historical romance

Learning How TO LOVE A TRAITOR–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a new historical M/M Romance from JL Merrow. TO LOVE A TRAITOR is a quiet intrigue set in the immediate aftermath of what was once called “The Great War,” but we now call WWI. I really enjoyed this slow burn, between a man who mourns his brother, and the person who may have been responsible for his brother’s death. I read PLAYED! by this author, and enjoyed her work enough to seek out another book.

To Love a TraitorAbout the book:
Wounds of the heart take the longest to heal.

When solicitor’s clerk George Johnson moves into a rented London room in the winter of 1920, it’s with a secret goal: to find out if his fellow lodger, Matthew Connaught, is the wartime traitor who cost George’s adored older brother his life.

Yet as he gets to know Matthew—an irrepressibly cheerful ad man whose missing arm hasn’t dimmed his smile—George begins to lose sight of his mission.

As Matthew’s advances become ever harder to resist, George tries to convince himself his brother’s death was just the luck of the draw, and to forget he’s hiding a secret of his own. His true identity—and an act of conscience that shamed his family.

But as their mutual attraction grows, so does George’s desperation to know the truth about what happened that day in Ypres. If only to prove Matthew innocent—even if it means losing the man he’s come to love.

Warning: Contains larks in the snow, stiff upper lips, shadows of the Great War, and one man working undercover while another tries to lure him under the covers.

My Review:
Roger George Cottingham is a scourge to his noble family. The younger son, a bookish sort, continually passed over for affection by his parents in favor of his gregarious elder brother, Hugh, Roger knows he’s second best. When it was time to enlist in the war against the Hessians, he balked. No, he didn’t just balk, this Cambridge-educated man who speaks several languages refused to join up–knowing he was unable to kill a man. He was jailed for a miserable year as a Conscientious Objector before he was sprung and worked as a cryptographer for the Navy.

Hugh was killed in a mission that seems quite dodgy on its surface. Roger’s been tasked by Hugh’s bereaved fiance (and Roger’s close childhood friend) to find out if there’s truth to the rumor that Hugh’s espionage mission was leaked to the enemy beforehand. Inquiries have led Roger to a boardinghouse, home to Matthew Connaught, an amputee veteran of the war–and the man who Hugh replaced in the covert mission. Roger takes a room at the house under the pseudonym, George Johnson, in order to befriend Matthew, and glean information regarding Hugh’s death–information which might implicate Matthew as a spy.

Trouble is, Matthew is a fantastic man. He’s upbeat, and lovely, and he and George immediately hit it off. Not only that, George is attracted to Matthew–and it seems that Matthew may return his interest. For George this is a revelation that is fraught with pain. Could he possibly be falling for the man who had a part in Hugh’s death?

All of his instincts say no, that Matthew is too kind and honest a man to have been a spy, but the deeper he gets involved, the more he recognizes that Matthew has some deep secrets–and he knows more about Hugh’s death than George could have predicted.

I absolutely enjoyed this book. Do not expect a lot of steam–though there is some, for sure. George has a day of reckoning in his future, and his inquiries result in peace for more than one family–though it causes a significant amount of distress for Matthew, and himself. For his part, Matthew finds himself in more than one uncomfortable position, and his confessions are a balm to George, as well as Hugh’s fiance. I ached for George throughout. He’s been abandoned and cast off his whole life, and Matthew provides the compassionate friend and partner that George has been too afraid to admit needing. This is a true hurt/comfort story, with an HEA for men who’ve suffered much, and carry on in the face of grief and loss. Plus, the historical details were a delight. I truly felt as if transported to that era, and was glad for it.

Interested? You can find TO LOVE A TRAITOR on Goodreads, Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again. Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne.

She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novella Muscling Through was a 2013 EPIC Award finalist, and her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy. Her novel Relief Valve is a finalist in the 2015 EPIC Awards.

Find JL Merrow online on her website, Twitter,  and on Facebook.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Living Past Grief in A TIME FOR EVERYTHING–Review and Giveaway



Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for Mysti Parker’s historical romance A TIME FOR EVERYTHING. I must say, I’ve read a lot of historical romance, but nothing from the Restoration Period–that rebuilding time following the Civil War here in the US. I was truly enchanted by this gentle romance.

About the book:
After losing her husband and only child to the ravages of the Civil War, twenty-five-year-old Portia McAllister is drowning in grief. When she sees an ad for a live-in tutor in another town, she leaves everything behind in hopes of making a fresh start. But as a Confederate widow in a Union household, she is met with resentment from her new charge and her employer, war veteran Beau Stanford.

Despite their differences, she and Beau find common ground and the stirrings of a second chance at love—until his late wife’s cousin, Lydia, arrives with her sights set on him. Burdened with a farm on the brink of bankruptcy, Beau is tempted by Lydia’s hefty dowry, though Portia has captured his heart.

In another time and another place, his choice would be easy. But love seems impossible amid the simmering chaos of Reconstruction that could boil over at any moment into an all-out battle for survival. Will Beau and Portia find their way into each other’s arms, or will they be swept away by raging forces beyond their control?

How about a little taste?

Ezra opened another envelope. “It’s a letter from Claire’s uncle.”

“Oliver?”

The old man took his glasses from his shirt pocket, put them on his nose, and held the letter at arm’s length. “Looks like he’s heading back from Philadelphia in a couple of weeks. He’s bringing Lydia.”

“She was always a sweet little girl.” Beau recalled some of the letters he’d received from her since Claire’s death. My dearest Beau… not a day passes that does not carry with it the memories I have of you…

“She ain’t so little no more,” he said with a smile. “She’s a young woman now. And you ain’t so old yourself.”

“Not that again.” With his thumb, Beau instinctively touched the golden band on his left ring finger.

“They’ve got money and lots of it.”

Here we go. Gold sparkled in Ezra’s eyes, or was that the thrill of matchmaking? Either way, Beau didn’t like it. He frowned and plopped his hat back on his head.

“Now don’t give me that look, son. It’s been two years. You need to find somebody. Give Jonathan a mama.”

“He had a mama. And we’re fine.” He hated the way his voice broke every time someone forced him to talk about Claire, so he made his retreat into Scout’s stall. The sixteen-year-old stallion was the most level-headed Morgan he’d ever owned. He nuzzled his master as soon as he saw the brush in Beau’s hand.

Ezra followed, thumbs tucked behind his overall straps. “You’re not fine, Beauregard. You need a lady to run things around here. Harry and Isaac are back with the new teacher, right?”

“I reckon so.” He brushed Scout’s neck with soft, gentle strokes.

“Portia, wasn’t it? Portia McAllister?”

“You’d know better than me. I didn’t want to hire her in the first place. It’s bad enough she’s a Rebel’s widow, but Harry says she’s not what we expected. Is she blind or deaf or missing a leg or what?”

“Heck if I know, son. I ain’t met her yet, either. All I’ve seen is her letter.”

“And according to that letter, her husband worked as an overseer.”

“Part-time assistant to an overseer.”

“Same difference.”

“Don’t matter what he was. She’s a former schoolteacher. And you know Claire wanted this for Jonny until he’s old enough for the university. I ain’t gonna be responsible for her coming back to haunt us for not abiding by her wishes.”

“Yeah, well when Claire was here, we had the money for such things. Now, it’s all we can do to keep food on the table and the few farm hands we got. With the measly pensions me and Harry get, it’s a wonder we can even do that. And now some Rebel woman who may or may not have some sort of deformity will be teaching my son and running my house. What are we supposed to pay her with? Praise?”

“I can’t help it if she’s the only one who replied.”

Beau huffed as he picked prickly burrs from Scout’s mane. “Does she know Jonny’s mute?”

“He’s not mute. He’ll come around with the right encouragement.”

“Still doesn’t solve the problem of how we’re gonna pay her.”

“If she’s so desperate that she’s not got any kin or neighbors to stay with, she’ll probably be grateful for the room and board alone. Let’s give her a chance, at least. We’ve got room, and we’ll still be hospitable, no matter how bare our cupboards are.”

“I swear, if this is another one of your matchmaking schemes…”

“It’s not, so shut your trap.”

Beau heaved a long, tired sigh. “Guess I better head to the house and welcome the crippled up gal like a good host should.”

My Review:
I really loved this! The writing is spectacular, descriptive yet not heavy-handed, with just a touch of romance and conspiracy to liven up the plot.

Portia is alone, a war widow, having buried her husband and infant daughter within 8 months of each other. The war has ended and she is not content to sit in her brother-in-law’s home–crowding her dearest friends–and seeks employment as a governess at a horse farm two day’s ride away from her home in Tennessee. Her new home is quite a bit more spectacular than any place she’s ever lived, but Beau Stanford is no longer the wealthy man he once was. His father had set their slaves free decades before the War Between the States, and still only keep Black Freedmen on their farm. Beau came back wounded from a bullet to the shoulder and a widowed man, his beloved Claire dead. His grief was so great he lashed out at his young son, Jonny, scaring the boy mute.

Portia aims to help. She needs to feel useful, and hates that she’s considered with suspicion on account of her husband being a Confederate–Jake was a kind and gentle man who kept no slaves and only entered the war because he was pressed. Beau’s black servants are more like family than help, and Beau himself does the lions’ share of work on the farm. His long-time friend, Henry, has designs on courting Portia, but she wants no part of that. She is intrigued by Beau, whose grief is still as deep as her own.

Jonny’s capable of speech, though he hasn’t spoken aloud in almost two years, but Portia’s able to carefully pry away his sorrow and make a deep connection. Unfortunately, as soon as Portia is able to get a foothold in the Stanford household, the arrival of Lydia and her scheming father, Oliver, throws all her work into disarray. Lydia has long held designs on Beau, and–while Beau is at first intrigued by Lydia’s resemblance to his beloved Claire–it’s clear that Lydia will get exactly what she wants, regardless of who she hurts to get her way. And Oliver is truly despicable.

I relished the quick plot movements and careful detail placement. This book immersed me in the desolate Reconstruction Era, where rebuilding is the state of the world, and lawlessness reigns in the vacuum of so many young men lost to war. Beau is honorable, self-sacrificing and industrious. He knows he must marry Lydia, and not only for his own mercenary needs, but he can’t help falling for Portia. She’s a totally different woman to Lydia, or Claire even, and he knows this strong, self-sufficient, brave woman is one who can stand by his side in these lean times. Portia doesn’t want to love again. She and Jake were childhood sweethearts, and yet she’s moved by Beau’s kindness and also loses her heart to Jonny completely. There are some plot twists that I half-suspected, but was pleasantly surprised in the execution.

In truth, there were a couple times I thought we’d hit the HEA, only to get sucker-punched into a new twist. Portia is a plucky woman–which I adored. Her life has always been a struggle, but she bobs and weaves, finding the best path she can trod of the limited paths available. Really, a great read. Don’t expect any heat, but it’s chock full of heart.

Interested? You can find A TIME FOR EVERYTHING on Goodreads and Amazon.

****GIVEAWAY****

Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter for a chance to win an Amazon gift card.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck and keep reading my friends!

About the Author:
Mysti Parker is a wife, mom, author, and shameless chocoholic. She is the author of the Tallenmere standalone fantasy romance series and The Roche Hotel romantic comedy series. Her short writings have appeared in numerous anthologies and magazines. Her award-winning historical romance, A Time for Everything, will be published this summer by EsKape Press.

Other writing pursuits include serving as a class mentor in Writers Village University’s seven week online course, F2K. She has published two children’s books (Quentin’s Problem & Fuzzy Buzzy’s Treasure) as Misty Baker.

When she’s not writing fiction,Mysti reviews books for SQ Magazine, an online spec-fic publication. She resides in Buckner, KY with her husband and three children.

You can catch up with Mysti online on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Captivated by THE SECRET CASEBOOK OF SIMON FEXIMAL–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing another fantastic historical M/M romance from KJ Charles, this time with a heaping helping of the paranormal. THE SECRET CASEBOOK OF SIMON FEXIMAL is a gorgeously told Victorian story about Robert Caldwell, a journalist, who contracts occultist Simon Fleximal to rid his crumbling ancestral home of the ghost of one of his outre ancestors. It starts out fast and hard, and it ends so dang tender! I couldn’t quit reading it. I adore how KJ writes her stalwart British men. They are so strong and proper, yet so vulnerable.

The Secret Casebook of Simon FeximalAbout the book:
A story too secret, too terrifying—and too shockingly intimate—for Victorian eyes.

A note to the Editor
Dear Henry,
I have been Simon Feximal’s companion, assistant and chronicler for twenty years now, and during that time my Casebooks of Feximal the Ghost-Hunter have spread the reputation of this most accomplished of ghost-hunters far and wide.

You have asked me often for the tale of our first meeting, and how my association with Feximal came about. I have always declined, because it is a story too private to be truthfully recounted, and a memory too precious to be falsified. But none knows better than I that stories must be told.

So here is it, Henry, a full and accurate account of how I met Simon Feximal, which I shall leave with my solicitor to pass to you after my death.

I dare say it may not be quite what you expect.

Robert Caldwell
September 1914

My Review:
This book is written as a series of tell-all vignettes confessing the TRUE nature of the partnership between renown occultist Simon Feximal and his journalist-cum-paranormalist Robert Caldwell. The setting is 1890s London and men are not allowed, legally, to have sexual relations with each other. (But boy-howdy, do they!)

They meet because Robert has a ghost inhabiting his ancestral home. He calls out Simon, who has the ability to communicate with spirits, by means of writings that etch across his skin, when he is in the presence of a ghost. It is horrifying and fascinating to Robert, and the manner of expulsion of his ancestral ghost is sexy-sexy. This was actually so fascinating to read. It could have gone campy, but it never did.

Each chapter is a case; all of them have some heat between Simon and Robert, mostly as a way for Simon to disgorge the coldness that saps him while communing with spirits. I honestly could not get enough of this couple. There could have been a hundred chapters and I’d have continued turning the pages. There are little threads woven in the stories which connect one to the next, but each is unique and interesting while building on the developing love story between these two men.

I won’t say this is tender, because it isn’t. There is tenderness at times, but often it’s harsh and necessary couplings. The desperation they both experience, amid life-and-death encounters kept me captivated. There is incredible tenderness in their small gestures–the ones which need to be hidden to protect them both. Political machinations, revenge plots, destruction, self-sacrifice–it’s all in here. The journal-style of the writing allows an intimate look into Robert’s side of the story and he’s just a dream of an MC. He so adores Simon that it’s impossible not to love Simon through Robert’s POV.

I adored the historical setting, and the old-style British grammar and spellings. I felt like I was there, as gorgeously and clearly as the settings were described. Nothing like a good ghost story–and this book is chock full of good ones.

Interested? You can find THE SECRET CASEBOOK OF SIMON FEXIMAL on Goodreads, Samhain Publishing, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AllRomance. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:

KJ Charles is a writer and freelance editor. She lives in London with her husband, two kids, an out-of-control garden and an increasingly murderous cat.

KJ writes mostly romance, gay and straight, frequently historical, and usually with some fantasy or horror in there. She specialises in editing romance, especially historical and fantasy, and also edits children’s fiction.

Find her on Twitter @kj_charles or on Facebook, join her Facebook group, or contact her here. She is represented by Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency, and published by Samhain and Loveswept.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Happy Book Birthday to LESSONS FOR IDLE TONGUES–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for a book just out! Hot from the ebook press is LESSONS FOR IDLE TONGUES, Charlie Cochrane’s 11th book in the Cambridge Fellows Mysteries series. It is historical fiction set in 1910 England and features a pair of amateur sleuths Profs Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith. I read and enjoyed LESSONS FOR SUSPICIOUS MINDS and jumped at the chance to read the next installment.

Lessons for Idle Tongues (Cambridge Fellows, #11)About the book:
Cambridge, 1910

Amateur detectives Jonty Stewart and Orlando Coppersmith seem to have nothing more taxing on their plate than locating a missing wooden cat and solving the dilemma of seating thirteen for dinner. But one of the guests brings a conundrum: a young woman has been found dead, and her boyfriend is convinced she was murdered. The trouble is, nobody else agrees.

Investigation reveals that several young people in the local area have died in strange circumstances, and rumours abound of poisonings at the hands of Lord Toothill, a local mysterious recluse. Toothill’s angry, gun-toting gamekeeper isn’t doing anything to quell suspicions, either.

But even with a gun to his head, Jonty can tell there’s more going on in this surprisingly treacherous village than meets the eye. And even Orlando’s vaunted logic is stymied by the baffling inconsistencies they uncover. Together, the Cambridge Fellows must pick their way through gossip and misdirection to discover the truth.

My Review:
This book is the 11th in a series of historical mysteries solved by amateur sleuths, Dr. Jonty Stewart and Dr. Orlando Coppersmith. While they all have recurring characters, each can be read as a standalone.

Jonty and Orlando are lovers, on the down-low because there are no openly gay men in 1910 London. They are professors at Cambridge and have excellent relations with Jonty’s parents–who know and accept their relationship. Often Jonty’s parents get involved in the solving of the mysteries, either by societal connections or interviewing witnesses/suspects. They have a minimal,role in this book, which centers on the mysterious death of a young woman.

Jonty and Orlando are asked by an acquaintance to investigate his friend’s love’s suspicious death. Lucy was meant to meet Mr. Joyce, for a clandestine stroll, as her family did not accept him as a suitor, but instead, she was found dead of a presumed brain hemorrhage. And, Mr. Joyce was made unwelcome at her funeral. He has other secrets, however, which include the suspicious circumstances of Lucy’s brother’s death–who was Joyce’s close acquaintance in school.

The more that Jonty and Orlando scratch at this issue, the more connections seem to be drawn to other mysterious deaths in the locale, with serious gossip being bandied regarding Lucy’s neighbor, the reclusive Lord Toothill. The level of scurrilous gossip seems to stymie the investigation, until they begin to realize, it is the gossip which is the biggest part of the case. As with previous cases, the answer always lay close to home.

I do enjoy these cozy-type mysteries. They are always well-written and have interesting insight, plus I adore the realistic historical settings and details. I wish there was a bit more loving on the page, but I am satisfied that Jonty and Orlando are loving, supportive partners who do the best they can within their societal constraint.

Interested? You can find LESSONS FOR IDLE TONGUES on Goodreads, Amazon, Riptide Books, AllRomance and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
As Charlie Cochrane couldn’t be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice – like managing a rugby team – she writes. Her favourite genre is gay fiction, predominantly historical romances/mysteries, but she’s making an increasing number of forays into the modern day. She’s even been known to write about gay werewolves – albeit highly respectable ones.

Her Cambridge Fellows series of Edwardian romantic mysteries were instrumental in seeing her named Speak Its Name Author of the Year 2009. She’s a member of both the Romantic Novelists’ Association and International Thriller Writers Inc.

Happily married, with a house full of daughters, Charlie tries to juggle writing with the rest of a busy life. She loves reading, theatre, good food and watching sport. Her ideal day would be a morning walking along a beach, an afternoon spent watching rugby and a church service in the evening.

You can catch up with Charlie on her website, Goodreads and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Changed by a RITE OF SUMMER–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for Tess Bowery’s newly released M/M historical, RITE OF SUMMER. It’s actually an all-male menage, but that’s only part of the story. It’s set in England, in 1810, and brings in some really scary homophobic issues–as well as packing some incredibly tender and erotic moments. It was a great read.

Rite of Summer (Treading the Boards, #1)About the book:
There are terrors worse than stage fright. Like falling in love.

Violinist Stephen Ashbrook is passionate about three things—his music, the excitement of life in London, and his lover, Evander Cade. It’s too bad that Evander only loves himself. A house party at their patron’s beautiful country estate seems like a chance for Stephen to remember who he is, when he’s not trying to live up to someone else’s harsh expectations.

Joshua Beaufort, a painter whose works are very much in demand among the right sort of people, has no expectations about this party at all. Until, that is, he finds out who else is on the guest list. Joshua swore off love long ago, but has been infatuated with Stephen since seeing his brilliant performance at Vauxhall. Now he has the chance to meet the object of his lust face to face—and more.

But changing an open relationship to a triad is a lot more complicated than it seems, and while Evander’s trying to climb the social ladder, Stephen’s trying to climb Joshua. When the dust settles, only two will remain standing…when they’re not flat on their backs.

Warning: Contents under pressure. Contains three men, two beds, one erotic piercing, and the hottest six weeks of summer the nineteenth century has ever seen. (m/m/m – m/m).

My Review:
Evander and Stephen have been together for nearly a decade, living the gay life in London. Evander is a composer and Stephen a violinist. Evander has a patron, the Earl of Coventry who invites Evander and Stephen for a six week holiday at his country estate. Stephen doesn’t want to go, he hates being confined in places where he can’t be himself, and being openly gay is not possible on the earl’s estate. Plus, he has to suffer the constant company of ‘his betters’ which is aggravating. But, if Evander demands he go, Stephen goes. Plus, Stephen knows their livelihood is dependent on Coventry’s whim and funding so he goes… The only upside is beautiful Joshua, a talented painter who is the distant relation, and personal painter, of one of the noble guests.

Joshua has been without a lover since his beloved sailor sank with his ship two years before. He is terribly attracted to Stephen, and cannot understand why Stephen lets Evander lead him around so much. He is startled to observe Evander and Stephen en flagrante delicto in the dead of night, and is even more surprised when Evander invites him to share their bed. Once.

But once is not enough for Stephen who had secretly desired Joshua, or Joshua. They continue until the party is overtaken by news of catamite (homosexuals) arrests in London. Stephen and Evander are shattered–some of the men taken into custody and hung were friends and former bedmates. Joshua wants to comfort Stephen, but his ability to do so is hampered by the suspicions of their hosts and patrons.

The book is a careful study in the emotional lives of both Joshua and Stephen, who share the POV. Stephen is routinely belittled and abused by Evander, and he knows no other life. Joshua calls to Stephen, supports him in a way Evander never has (or hasn’t in years) and Stephen wants to be with Joshua, but cannot due to Evander’s control.

I was really glad to see the unraveling in this dysfunctional relationship. Stephen really grew in terms of his emotional well-being. Joshua, did not grow so much as curl inside himself. He has lost in love before, and is rather brutal with Stephen in order to prevent being hurt again. He wants Stephen terribly, but won’t accept him if Evander is a part of the deal–forcing Stephen to re-evaluate his relationship, and make choices that are healthy instead of comfortable.

The end was a little too drawn out for me. I liked the story, but wanted it to progress a little bit faster. The characters were all well-drawn and felt very realistic in their goals and behaviors. I really enjoyed the depictions of actual historical events–namely the famous London raids–and how it affected the characters. Expect an HEA and some super sexytimes involving both M/M and M/M/M.

Interested? You can find RITE OF SUMMER on Goodreads, Samhain Publishing, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. I received a review copy of this book via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Tess has been a fan of historical fiction since learning the Greek and Roman myths at her mother’s knee. Now let loose on a computer, she’s spinning her own tales of romance and passion in a slightly more modern setting. Tess lives on the east coast, with her partner of fifteen years and two cats who should have been named ‘Writer’s Block’ and ‘Get Off the Keyboard, Dammit.’

You can connect with Tess on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!

Presenting MOON RISE!

Moon Rise Release Day BannerHi there! Today I get to wish a very Happy Book Birthday to:

Moon Rise

MoonRise cover

About the book:
Just because the battle was won does not mean the war is over.

Aein, Lars, and Finn are sent back to the swamps to protect the one object which may save their pack. But in the recent turmoil, the border has been left unguarded and nightmarish creatures are slipping through. There is a reason why two people must always be there to hold the boundary, a lesson which Aein, Lars, and Finn are about to learn.

And then, without a word of warning, Finn bent down and pressed his lips against Aein’s, his stubble rough upon her mouth. His arms engulfed her, wrapping her so tight, she wasn’t sure where her body ended and his began. She felt herself melting, the heat chasing away all the horrors of the swamp. The kiss was desperate and urgent. It devoured her whole. It was as if he needed to fit a lifetime of regrets and passion into that one moment. It was as if he didn’t trust she would be there for him ever to touch again. When they parted, he rested this forehead against hers so he was still just a whisper away.

“Don’t you dare die on me. Don’t you dare be the one I find in a heap, slaughtered by some monster because I wasn’t fast enough getting back. Don’t you dare. Live.”

Interested? You can find MOON RISE on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iTunes.

kate danleyAbout the Author:
Kate Danley began her writing career as an indie author in 2010. Since then, she spent five weeks on the USA Today bestseller list, has been honored with various awards, including the Garcia Award for Best Fiction Book of the Year, and her Maggie MacKay series has been optioned for film and television development. Her plays have been produced in London, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, and Los Angeles. She has over 300+ film, television, and theatre credits to her name, and specializes in sketch, improv, and Shakespeare. She wrote sketch for a weekly show in Hollywood and has performed her original stand-up at various clubs in LA. She learned on-camera puppetry from Mr. Snuffleupagus and played the head of a 20-foot dinosaur on an NBC pilot. She lost on Hollywood Squares.

You can find Kate online on her website, Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, or sign up for her newsletter.

4861b-enchantress2bof2bbooks2bblog2btours

He Becomes A WILLFUL ROMANTIC–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing my review for the third book in the Ganymede Quartet from Darrah Glass. As you may remember from my reviews of A MOST PERSONAL PROPERTY and A PROPER LOVER the Ganymede world is an alternate history universe where slavery still exists and Companion slaves, like Martin, are bred to be sold to the wealthy. They are meant to be sexual outlets for wealthy unwed teens, and to later become personal advisers in business and household affairs. It is the year 1901 and Henry is the son of NYC’s most wealthy man. He’s also in love with his Companion, Martin. Henry has always known he was a “fairy” but with Martin he not only embraces his unnatural urges, he’s scheming to celebrate them…

This is an adult read with explicit gay sex between two teens.

A Willful Romantic (Ganymede Quartet #3)My review:
Disclaimer: I am a super fangirl of this alt historical M/M romance series and stalk the author, unashamedly, so I can get my next Henry and Martin fix.

This is the third novel in the Ganymede Quartet series. It is best to read them in order.

Okay. Where we start in this book is New Years’ Day with Henry bursting with love for Martin. He so desperately wants to share his joy–it is a wonder to him how intelligent, beautiful Martin can truly care for him–about having a companion who is so caring. It troubles Henry that Martin may only love him because it is his job, and often questions Martin about how he might feel if he were a freeman.

Martin thinks this is all nonsense. He isn’t free, and has no desire to be free. He feels exceptional gratitude to have a master who values him as a person, and shows genuine affection.

The two of them are absolutely besotted. Still, this is all behind closed doors. True gentlemen make make use of their slaves, but they are not to kiss them, or ensure their mutual pleasure, or –Heaven forfend–confess to loving them.

But Henry is a willful romantic, and a Valentine has been procured. He is still nervous about Martin’s close friendship with a fellow slave, Tom, and he desires to know more about Martin’s history of training at Ganymede, but the edge of jealousy is wearing off. (Yay!) I really enjoyed Henry’s attempts at closeness with Martin. He laments the difference in their station only because slaves are free to be gay, and free men can be (secretly) gay, but a master/slave gay relationship is doubly tricky. His attempts at public claiming/closeness grow ever more dangerous.

Both Henry and Martin get a bit more voyeuristic in this book, but Henry continues to claim Martin all for himself–never sharing him. There is talk and fantasies about including a third, but Henry’s possessive stance soon garners him a bit of recognition, in a good way for a change. Slave relations are definitely in the forefront of this book, and we end with the knowledge that these boys are in for big changes.

Cannot wait for the next book!

Interested? You can find A WILLFUL ROMANTIC on Goodreads, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

A Vital Chemistry (Ganymede Quartet #3.5)If you want to know more of Martin’s story, each Ganymede book comes with a “companion” novella. A VITAL CHEMISTRY is told in Martin’s POV and recounts not just his current situation with Henry, but also a bit about Martin’s first, love, Richard–a fellow companion-n-training who dies during his 15th year at Ganymede. This is such a lovely book, very sweet, with a 14 y/o, tentative Martin having his first crush!

There is a lot of tenderness in the flashback sections, illustrating how all these boys came to depend upon each other emotionally, as well as physically. I really enjoyed getting more of Martin’s history.

I also really enjoyed Martin’s perspective on his current relationship with Henry. He is very pragmatic, and understands the social risks of Henry’s ardor. He must keep Henry in check–for Henry’s own good–even if it means denying his own desires. Still, he very much loves Henry and I so swoon for books with swoony love stories.

I’m not sure who adores Martin more:  Henry? Or me?

Interested? You can find A VITAL CHEMISTRY on Goodreads, Amazon and CURRENTLY FREE on Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:
Darrah Glass is a writer and generally inquisitive person who likes her fantasies to be as historically accurate as possible. She loves research, sex scenes, and researching sex scenes. She’s married and happily childless, does yoga, never cleans her house, likes shoes and toenail polish, and is vain about her hair. As far as her priorities are concerned, she’d rather write than do just about anything else, and she drives a 15-year-old car but carries really nice purses.

You can catch up with Darrah on Goodreads, her website and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends! 🙂

Love Within ODIN’S SHADOW

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a review for ODIN’S SHADOW, a historical semi-romance from Erin S. Riley.  It is set in 870’s Ireland and Norway and features the troubles between an Irish bride and her Viking warlord husband.

Odin's Shadow (Sons of Odin Book 1)About the book:

Obsession. Treachery. Revenge. Redemption. Certain themes resonate across the centuries.

Odin’s Shadow is the first book in a series of three about a young Irish woman and the two Viking brothers who love her. The novel is set against the harsh backdrop of the Viking era in the 9th century, a time when the sight of a Viking longship sailing up the coast of Ireland would chill the blood of any man, woman or child. One young Irish woman, however, is not afraid of these Northmen, and a fateful encounter with one of them changes the course of her life forever.

Selia is a girl on the verge of womanhood, frustrated by the confines of her gender and resentful of the freedom her brother boasts of. She is intelligent and resourceful in a time when neither is valued in a female, and longs for an escape from her sheltered existence. Selia is fascinated by the tales of Viking raids told by her maidservant, and her hunger for independence is fed through the stories of heathen ferocity she hears at the woman’s knee.

A decision to sneak to the city’s harbor to view the Viking longships leads to an encounter with Alrik Ragnarson, a charismatic Viking warlord whose outward beauty masks a dark and tortured mind. With the knowledge that her father is about to announce her betrothal to a man she doesn’t love, Selia marries Alrik and within a day is on the longship bound for Norway and a new life.

As Selia’s relationship with her new husband grows, her friendship with his brother Ulfrik grows as well. The tension mounts between the two men, and as Alrik’s character flaws come to light Selia begins to have misgivings about her hasty marriage. Ulfrik’s desperate love for Selia causes him to reveal a secret from the past that threatens to destroy them all, and Selia is left to make a heart rending choice between the two Viking brothers.

My Review:

This is well-crafted historical semi-romance. I say “semi” because it is a rather strained romance between people who have opposed loyalties.

Selia is a foundling child, with a twin brother Ainnileas; both were adopted by a bachelor merchant, Niall, and raised in his home in Ireland. At the time, the Finngalls (vikings) often raid the Irish coastline raping and pillaging. Selia and her brother are casualties who escaped death. Selia suffered a head injury which leaves her prone to strange visions, and though beautiful she is petite and unsuitable as a match to the nearby tradesmen. She is betrothed to an ancient man, and upset about it, when she encounters a Finngall in Dubhlinn.

Alrik would normally just take a woman he wanted, but something about Selia is captivating and he chooses to abide by her wishes–and arranges a marriage against her father’s objection. Still, learning Alrik is bloodthirsty and a murderer doesn’t quell the desire Selia soon experiences for her strange husband.

En route to Norway on Alrik’s dragonboat, she speaks often with Alrik’s half-brother Ulfrik. Ulfrik is the son of an Irish slave, and spends time teaching Selia their Norse language. He is as attractive as Alrik, and Alrik is particularly sensitive to infidelity. He is moody, jealous prone to sudden violence and often isolates Selia–something which happens in his own home as well.

The more time Selia spends with Alrik, the more she wonders if she made a poor choice; it doesn’t help that Ulfrik is constantly warning Selia of the danger of her husband. It is soon that Selia learns of Alrik’s father’s madness, and Alrik’s own Berserker nature. Though terrified, Selia is still committed to helping her husband–and she can reach him when others do not try. Their bond becomes deeper, and still more dangerous. Alrik’s family warn her not to conceive, something completely foreign to Selia’s Irish Christian upbringing.

Entanglement in Norway only make Selia’s new life more difficult. Alrik’s daughter hates her, a slave may be pregnant with his child, and Ainnileas may just make good on his promise to find and rescue her from the heathen vikings.

Underlying all of this are Selia’s misgivings about marriage, parenthood and her new home. Ulfrik seems poised to take over Alrik’s duties–both as Selia’s husband and as warlord. Alrik’s walking a razor edge between sanity and berserking. And someone in their midst is a poisoner, who could end Selia’s new life before she even decides how to live it.

For a historical, this book is hands-down awesome. The richly detailed descriptions of the time are seamlessly interwoven in the narrative. At no time did I feel as if I was being instructed in Medieval history. Selia is a good narrator, and the bulk of this story comes through her point-of-view. I really was able to connect with her, and her plight: a young naive woman now married to a madman and target for destruction by any member of Alrik’s household.

The story has sexytimes, but they are on the down-low and not tender or erotic. There are some instances of bonding between Selia and Alrik, but that are even more which are questionable and leave Selia doubting her marriage. For me, it didn’t read like a romance. There was love and affection, but there was far more intrigue and mayhem. It really felt more like a mystery-caper with romantic elements. It was an exquisitely told story, regardless of the genre.

Interested? You can find ODIN’S SHADOW on Goodreads, and Amazon.

About the author:
Erin S. Riley has an undergraduate degree in psychology and a graduate degree in clinical counseling. She is also a board certified lactation consultant and has had extensive training in maternal-child health. Since Erin was a child, she has been fascinated with human nature and what motivates behavior. She enjoys writing stories that reflect real life: Erin’s books feature complicated, imperfect characters who love deeply, make reckless decisions, and try again until they get it right.

A lifelong lover of books, Erin taught herself to read at the age of four and hasn’t been without a book since. She is an equal-opportunity reader of fiction and non-fiction, and her shelves are filled with books on psychology, archaeology, anthropology, and general history. The social history of women and their place in society across the ages is a favorite reading topic of Erin’s.

Erin is drawn to any creative pursuit, from making hand-stitched quilts to producing mini-movies for family and friends from home videos. But writing has always been her passion. When Erin isn’t writing, she enjoys spending time with her two wonderful children, reading anything she can get her hands on, watching football, and renovating her house with her husband of 17 years who just happens to look like a Viking!

You can catch up with Erin online on her website, Facebook, and twitter.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Love Made a MEMORY–A Review

Hi there! Today I’m sharing a historical M/M romance from Doug Lloyd. MEMORY is set in Boston 1952–and features a Korean War vet, and the man he meets upon his return. It’s a sad-sweet story centered on personal freedom and frustrating social mores.

MemoryAbout the book:

Paul Nelson, a military veteran home from Korea, refuses to stand by and watch Kenneth Pittman, a young man he’s just met, get beat up by a group of teens. After a few chance encounters with Kenneth, Paul questions parts of his identity he’s been trying to suppress, and despite his struggles re-acclimating to civilian life and his personal fears, Paul finds the courage to ask Kenneth on a date. The two then begin a relationship.

But in the 1950s, cultural and societal norms threaten openly gay men. Paul and Kenneth can only see each other in secret, and Paul’s new boss, a former investigative journalist and proud bigot, has a habit of meddling in his employees’ lives. After tragedy strikes close to home, the two men question whether their slice of happiness is worth the trouble or if safety is more important.

After vacationing together in Provincetown, a gay haven, to escape the chaos, they decide to stick it out, only to return to the consequences of being outed to everyone they know. Ultimately, Paul realizes the freedom he fought for should apply to them too, and he must bravely act in defiance of society’s expectations to be with the man he loves.

My Review:

I got drawn into this story because I adore historical fiction. The setting, Boston 1952, was fully accessible to me as I grew up in an urban area listening to my aunts, uncles, and father talk about their cable car adventures and soda shops. Having three uncles and a father who served in the armed forces (between Korea and Vietnam) I was also drawn to the plight of a veteran returning from war.

Paul is confused. He just spent 18 months in Korea, fighting for a purpose he didn’t understand. Unlike WWII, the fighting in Korea didn’t seem to be Good v. Horrendous Evil. There were lots of gray zones, and it really didn’t help that both of his parents died while he was overseas.

His younger brother, Dave, is away at Yale when he returns to their neighborhood via bus. Almost immediately, Paul is drawn into conflict–saving a man from a beating in an alley a few blocks from his home. The streetwise brawlers weren’t happy to have their “fairy” prey escape, but Paul is a sturdy man, and still dressed in his army uniform. He prevails. Ken, the man he saved, was thankful, but gruff.

While airing out his empty house, Paul ponders the meaning of the war, and his own conflicted feelings about men and women. He’s only been with women, but has never been much attracted to them. In the war, there were men who had relations with other men–always under cover. It was seen as acceptable given that no women were present. But now, here in America, land of the free for which he put his life in the line, Paul doesn’t feel so free.

Paul takes a job in the city as a junior editor for a newspaper. His boss is a loudmouthed bigot who rails against women, “darkies” and gays, while having an outrageous office affair with his secretary. His childhood friend, Billy, with whom Paul served in Korea, thinks nothing of running down the homos, especially after a hate crime is committed in a nearby (suspected) gay bar. Clearly, the morality of these people is in conflict with Paul’s burgeoning awareness.

Meeting Ken again, and finding acceptance for his amorphous–but clarifying–desires, puts Paul in harm’s way back on home soil. His boss is suspicious, Billy is confused at Paul’s “freedom for everyone” stance and Dave…well, Dave starts to poke around. Especially when Paul takes Ken in as a “boarder.”

Paul, for his part, is filled with righteous indignation. He fought for freedom, but can’t be free to love the way that he wants. He gets a brief taste of freedom when he and Ken travel to Provincetown for a long weekend to write a travel review for his paper. There, the community is gay-friendly–having been settled by free-loving artists and bohemians. It is almost too good to be true, in fact. The differences between the life Paul wants to lead and the one society is pressing upon him are too great for him to stand.

I really liked this. The quietly-building romance is tender. Paul takes a lot of time to consider his feelings. He makes mistakes, and he makes amends. He deals with the toxic people in his life, and he finds the courage to be who he really is–finding people who will support him. There was a twist at the end that nearly killed me, as a reader, but the epilogue earned my heart back.

Interested? You can find MEMORY on Goodreads, Dreamspinner Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and AllRomance. I won a paperback online at a Facebook party…

Doug LloydAbout the author:

Doug Lloyd is an author in his late twenties who moonlights as an attorney and business consultant in his spare time. Despite his many attempts to be artistic (music, drawing, film, clay arts), he has found writing to be the only creative outlet he is marginally good at. He is a trivia sponge—a trait which tends to make writing novels take substantially longer during research—and former *Jeopardy!* one-day champion.

Despite being born and raised and living his whole life in the Boston area, he is not a fan of the cold weather and snow and plans on one day moving someplace where the climate is a bit more balanced. Until then, he continues to wear one of his many orange sweaters during the winter months.

Doug enjoys writing across many different genres—romance, thriller, science fiction, and more—though his works tend to feature LGBT characters in major roles. When not clacking away at the keyboard, Doug spends time with his husband Eric and their three pets in Massachusetts, where they live. He is also an avid board- and video-game enthusiast, chef in his own mind, chocoholic, and insomniac.

You can find Doug online on Facebook, or via email: authordouglloyd (at) gmail (dot) com.

Thanks for popping in, and keep reading my friends!

Cephalopod Coffeehouse Jan 2015 They Had To THINK OF ENGLAND–A Review

0ed81-coffeehouse
Hi there! Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the tomes they enjoyed most over the previous month. Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.

Hi all! Happy new year to my fellow Coffeehousers! I”m eager to see what books you loved best this month!

For me, I read some cool YA, some hot erotica and some sweet romance. But, most of those were to be reviewed on a deadline, and I couldn’t hold them for this post. Still, THINK OF ENGLAND was a shining spot in my winter reads. It’s a M/M romance, which I loooove. This is historical fiction which explored many of the societal mores of 1900’s, not only homosexuality–which was a hanging offense–but also antisemitism and xenophobia.

Think of EnglandAbout the book:
Lie back and think of England…

England, 1904. Two years ago, Captain Archie Curtis lost his friends, fingers, and future to a terrible military accident. Alone, purposeless and angry, Curtis is determined to discover if he and his comrades were the victims of fate, or of sabotage.

Curtis’s search takes him to an isolated, ultra-modern country house, where he meets and instantly clashes with fellow guest Daniel da Silva. Effete, decadent, foreign, and all-too-obviously queer, the sophisticated poet is everything the straightforward British officer fears and distrusts.

As events unfold, Curtis realizes that Daniel has his own secret intentions. And there’s something else they share—a mounting sexual tension that leaves Curtis reeling.

As the house party’s elegant facade cracks to reveal treachery, blackmail and murder, Curtis finds himself needing clever, dark-eyed Daniel as he has never needed a man before…

Warning: Contains explicit male/male encounters, ghastly historical attitudes, and some extremely stiff upper lips.

My Review:
I adored this historical M/M mystery/thriller romance.

Captain Archie Curtis is a survivor of a horrific injury while serving in the British army–not even in battle. While inspecting a shipment of weapons, Archie and his platoon were maimed and fatally wounded when their rifles exploded in their hands. Archie lost three fingers and has a limp from a misfired round that caught him in the knee. He dwells in misery, feeling half-a-man due to his loss of fingers, livelihood, and companions.

Acting on a tip, from the faulty gunmaker no less, Archie accepts the invitation of an old family friend Sir Hubert Armstrong, for a two-week stay at his remote country house. Sir Hubert is an industrialist, and his lavish home is a marvel of electric feats. It seems that Sir Hubert has been accused of tampering with the very weapons which destroyed Archie’s compatriots. The house company is interesting, but Capt. Curtis is rather annoyed with Daniel da Silva, a flamboyantly effeminate “poet” who is not only Portuguese, he’s a Jew.

The other male guests take thinly veiled jabs at Daniel, but Archie’s most frustrated that da Silva’s always underfoot when he’s investigating Sir Hubert’s private files. They men strike up a tenuous partnership when it seems that they are both seeking Sir Hubert’s dark secrets.

Meanwhile, they’re captured in a compromising position–one in which they could be prosecuted–or fall under Sir Hubert’s more dark enterprise: blackmail.

Daniel is quite comfortable with his ‘invert’ sexuality, but Archie hasn’t ever considered himself gay. Still, Archie can’t deny the strange attraction he’s beginning to experience for the wily da Silva.

There’s a whole lotta intrigue in this book. And a quietly developing tender romance. The stakes are death if da Silva and Archie are caught by Sir Hubert, and I’ll just say, the book ends with quite a few deaths. Super high tension, mostly on the intrigue-side, however.

I loved the fervor Archie had in pursuit of da Silva, and protecting him from the very dangerous tenants of Sir Hubert’s abode. There was such biting humor, and such valiant gallantry. I swooned. The end was really, just, all I hoped it would be.

Interested? You can find THINK OF ENGLAND on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Please take a minute to pop in on my fellow bloggers, to see what book tickled their fancy this month! And, as always, keep reading my friends!

1. The Armchair Squid 2. WOMEN: WE SHALL OVERCOME
3. A Creative Exercise 4. Trisha @ WORD STUFF
5. Nan @ Hungry Enough To Eat Six! 6. Stephanie Faris
7. Life Before the Hereafter 8. mainewords
9. Words Incorporated 10. StrangePegs – A Shot in the Light
11. V’s Reads