On the other two characters, I believe that Hasan, if asked in the right way, would allow his relationship with Michael to enter a new personal level, and instead I don't understand Janus. I really believe that he loves Michael, but probably Janus can't see possible a physical relationship with a man: Janus is like some of those men who see love as a pure relationship, and so something beyond the sex gender; he loves Michael, and he can understand that Michael has "needs" and so, probably, he accepts Hasan by his side, above all since Hasan himself said to Janus that Michael is a better man for having near him a friend like Janus. So Janus knows that, in Michael's heart, he is on a upper level than Hasan, and this is the only important thing for him.
In a way Janus is too perfect for me to fully like him, I always prefer more faulty characters like Michael and Hasan; for Janus is simple to be perfect, since he is born perfect; for Michael and Hasan was an hard way, and so, even if they are not fully perfect, I like them better.
Prison City: What will happen when a youth from a bay island boarding school ends up in a futuristic prison? Prison City, a retrofuture series based on the Chesapeake Bay oyster wars, homoeroticism in British public schools in the 1910s, and 1960s visions of things to come.
Master/Other: Masters come in many forms. Some don't even know they're masters. Master/Other, gay fantasy and science fiction about prisoners, slaves, liegemen, and love.
Loren's Lashes: Leather is a world of rich pleasure palaces and endless sensual delights, where dreams can be pursued without limit, provided that a man has the strength to stand the test. . . . But in the rural town of Mayhill, population 32,000, leather life is a little different. Loren's Lashes, a retro series about a Midwestern community of closeted leathermen.
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There are many things that pleasantly surprised me in this book, but once stood upon all the other, the sensuality and the carnality that lacked in the previous book, by the same author, Captain's Surrender. It's not a big fault, I loved that book, and in a way, being it almost asexual allowed more readers to near a genre that sometime it's stigmatized as "erotic" when maybe it's not erotic at all (don't let me go further on the matter, it would be too long). Anyway, for example, I gifted this same book, False Colors, to a friend of mine who is a newbie of the genre without even having read it before since I vouched Alex Beecroft with closed eyes: I said to my friend, you will find a very good historical setting, adventures and beautiful characters, but no worries, there will be few "sex"... and now I'm wondering if my friend will still talk to me! All right, I'm slightly joking, it's not that, all of sudden, Alex Beecroft has written an erotic romance, it's only that this time I "felt" her characters in a more physical way, and at the same time, and maybe for that reason, they are also more exposed to the turmoil of unrequited love, they suffer more for love.At the beginning of the story there is always the love for the sea, but above all for the Ladies of the Sea, the stunning Royal Navy ship, of a man, an officer of that same Royal Navy. The year is the 1762, and John Cavendish has the luck to receive the command of a ship; he is quite surprised, he is not so well acquainted or wealth, or senior, to have the right to it, but he will not question his luck... at least not until the moment he realizes that he was also given a suicidal mission with the ship, a mission that will bring down him and the ship, and all the man on it. John is the son of a quaker mother and a libertine father... from the mix, John came out as a man with high principle, very pious, but with a tendency to passion that not always is proper for an officer. John has always denied his passionate nature and he is the perfect officer by the book: he will not question his orders, he is willing to the sacrifice, but he pities his men. And so when he is informed that there is a voluntary officer for his mission, he is not quite happy with the news.
"Alfie" Donwell is the typical self-made officer; from a middle class family, he probably chose the sea as the only way to arise himself from a mediocre life. It's not clear if Alfie always preferred men, or if the alluring personality of his first captain (when he was only 13 years old) made him so, we only know that Alfie is careless and almost open to his true nature. He likes man, and you can read it in his eyes when he sees John, that he likes him. And he is not even shy to hide it, he makes it quite clear. But John is not "awaken" to this possibility, in his naivete, he knows that there are sodomites in the "world", but for sure they are not abroad. And so when Alfie approaches him, he banishes those strange feelings he is having to a some sort of comradeship. How candid he is...
But when a man for Alfie's past comes along, Alfie confirms his carelessness and maybe also his unrequited love for John, and finally speaks the words that clearly state what he was trying to prove to John with actions... and obviously John at first rejects him, it's in his nature, it's against all he believes, he can't do anything else. And here come out the real Alfie and John: Alfie feels rejected (and he is) and runs away, without giving time to John to digest the shocking news... Alfie is always ready to flee away, he is so driven by his heart more than his mind, that he never stops to think. He is and he will always be, for all the length of the book, ready to catch only the first meaning of the words he hears, without trying to catch instead the hidden meaning. John instead is a man who is ready to listen and comprehend; even if he is a very religious man, he is not the man who always wants to bring God's justice upon other men. John asks for his own punishment, but his always ready to forgive other mistakes. And when faced with Alfie's revelation, even if shocked, he is willing to comprehend the man, and doing so, to question his own believing. If Alfie was not ready to run away, maybe the evolution of their story would have been different.
But this would have not been an adventure romance if there was not the adventure part, would have been it? And so our heroes take separate ways, and have to face very difficult moment, but all of it serve them to understand what it is really important in life and who they really love. Not all the adventures they have are "romance" like, there is blood and sweat and dirty, actually only when they are together I feel the romance, and it's always a pure and "clean" love, but when they are distant, the real world is right there ready to catch them. Alfie, in his haste to run away from John, will also chase his first love, a man who clearly is not right for him and that will never give him what he needs, since Alfie, with all his carelessness, is only searching someone to age with, same as John. Even if everyone around tells him that for the sodomites like him there is no good in searching love, Alfie still believes in romance, and for doing "certain" things, he has to believe to be in love. John on the other hand, "has not" to believe, he can be with a man ONLY if he is in love, and since he is in love with Alfie, there is not other man for him other than Alfie.
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Bound by Deception was an unlucky book in my reading list, it slipped day by day till the day I almost forgot I had it, and now that I read it, thanks to the release of a sequel, I'd like to knock myself on the head for allowing so. I knew that I would have liked it, I loved another book by Ava March, an Erotic Regency as this one, so why I waited so much? Mystery of my strange mind... Anyway, Ava March, in this second book, but really her first book, confirms my previous idea of her: she is a very good erotic writer, but above all she is a very good Regency romance writer. Not Traditional Regency, it's obvious, but as many writers of the genre are saying, the Traditional Regency romance genre is languishing, and so welcome to a bit of fuzzy borders, with Mystery, Erotica and even Vampires! And yippie yippie yeah, the M/M Regency Romance! And don't worry, in Bound by Deception you will not find a damsel in distress disguised by in gentleman clothes, the men in it are both men, only that one happens to like to be a bottom, and the other one is a total top... but preferably on top of a man!
Oliver and Vincent had one thing in common, both second sons of the aristocracy, they met at boarding school. They became best friends, even if Oliver really never understood what Vincent found in him: even if second son, Vincent was from a wealthy family and he had chances that Oliver never had: a superior education, a small inheritance that he made thriving and above all a fine appearance and a bearing that Oliver total lacked. Despite this Vincent still considers Oliver one of his best friends, even if with the parameters of the time: a man he is comfortable with, with whom he likes to chat at the club, and a friendly ear that comprehends his striven to try to always please his father, a man that has never even acknowledged his presence in the room, since he has just the heir he needs. Actually I wondered how good the author was, creating a whole family environment for Vincent, without actually presenting any of the members of it, if not as names and outline shadows without cue, and at the same time rendering the desolation of Oliver's life, of whom we never once, neither in his youth memories, meet someone of his family. All Oliver's world turns around Vincent, since the day they met as children, and in the end, Oliver has to do something.
Other than being neglected second sons, Oliver and Vincent have something else in common, they prefer the company of men. But where Oliver admitted with himself who he is and what he likes, maybe since he likes to be on the bottom, and it's difficult from that perspective deny it, Vincent is still cheating himself with the lie that, since he is on the top, he is not really a sodomite; it's quite a weak excuse, but then, he has to use it only with himself, since never once Vincent shared his segret with Oliver. And Oliver happens to know it only since they frequent the same brothel and the same whore inside it. The deeply knowledge Oliver has of Vincent and his love for him, made the man able to recognize him in the words of the whore and now Oliver has a plan: for one night he will be in the place of the whore and he will finally have the night he wants with Vincent, without loosing their friendship... and here maybe is the only problem I had with the book, since I don't believe that a three days beard, long hair and the absence of the glass he usually wears, is enough to Oliver to not being recognize by Vincent. To excuse the author there is also to say that we are used to modern electric lights, and instead in that time there were candles and firelight, and plus Vincent is not absolutely expecting to find Oliver in the man he payed for sex.
This is only a novella, but it's a finely built novella, and I'm really happy to know that there is a sequel, even if, for once, I didn't find it lacking: all the pages and scenes were properly weighted and in the end, you had the feeling to read a longer book. A sequel will only add more and welcome details to a nice story.
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Amazon Kindle: Bound by Deception by Ava March
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Cover Art by April Martinez
The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing is a fantasy, since it's setting in a fantasy world and the main characters behave as medieval men never would, but for all other details it's a medieval historical, setting in a rather interesting growing town where bartering is an art and human skills the most valuable goods.Jimothy Redwing is a wandering minstrel, he walks from town to town gaining his foods with music and songs and delivering letters, both written than spoken. It's quite an idea this one of a minstrel that, other than memorizing songs, memorizes also the letters of who is unable to write... there is some historical expert among my friends who can tell me if this is a fictional detail or is actually a true thing? I have never found it in any other historical romance I read, but it seems to me quite a good idea and it sounds so real.
Anyway Jimothy is travelling from one city to another to bring some important letters, one in particular to the lanmere of the city (something similar to a mistress of the land). During the journey he meets Ricky, a man who, on the contrary of him, travels by horse and who is so kind to offer him a pass. And since Ricky is rather comfortable around the land, they manage to spend the night in a waycabin, one of a series of cabins that the late landmere built all around the country to host wandering travellers (another quite good idea...).
Alone in the cabin Jimothy finds that Ricky and him have something in common, they both prefer the company of men, and they spend a lovely night together; Ricky actually is a very friendly and sexy man, with an easy smile and an easy "behaviour"... I don't want to say that he is a bit of a "butterfly", but yes, he is not shy in matter of sex; our poor minstrel could do very little to go away with his intact virtue, if he even wanted it.
But when the day after they arrive to the city, Jimothy finds that Ricky is not exactly who he told him to be, and an unknown enemy is not so glad to see Ricky gangs up with a common and simple wandering minstrel. Ricky discovers also that he is unable to move on Jimothy like he had with his other passing flings, Jimothy becomes more and more important every day they spend together. But Jimothy is a wandering minstrel, and what would happen to the wandering part of his work if he chooses to stop and love a man?
The suspence part of the story, the unknown enemy, is not very mysterious, and for me it's not the main interest of the story. I like a lot the fiction world the author created, with all the details and the supporting characters. It's a joy to read every single aspect, carefully carved till the single shop sign on the street. Also the two characters are nice, probably I prefer Ricky, I always prefer the bratty ones.
The story is long but not boring. The love is sexy and joyful, there is a lot of sex but it's not too much, probably since the book is long and so it seems not like the two are only and ever in bed. Also the ending is of the right mood of all the story, not quite so granted as you can expected. This is for me a very good start for an author who tried her hands on a new genre.
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Amazon Kindle: The Ballad of Jimothy Redwing
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This novel is an old fashioned fantasy novel; actually if not for the fact that is setting in a fantasy world and that the names are not real, and the events are imaginary, it could well be an historical novel, there aren't real "fantasy" event if not for the fact that some of the characters in the story have the "sight", the ability to see the illness inside other people or to foresee the events of the following days (but not too far from that).The story is very long, and at the beginning it runs separately for the two main characters: Yveni is the heir of the duchy of Sardelsa, but when his father dies, he is too young to take the throne, and the regent decides to get rid of him; before the plan takes out, Yveni runs away, disguising himself as the poor son of a trader. At the same time, in a near kingdom, Paole is assisting his dying master; Paole is a slave and before arriving under the protection of his Master, he has seen many owners, and not all of them were good. Paole has developed an hard shell around him, and not even the gentle behavior of his last Master helped him to trust again. Even the fact to discover that his Master has freed him and made him his heir is for him another proof that he was only a slave, since his Master didn't trust him to be enough faithful to remain with him as a free man.
Spending his first year alone allows Paole to understand the need of company that his Master had, and Paole, that was taught as an healer decides to take an apprentice; and instead he finds himself with a slave. In his flight from the man who wants him dead, Yveni was kidnapped and sold as a slave. Even if he is almost 18 years old, Yveni seems younger and when Paole buys him, he thinks to have a little brat in his hands, not a young duke. Paole is not a noble man, but he has his principles; he likes men, and I have the impression that he like very young men, but he accepts their attentions only when they are given freely: being Paole an handsome man, and having very useful knowledge, when he is travelling from town to town, he is not against the idea to accept a different sort of payment for his services from the young men he meets.
Yveni doesn't know what to think of Paole; at first he sees him like a profiter, but more time he spends with him, more he is attracted by the older man. Yveni is very young, and he is very innocent, he was never awaken to sexual desires before; maybe he is attracted by Paole only due to the fact that Paole is there when Yveni starts to wonder about his sexuality, or maybe Yveni starts to feel something since Paole is the right object of his desires, and he has never before met someone else he was attracted to. Anyway there is a bit of sex in the story, but not so much, it's more a question of feelings and how to deal with them. The problem is not much that Yveni is attracted by Paole (it's not exactly explained, but I believe that in this fantasy world homosexuality is not common but not illegal), but more that Yveni is a Duke and he needs to marry to have an heir. And maybe another problem is that Paole, in their relationship, is the top dog, and being only a "consort" to Yveni is not enough for him: Paole is tired to be a "slave", he finally has the freedom he always wished, and now it's not simple to loose it to be again the "property" of someone else, if if this time it's a love bond.
I like how both characters change during the story, at first both of them are quite the imperfect heroes, one, Yveni, a spoiled brat, the other, Paole, a man who seems unable to have real feelings. The story is very long, also in a time space parameter, it lasts two years in the life of the characters, and so it's only right that they change during it. For Yveni it's also a natural change, he passes from being a teenager to being a man, and instead for Paole it's more a thing to understand what is really important in life.
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Amazon Kindle: Many Roads Home
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There is all the range of love in this historical novel, but there is also the drama and the betrayal, real or supposed, and maybe there is also the incapacity of two young men to recognize the real love, the one for which it's worth to die for.David and Jonathan, just from the name you understand that they are fated to be together as the heroic figures of the Old Testament they share the name with. It's love, it's friendship, maybe it's even a brotherly affection pushed too far, in any way, all the novel turns around this two men and how they met and lost together. David is the son of a wealthy (at least according to the town standard) blacksmith; in the first scene we see David as he will be for all the novel, a young blond god basking in the sun while instead he should have been at work. David is like that, he is not severe and diligent, he is all lies and smiles, and with his behavior he always finds a way to escape the right punishment. His father doesn't approve him, but truth be told, he also doesn't do anything to really correct him, maybe even him is fooled by the angelic look of his son.
To ruin a bit the paradise on earth where David is living arrive Jonathan, the new apprentice of his father; Jonathan is dark where David is blond, but it's not only a physical dissimilarity. Jonathan is a puritan, he has instilled in his mind what is wrong and what is right, but even him seems to succumb to the lazy angel who is David. At first Jonathan covers David's escapade, sometime even following him to be sure that he would be fine. David treats Jonathan like a beloved pet, and Jonathan basks in the little attention he receives from his personal angel. But then David discovers the sinful love to the hand of another man, Tobias, and only a night is enough to collapse the fragile dam of David's resistance. The other man is soon forgotten, maybe since he is lost, maybe since he was not important, only a tool to awaken him, and David turns his full newfound seductive power on Jonathan. And Jonathan gives up while at the same time he is sentencing himself to the hell, but only him, since the sinner is not David, David is to be protected and it's Jonathan who is ruining the young boy, it's Jonathan who is dirty, while David still remain a pure angel of love.
This behavior of both Jonathan than David will continue even when they will be torn apart and believe in the betrayal of the other; David will always regret the lost of his "puritan" young lover, but he will manage to find another type of love, more adult, not the same love he had for Jonathan, but nevertheless important and strong. Since David has never believed to be a sinner, he will not sentence himself of any wrong, and he will be able to love again. On the other hand, Jonathan has always believed to be a sinner, and when he looses David, he is not able to allow himself to love again; he has to be punished, he has to find an hell on earth until he will reach the real hell that he is sure he is awaiting him. Jonathan has the sin inside himself and that sin is eating him alive... but the sin is to have loved someone of his same sex, or it's the prejudice that doesn't allow him to see the light? I have the feeling that Jonathan was always condemned till the beginning since he believes in sin, and David was always freed from sin since he doesn't believe in it.
On the background of their fated love there is the history, an history that led to the separation of England between the men of the King and those who wanted his head, and this separation is reflected in the separation of David and Jonathan that obviously will take separate side. That sunny day that saw David basking, will be one of the last of the novel, that soon will be plunged in darkness, blood and war, and to know if there will be another sunny day in the end, you have to read the book.
http://www.powells.com/biblio/61-9780762
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Transgr
http://www.amazon.com/Transgressions-M-R
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Cover Art by Larry Rostant
Jory is the youngest son of the king of a futuristic planet. Being the youngest and gay, he should be not an obstacle to his siblings' ambitions to the throne, but Jory is well-liked by the people and by his father. And so the king decides to send his son in a "mate-searching" mission: he will travel from planet to planet till he will not find the right man for him, a man wealthy and power enough to protect Jory. Problem is that Jory is not exactly the man who likes to be dominated.Anyway he agrees to his father's plan since the first planet he will visit will be Dragait, the native earth of shape-shifter dragonman, men well known to be real Alpha males, and Jory likes that type of men. Being pretty and cute, as soon as he dismounts on the new planet, he meets Val, a wealthy duke, who is probably his mate. Val doesn't waste time to mate with Jory, but the mating rules expect that Jory has to mate with another dragonman, and the God of Mating will allow the tattoo of the real mate to appear on Jory's body. And so, even if with regret, Val allows Jory to go out and find another man.
The second time, Jory does even better and attracts no less than the king of the planet. Rai is even more possessive than Val, and has no doubt that it will be his mark to appear on Jory. Both Val than Rai are Alpha male, but Val is the silent type, and instead Rai is the growling version. While reading the book, I was really perplexed since I really wasn't able to choice between Rai and Val, both of them were appealing and I liked both of them. The problem was that, even if the men were both attracted by Jory, it seemed impossible to have a bond between them, and so a menages seemed not proposable. And so I liked even better the solution with which the author came out.
The story is not very long, a novella, and it has still some minot fault, probably due to the fact that the author is young, but still, I found that between this one and the other I read, Amber Kell is a nice new voice in the M/M romance overview. It's obvious that she is also a voracious reader of gay romance, since she respects all the main rules of a gay romance written by a woman for women, and her characters are cute or strong, or both. The Dragonmen series is a good mix of paranormal and futuristic (back to the future subgenre), that winks to similar books in the genre, first of all the Sci-Fic Regency series by J.L. Langley, and so if you liked that one, you could try this one.
http://www.literaryroad.com/product.php?I
Amazon Kindle: Dragonmen Book 1: Mate Hunt
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Poison is a very strange novel. I actually can't say if I fully understand it.In a fantasy regency world, Rimania, people are divided in Elite and Workers. They are a closed cast society and only Elite can do politics and have access to high class; they are so strict on their rules that a worker is not even allowed in presence of an Elite if not as personal servant.
Tobias is the nephew of the actual regent. His father attempted to his brother's life and was executed for this reason. Now Tobias prefer to have a secluded life in his manor with a matchmaking mother. He is not interested in politics, but when his uncle is murdered and some days after also his cousin, only another cousin remains between Tobias and the regency. And he is not very happy of that.
Meanwhile Geln, an outworld spy of the Alliance who wants to take over the power in Rimania, infiltrates in the Elite's society through Tobias' mother, posing as her lover. Geln is a spy and also a "whore": he uses sex to reach his purposes; after being the "prostitute" of a revolutionary worker, Arjes, now he is the paramour of Dressia, Tobias' mother. But when Tobias is poisoned, surprisingly Geln saves his life. Tobias is an innocent 23 years old man, who is not aware of all the politic troubles around him: he only realizes that people he loved were killed and he wants to know why. But when he meets Geln, he realizes also something else: he is attracted by a man, even if they said to him that, in this new Elite society, homosexuality is extinct.
Tobias and Geln embark in a strange relationship, where Tobias discovers his sexuality and Geln tries to teach him how beautiful can be sex with a man and meanwhile tries to go on with his plan without using innocent Tobias as a pawn. But Geln is not tough enough as he thinks, and past experiences make him a little skittish when he faces a true and sincere love.
Both Tobias than Geln are unwilling heroes, and truth be told, they don't have the physique du role to be a full figured hero. Tobias is not enough on an idealist, he is more a child who finds himself to play with an "adult" game, and he doesn't know the rule. He could use the help of someone more experienced, but Geln is not that man. Geln is, as Tobias, a man who is thrown in something bigger than him and not even having all the necessary information. But two halfs maybe make an entire, and Tobias and Geln together manage to play in this game. Among betrayals and perils, the reader starts to understand to not trust no one and maybe the less human of all will be the more trustworthy of all.
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/poi
Amazon Kindle: Poison
Amazon: Poison
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Ava March is a new author for me, but I heard about her work in the past; she is an historical romance writer with the bonus that she writes man on man relationship, so she brings together two things I love so much. So when I saw that there was a new historical novella by her, of course I launched myself on it. And I'm not disappointed! I usually tag as "breeches rippers" all those stories where men dressed in thos frilly but so beautiful garments, and if one of the men proceeds to "rip" them off from the other man, even better. Not always this happens, but when an author manages to write a breeches rippers, with the rip part, without having the men loose their masculinity this is definitely a plus.Henry Shaw is a country man; third son of an above the average but not wealthy family, he sought his own fortune in London. And then London was also the place where he can satisfy his secret "dark" desire easier than at home. Henry prefers the company of men, and he met a man, Markus, who not only was willing to teach him a thing or two about loving a man, but also introduced Henry to the most exclusive inner circle of London's best society. The relationship with Markus was doomed, but not since it was a man on man relationship, but since Markus was not an honorable man, and Henry puts honor among everything else. And this is the reason why Henry took notice of Arsen Grey, Marquis of Somerville. All right, Arsen was also an handsome man, but above all Henry was drawn by his behavior. Pity that Arsen was without doubt out of his league and also straight. So it was quite a surprise when Henry receives the invite to the one week country party holds by Arsen in his estate; oh, Henry knows that this one is not the classical meeting, but more a way for Arsen to choose his new mistress among all the ladies, of easy virtue, that will attend. And the other men will have the chance to amuse themself with whom will be not chosen by Arsen. But Henry is not interested in women, he has an unrequited love only for Arsen.
By the classical standard, Object of His Desire is a pure savage romance: the dashing lord, wealthy and handsome, a notorious rake but also a man of honor; the blushing country "virgin" (well, not exactly virgin in this case...) who has nothing if not his good look and his virtue; the unspeakable offer to be the kept mistress that obviously the virtuous country mouse will honorable reject... or not? well is this or not a savage romance? and our two hero are they or not both willing men? Once the boundaries of society are overcome by the convenient set of an orgy in a country house, and also by the wealth of the lord, what prevents them to enjoy the carnal pleasure? And so free rein to an erotic night that rivals with the best historical erotic scene I read (gay and not).
I like as the author manage to blend the rules for historical romance with the erotic elements, all mixed up with the gay romance. I like as all seems realistic, and how both men don't loose their role of men: true, they are in love, or lust, with another man, but neither of them is the "female". Arsen maybe is a bit more selfish, Henry maybe is a bit more respectful, aware of the difference in class between Arsen and him, but both of them are aware of their valor, and of what they can bring to their relationship. Pity that this is only a novella, since I wouldn't mind to read something more than one night in their life.
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/obj
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In the beginning of the nineteenth century, Micah ia a young letter student from Harvard. He is almost near to graduate and his professors want for him to be published as a poet. But Micah is from a middle class wealthy family that doesn't see a scholar career like something worthy or important for one of their sons. Luckily for Micah he is only the fourth son, and so he manages till now to escape the pression from his family and pursues his love for poetry. A love that lures him to Wroxham, a little village hours far from Boston, where he hopes to meet Jefferson Dering, a poet he listened to a lecture at Harvard, and that he hopes could give him some good advice for his writing.When he meets Jefferson, he finds a man who lives like an hermit in a little village where no one seems to be aware of the great poet they have among them. Jefferson seems to be eager to have a kindred spirit to talk, but soon both Jefferson, with awareness, and Micah, without awareness, realize that there is a lot more than only love for poetry between them. It's also a physical love. But Micah is a very innocent and naivee boy, he has never had sexual experience before, nor with women or men, and the first reaction is to run away for this too much strong feelings.
Then they start a mail correspondence, first like two friends that talk about a common interest and little by little turning in a love correspondence. But Micah has to take some decision and there is also something of not human that binds Jefferson to Wroxham, something that has his rutes in Jefferson's family.
The story is very long and it's peaceful and quiet, it flows like a placid river. It starts slow and continues with a almost straight course. But it's very beautiful and romantic. The paranormal event is only a second line aspect, and this is for sure an historical romance. Reading it I remember some biography I have read of poets who chose to live alone far from the so-said civil society, to enjoy the nature and the simple life of the country. In this case there is also the matter of homosexuality, and Jefferson chooses a self-imposed exile to avoid the consequences of a sexual scandal in the scholar Harvard community.
Almost all the story is setting in Jefferson's cottage, and in a very small village, and both Micah than Jefferson come from wealthy family who provide for them, and so they live in comfort. But more than the historical accuracy of the setting, it's the sensuality between the two men that draws me, the poetry that becomes love stimulation, the words that become sex toys...
Beautiful cover that enlights you in one of the sexual game they play... you should read it!
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/a-h
Amazon Kindle: A Hidden Beauty
Amazon: A Hidden Beauty
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Cover Art by Anne Cain
Bend in the Road is a two stories anthology, but it's really only a book since the two stories are strictly connected. In the Lion's Den Aryeh Nachman is the bastard son of a wealthy man who provided for him till his twenty-one year and then left him alone in the world. Truth be told, Aryeh was just alone in the world, having left his home in England at eighteen years old when his unrequited but returned love for his tutor gave him no chance: his tutor was from Poland, and after spending five years with Aryeh and realized that he loved the man, he decided to return back home and married. Since to Aryeh was never denied anything, this refusal didn't set well with the young man, and he spent the following years searching for the love he was denied; from careless rake with his father's money to kept man for wealthy and older women, Aryeh is now without money and a roof and he accepts the offer of a traveling Yiddish theater troupe. Here he meets Danaleh, a very young and very innocent man, but even if innocent, and very much virgin, Danaleh knows that he is not interested in woman, on the contrary he is very much drawn to the handsome Aryeh. Even if Aryeh is not much older than Danaleh, he is very much more experienced and he doesn't want to taint Danaleh with his "filthy" desires. But if he only knew that Danaleh, with his naivete and innocence, is more than eager to be the heroine in Aryeh's dreams, in fact Danaleh has a penchant to dress as a woman, a thing he can only realize when he is on stage, but that he would so like to do also in private, with Aryeh.
In From Stage to Stage is the story of talented musician Yuval Smolenski, the other member of the troupe who has more interest in men than women, but as for Aryeh and Danaleh, it's not simple for him to find a soul mate. He travels with his sister, a grown woman with mental problem who behaves like a child, and Yuval, even if interested, would never marry and leave her alone. And so he is content with the few hush encounters he can snatch in anonymous cities. But being Jewish and gay is becoming more and more dangerous, for a reason or another. Then, while rehearsing for a big marriage during which they will perform, he meets Tsvi, a big man with the face of a monster and the voice of an angel. Also Tsvi is hiding, but more his preferences for men, he is hiding his religious origins: he is a member of the Chassidim, an ultra religious sect of Judaism, and he has some reason why he doesn't want for it to be known. But when he sings, his origins are very much clear, since he sings like he is making love with God, and Yuval can't help to love him as well, despite his external looks.
For complete different reason, both couples don't consider themself worthy of love: Aryeh probably believes to be tainted, Danaleh to be too simple, Yuval consider a problem his religion and Tsvi is running away from his sense of guilty. All of them will find shelter and a new family in the traveling theatre troupe, and around them history will have its course, making the novel quite fascinating and really interesting for the history lovers. Part of this fascination is also due to the very detailed and researched work that the author obviously made: the Jewish culture and way of life of the end of the nineteen century is described in such details that even if you are not familiar with the words and the customs, you will find yourself immersed in them... and if you have some problems, well there is a very helpful glossary at the end of the book!
http://www.mlrpress.com/ShowBook.php?boo
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Amazon: Bend in the Road
Amazon Kindle: Bend in the Road
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The Officer and the Gentleman is a novella which starts in a good way and ends in a wonderful one. Robert is a wealthy scotsman: he inherited from his grandfather a good amount of money and this allows him to live as he likes without have to worry of what people think of him. But he is not a careless man, he was not brought up in a supportive and happy family, his late grandfather was not a caring man, and probably Robert lacks the warm of a family. Plus Robert is gay and his only lover left him for the New World: it's not clear if it was real love or simply a friend with benefits relationship, it seems to me that Robert misses more the friend than the lover.Robert is in London to visit and he befriends a young girl without dowry he finds interesting but not in a sexual way; he is a lot more interested in that way in her brother Charles, a cavalry officer. The time is the 1854 and Charles is enlisted in the Eleventh Hussars of Lord Cardigan, The Light Brigade, but before the history takes its toll, Charles and Robert share two weeks of passion; it's love at first sight, and for them everything seems possible. Actually everything is possible since Robert has enough money to not worry about society, they can live apart from the ton in total happiness. But Charles has to return to his military duty and after some weeks it arrives the sad news that almost all the Light Brigade was killed in a battlefield with the Russian Army.
To Robert is enough a feeble hope when he discovers that some soldiers are confined in a battlefield hospital in Scutari, to face the travel and rescue Charles to certain death. But the man he finds his no more the man he remembers: Charles has been catatonic for weeks and so remains even after Robert takes him back to England. This is probably to part of the book I liked best, how Robert takes care of Charles with so much love, even if actually he knew the man only for two weeks before he left. The trial they face is hard and deeply moving, and I really was wondering if there was an happy ending at the end; at some point I even thought that, in some way, even if Charles never fully recovers, for me it was still a story with an happily ever after, since they were together and Robert was happy to have Charles with him in every way he could: never once Robert regrets to have to take care of Charles.
There is also a lot of sex, more before Charles' illness, but also after: obviously it was a different way to approach sex, at first they are passionate and free, also a bit careless, and then it's a more sad and longing way, but nevertheless romantic, maybe even more than before.
When I first approached this story I was perplexed: how it was possible for the author to concentrate all that events in a novella of only 74 pages? But it's possible, and at the end of the book, I didn't feel like something was missing: I had enough time to care for the characters and enough historical details to like the setting.
http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?s
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Two of the dearest heroes of the historical gay romance fiction have in this novel their third adventure. From the discovery of their love under dangerous situation in the first book, passing through the climax of an almost separation in the second, the third book is almost an aftermath. Nor William or David never doubted their love, but the fear is always there and they need to find a way to stay together.William thought to be able to leave David to a normal life, a wife and possible a son, but David was not of the same idea. And despite the fact that David could seem the weaker of the two, it's upon him to find a way to change William's mind. The bait is a secret mission to rescue a frenchman in French territory; the tool a wonderful and fast little yacht which William has to command with a small crew and with David in the fake role of a canadian trader and yacht's owner.
The book starts in a very nice way, with a much waited reunion between William and David, who finally share a bed in a country inn. But the day after they are separated, even if not physically, since in the narrow space of the yacht, without possible intimacy, they have to restrain themself. And then David, who never doubted William's love, found out soon before their leave, that William was set out to really severe any communication with David; David still doesn't put in question their love, but maybe the wish of Will to commit himself to find a way to work through the odds to stay together. On the other hand, Will can't see a way for them to be together, even if David suggests a marriage of convenience for Will (don't worry, it's only a suggestion, and there is not even a woman around to accomplish it...).
And then Will has the chance to meet "another" man: again don't worry, there is not a betrayal behind the corner, but still, Will has the chance to understand that what he feels for David is not so strange or forbidden, it's something that he could well have felt for someone else if David was not around. It's not that David turned William, it's Willam's nature. I don't know, but in a way, William's mind finds absolution. In all the books I read on this series, I always found that David was the one who was willing to take more risks for their relationship; it's not that Will is a coward, but sometime he is too cautious.
With this book Lee Rowan introduces us to Etienne, a character that I'd like to see in the future, maybe with his own story.
http://www.cheyennepublishing.com/books/e
Amazon: Eye of the Storm (Royal Navy, Book 3)
Series:
1) Ransom
2) Winds of Change
3) Eye of the Storm
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I have to confess that I have never seen Titanic before. Why should I witness to a story that is domed since the beginning? And then, truth be told, I cordially hate both Leonard Di Caprio than Kate Winslet. And so when I realized that this book, Ship of Dreams, was about a story on the infamous Titanic, and that the two main characters resemble so much the characters of Di Caprio and Winslet (even if Winslet in this case wears trousers...), I hesitated. But I'm glad that my hesitation lasted only a moment, since the book is very easy to read, and flows smooth, without any "iceberg" on the way, if not the famous one.James is a young man who tries to gain his day one per one. He is a gambler, a liar, probably also a thief. But he is not a real evil character, he is more like so many men of that period, that if lucky managed to build a good life for themself, and if not, well, they didn't remain in the history books. James is not a real criminal, he hasn't real malice inside.
Will is the only son of a widow who has only him to whom lean on. Probably Will knows who he really is, who he really likes, but it's not an option for him: he needs to marry a good woman, someone that can help him to take care of his mother, someone with whom he can walk among the good society. His late father and now his mother have great expectations for him, and he needs to be up to them. But when he meets James, he is even more sure that he is living a lie.
Will and James's relationship is easy and simple from the start. They recognize each other as twin souls, even if from the opposite side of society, they are similar; there is no need of words, they are like two magnets. But strange is, there are no words at all between them: they don't talk of the future, they don't analyze the consequences of their acts, they don't think of possible ways to be together... it's almost like they know that there will be no future for them, that their story is domed, and not only for the obvious reason. The ship is like a small world outside the time, and the people in it behave as if their life is only the one they are living on that ship. I have this feeling not only for the two main characters, but also for the other supporting characters in the story, in more chances than one, there is someone who is asked about the future, and he/she didn't answer in a right and clear way, but remains vague.
There is a suffused sadness during all the story, but in spite of this, the book is not tragic; even when they reach the climax, the moment when they are forced to take a life change (or ending) decision, the characters, and the story with them, continue to have this quite and sad behavior. Yes, all in all, this is not at all an happy story, but I like the feeling, it gives peace and hope at the same time.
Side note for who likes the historical accuracy: of 329 First Class passengers, 199 survived, 60% of them (all the story is setted in First Class, no hint to Second or Third class whatsoever).
http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/shi
Amazon Kindle: Ship of Dreams
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