The Timeless Dreams series by Dremspinner Press has all the good basis to be one of my favorite series. I often say that the Sheikh is one of my secret dream hero, and so I was pretty curious to read this story by Sonja Spencer about the love between a daring sheikh and the pleasure slave he bought. There were all the preambles for it to be naughty and sexy, but I forgot one important detail: the author. For what I read by Sonja Spencer she is not the usual erotic romance writer, she is more "dreamy", with a strong propension to be emotional rather than sexy. And so also her story is like that, the love between Shahin and his servant Noori, is sweet and tender, but not at all sexy; there is almost no sex, but there is a lot of intimacy. And there is the rebirthing of a man who was used and misused and that has to learn to trust again, but he is lucky enough to meet a gentle and caring man.

There are some details that almost made me think that this was more a fantasy tale rather than an historical. The setting is obviously historical, but not so far in time to be medieval: Shahin wears glasses and they use ink and paper, and I don't know, the relationships between Shahin and his men and people is more "modern" than a medieval kingdom. But still Noori was sold as a slave to pay his father's debt, and he was from a "northern region", he has blonde hair, blue eyes and very pale skin... some of the old Scandinavian kingdom? A place where there was still a some sort of feudalism that allows people to be sold in slavery? I think that the author purposedly chose to not be too detailed, to let the story have this "out of time" feeling. And then it's exactly the way why the Sheikh romance is so popular, the sheikhs and their way of live, out of time even when they are in the XX century, make a story fascinating and with an aurea of mystery mixed to danger. The Sheikh, in the little world that is their household, a few tends scattered around, is the one and only Master, he is both power and law, he is the only steady point for a lot of people as well for his lover, being this lover willing or not.

But Noori is more than willing. Noori is a particularly clever and cultured slave, he was not raised to be a slave and he was sold when he was old enough to have memories of his previous life. Nevertheless Noori is also a very sweet and gentle man, he is not a domineering character, he is witty and spirited, but he has not an independent streak. He doesn't like his life before Shahin, but he was accustomed to it; he dreams for a man who will save him from his sad fate, and he is willing to urge that man toward the right decision, but it's not freedom he is searching, it's a good natured man who will treat him good. Noori is used to be a slave, and also a pleasure slave, he would only like to be so for a man he likes as well.

On the other hand, Shahin is gentle and caring but he is not used to have a slave. He buys Noori since he dislikes to see a clever man like him being treated no more better than an object, but Shahin is too closed inside his protective shields to allow someone else in. And even if he was married twice, I believe that he has always had trouble to express his feelings. For sure his second marriage was an arranged one, and Shahin had not to court and woo the bride. So from a side there is Noori, who is willing to share Shahin's bed if only asked, but who was taught not to overimpose himself if not wished; from the other side there is Shahin, that has never learned how to court a lover and that is too considerate to impose himself to someone who do not make clear his wishes... not the best of situation and this is the reason why, even if they are very intimate, and shared the close proximity of a tent, Shahin and Noori behave more like two child who don't know sex, rather than a twice widower and a former sex slave.

The only thing that let me perplexed it's the change in pace toward the end. All the story has a slow pace, very coherent with the way of life of the desert people and their philosophy, there is no need to rush thing, all the world has a natural pace and you have to follow it. But at some point danger breaks the peaceful flow and from that moment on, the book takes a full swing, not all the details are full explained (see for example to man who brought the danger inside Shahin's household, what happened to him?), and almost as suddenly as it happened, all is resolved and the book ends... But maybe the author needed something to shake both men from the empasse they were stalled in.

Despite the lack of sex, I like very much this book, it was sweet and tender to see how Noori opens little by little to Shahin and his people, how he first learns how to smile again, and then how to be impulsive and happy; even if at first Noori didn't understand it, and took Shahin's refusal to bed him as consequences of something he did wrong, it comes out exactly how Shahin wished, Noori was able to be again a free man, and when it is time to share Shahin's bed, the sheikh is sure that Noori is doing in completely willingness, and not as a duty or as a way to express his gratitude.

Anyway, The Sheikh and the Servant is not maybe the naughty tale I was expecting, but it's probably even better.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/

Amazon Kindle: The Sheikh and the Servant

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

I remember with pleasure Aneshu, the first book in the adventures of Aneshu, a former sex slave now actor, but always a slave. Aneshu always draws the attention of high class men, but he is more than aware of his status. He is a good actor, but a simple man with simple desires; he has no dreams to better his status and at the end of the first book he was content with his lover Elami, another former sex slaves turned actor. On the contrary of Aneshu, Elami is a witty and sparkling man, always searching to be at the center of attention; but despite is coquettish behavior, Elami really loves Aneshu.

And so it's with regret that Aneshu accepts to be sent in a far kingdom, to spy on the guardian of the future bride of his king. He is said to be a spy, but he is not prepared to the man he has to spy. Handsome and young, Amiru both temps and repels Aneshu. It's not even a question of being faithful to Elami, I think Aneshu is well aware that is lover probably is not a man to be faithful himself, it's more a question to fear the unknown. Even if a former sex slave, Aneshu is quite "ordinary" in his desires, and he doesn't wish to change it.

The setting is again a fantasy kingdom with an arabian feeling. Aneshu and Elami's love story opens and closes the novella, and in the end, the author makes a detour on her usual way to write sex, sensual but not explicit, to add a bit of spiciness and naughtiness, but even then, she always remains classy.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Aneshu%27s+Folly/exact_match=exact

Amazon Kindle: Aneshu's Folly

Series:
1) Aneshu: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/327030.html
2) Aneshu's Folly

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

This is a short story but it is very well built and plotted, so much that it gives you the idea to be longer. At the beginning of the book a wealthy man, Tamasin, presents himself and his bed slaves to the readers. Tamasin is a merchant of some sort, probably no more in the primis of his adult age, he has a wife and three sons, so he has fulfilled his "social" duties and now he can enjoy some privileges of his own; every years he spent the hot months in his villa with some servants and above all with his three bed slaves, Urrit, Elagan and Semoy. The three men, young and handsome, are different in looks, behavior and also origins.

Elagan was the oldest of the three and he was still there when Tamasin bought the house; he is a strong man, with a strong will, but he is "used" to be a slave; he questions his master, but more as a play than a real need to contrast him. Urrit was raised in his homeland to be a sex slaves, and always for him is centered around his "skills"; he has never considered any other life for him and so he is almost detached about it, freedom is not something he missed since he has never had it. And then Semoy; Semoy was not taught in the art to be a sex slaves, and he had very bad experience with men in the past; he arrived in Tamasin's possession not to be a bed slave, but Tamasin was fascinated by this young and shy man; probably he didn't do him a favor to choose him for that role, probably Semoy would have preferred to work with his hands doing an hard work, rather than being pampered and waiting for the nights when the Master chooses to make him wear the Red Sash, the sign that he is the chosen for the day. Of the three Semoy is the one that probably, even if unwilling, gives to Tamasin the most sincere response during their encounters, and it's clear that Tamasin favors him among the other. But Tamasin has duties, his family and his business, he can't neglect and at the end of the summer he has to come back to them.

I like as the author describes Tamasin, he comes out like almost a pater familias, a man who cares for his bed slaves like a man would care for a most cherished property, but he is not selfish or indifferent; it was not an easy task, since Tamasin's character was not an easy one. Tamasin has not regrets for what he is doing, there is not concept of sin or unright behavior; having homosexual relationship or possessing slaves is an ordinary thing, and so Tamasin doesn't question it in his mind; but Tamasin wonders if his slaves are happy, if he is not imposing them something they don't like: this is the good side of Tamasin, since, as before, it's not his due to wonder it, a slave is a property and as a property someone could believe he has not feeling. Urrit, for example, is a bit like that, he was stripped of his personal conception of pleasure, sex is not more something that has to bring pleasure to him, but only to his Master; probably now Urrit finds "his" pleasure in something else, but no more in sex.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=The+Red+Sash/exact_match=exact

Amazon Kindle: The Red Sash

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Not that I read many, but usually the yaoi novel are all quite... hard-core. I often think to them like little porn; maybe for the format, the print book is so small, rather cure, but inside they are scorching. Not Eternal Love: this romance is almost innocent, the only sex scenes are old style the type in which all happens behind closed doors.

Tomoyuki is a young Japanese business man; while studying in England six years before he fell in love for a college mate, Aswil, an arabian guy with a mystery halo around him. Aswil had almost a royal behavior, so proud and aloof. After months of blissful love, Aswil was forced to return home, but he promised that he would return for Tomoyuki. Months after Tomoyuki found that Aswil was the king's son of a little Arabian country and that he needed to marry for political reason. Tomoyuki gave up to their love and returned to Japan.

Now six years later, Aswil lures Tomoyuki into a trap and drags him in his country. He holds Tomoyuki in captivity, even dresses him up as a woman in the women quarters of his palace. When Tomoyuki asks for his behavior, the only excuse of Aswil is that he makes all for love, that he wants to respect the promise he made to Tomoyuki. And Tomoyuki even if he is still in love with Aswil, can't accept to loose his freedom and to be treat like an object by Aswil.

As I said the story could be very more erotic than it is. It's not that Tomoyuki and Aswil didn't have sex, it's only that you don't read about it. Only the first time you have a bit of information on the almost non consensual sex Tomoyuki has to suffer, but then you only read about the regret of Tomoyuki, on how he feels guilty and how much he wants to run away from Aswil, but the reader can't quite understand it since he doesn't know what happens between them. This romance resembles a bit the "sheikhs" Harlequin, the sweet romances which take inspiration from the "historic" bodice rippers of E.M. Hull, The Sheikhs, and which inspired the famous movies with Rodolfo Valentino. In those romances, the sheikh is always a mourning man, who sweeps the heroine from her quiet life to drag her in the desert, better if on the back of an horses... you know that the sheikh, in the shadow of the tent, makes passionate love to the heroine, but you don't read it. Same here: you know that Aswil does something to Tomoyuki, but you haven't the privilege to be present... well I feel like the author robbed me of something!

On the other hand, this is maybe the first yaoi novel I read where there are also other characters other than the two heroes, and maybe it's since the two heroes need to do something else since they aren't always in the bedroom...

Amazon: Eternal Love (Yaoi Novel)

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Aneshu is an actor. In the fantasy world of Tajhaan, almost all actors are slaves, mostly former akesh, sex slaves. And so was Aneshu, sold by his family at six years old during a long famine, and raised to be a sex slave. But his last owner, was also an entrepreneur, and he saw in Aneshu the ability to be a good actor. Now Aneshu is the second lead actor in the troupe, and if he plays good on stage, he can have a pretty good life for a slave, and above all he is no more bound to sell his body for a master's profit.

So when his performance on stage of the god Ezru gains him the attention of a nobleman, Aneshu is not pleased. His social status doesn't allow him to refuse the advances of a so high level man, but Aneshu is not interested in all the jewels and gifts he can obtain lying with the man. Doesn't matter what all the other actors, and above all young Elami, think, Aneshu is not for selling.

But Ihmar, the nobleman, is not searching what Aneshu thought. Ihmar is noble in body and also mind, and he is only interested in the good performance Aneshu can do on stage. But before Aneshu can really know the man, a coup d'état confines Aneshu and his friends inside the city, and all around him seems to collapse. In this new situation, Aneshu sees with different eyes also Elami, a man he thought venial and silly.

As always L.E. Bryce is a master in creating a wonderful fantasy world and she is specially careful in crafting all the details. There are social status and rules, custom and cultures that mix and melt to create a perfect and entertaining mixture. Maybe love and romance are not the main engines of the story, and sex even less, but this doesn't mean that they are not present. Au contraire, sometime L.E. Bryce's books are very erotic, since sex becomes an art, done and played with expertize.

This tale has not a standard ending, but for me it's an happy ending: Aneshu learns about himself and his strenght, and also to look around, to not always think to his little world. And maybe he also learns to not always trust the first impression, and to search the different layers of people: people are not their status, and they can reserve you some surprise.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=Aneshu/exact_match=exact

Amazon Kindle: Aneshu

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

I think I have just said in the past that L.E. Bryce books reminds me of my childhood tales. There is a sense of fable in them that let you dreaming and pleased.

The Golden Lotus reminds me One Thousand and One Nights and also some movie setting in Persia. The author recreates a world which is a mix of medieval and arabic culture. I think that the kingdoms describes in the book are fictional (I have not a deep knowledge of the arabic culture, so sorry to the author if I'm wrong) but they are presented with a lot of details. The story is not very long, less than 70 pages, but it's complete in its scope.

Tamet is a pleasure slave. He has only know the hands of his first owner, a prince, and he seems happy for what he has. When his prince asks him to follow in battle, he dares not to refuse his master. And when his master is taken prisoner by the enemy, and the opposite High Prince asks an hostage to set him free, Tamet is the only to volunteer for the mission. He is sure that, if the death will not arrive for him, his prince will rescue him.

The very first night of his captiveness, Rahmad uses Tamet as a pleasure slave. He is not violent but a bit rough, and Tamet can see clearly the difference between the two men: Rahmad is a man, older and more experienced. But he is not an evil man, and treats Tamet with respect, admiring his loyalty and courage. He obviously doesn't accept to be denied, but on the other hand, to Tamet has not been taught to refuse.

And so Tamet, day after day sees his hopes to be rescued fade away and begins to know better his new Master. I like that the author has not pushed on the romance aspect, not making Rahmad fool for love: he is an High Prince, he has three wife, another three pleasure slave and, even if he likes Tamet, Tamet can be a favourite among the others, but still he remains one of the others. He will be cherished and honored and in the end he will have a wealthy old age.

So The Golden Lotus is a mix of fable and reality, a flash in the life of an harem of the past.

http://www.king-cart.com/Phaze/product=The+Golden+Lotus+by+L.+E.+Bryce

Amazon Kindle: The Golden Lotus

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle

Feyer is born and raised as boy slave. His first Raya is old and gentle, he treats him more like a jewel than a slave, and Feyer loves him like a father, he doesn't crave his touch. He willingly gives pleasure to his master, like another man could sing or play music for him.

But then his old Raya dies and Feyer is sold to a new Raya, Amut. Amut is big and young and vigorous and doesn't want only another jewel for his tent. He wants obiedience and respect and wants all Feyer could give: body, heart and soul.

We see the growth of Feyer from spoilt boy to full man and with his growth also grows Amut's fondness. In the end Feyer will be honor with Amut's love. Here the game between master and slave is not a game, is life. Here there aren't safe words or fake chains.

A very arousing and brief tale, leisurely setting in the hot desert in an undefined period: could be one hundred years ago like yesterday... in the desert the time doesn't matter.

http://www.torquerepress.com/

I found it. It's months that I want to read about a sheikh who stole the body and the heart of a young man and today I found my story in The Stallion and the Rabbit by Mike Shade.

Alfahl is a sheikh of the modern days who lives like in the past. He has a moving tribe and sets their tents on the oasis, every three months a different oasis. His name means The Stallion and he is like a stallion, tall, dark and powerful.

Alex is a journalist who wants to write about a car race in the desert, but even before the race begins, is car broke in the desert and he is rescued by Alfahl's men. Really he is kidnapped by Alfahl's men who brings him to their leader. Alex is pale, slim and short, with blond hair and blue eyes: Alfahl decides to take him like English's teacher and like midnight storyteller. And because he is so cute, he names him Arneb, The Rabbit.

Nights after nights Alex tells his stories to Alfahl and the tales magic chained both of them: Alfahl, The Stallion, will succeed to keep Arneb, The Rabbit, with him forever?

A sweet tale who reminds me about Sherazahde and her stories: I would like to read more about those two.

http://www.torquerepress.com/