Tag: GLBT Historical Romance

Warrior, Ride Hard by Erin O'Quinn

Title: Warrior, Ride Hard

Series: The Iron Warrior 01

Author: Erin O’Quinn

Genre: Historical, (Ireland, Roman, England 400+)

Length: Novel (292pgs)

Publisher: Siren – BookStrand (8th August 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Former Roman soldier Gristle—“tough and hard to swallow”—has rarely allowed anyone in his life to become close to him. One outstanding exception is Tristus, a man he saved ten years before from the urges of lonely soldiers near the Wall of Hadrian. Tristus became his own lover for eleven months, and then he disappeared. Ten years later, the young pony trainer Wynn is smitten by Gristle’s looks and manner and follows him to his new home in Éire (Ireland) where he becomes his lover.

The stories of the three men interweave until at last they all three meet briefly in sacred Tara, home of the High King. Wynn is abducted by druids with sinister and lustful designs, and Tristus wants to follow the ministry of Father Patrick.

Thus no sooner has Gristle found an old lover and a new one than they are all pulled apart by the one whom Gristle calls “the bitch goddess Fortuna.”

Purchase Link: http://www.bookstrand.com/warrior-ride-hard

Review: Gristle is a sworn armsman, unlucky in love and rarely seeming happy. He is sworn to protect the hellion, Caylith, and it is a journey that will take him to Ireland and discovering new and old love. Wynn is the pony trainer. He wishes for Gristle to train him, but he is also strangely attracted to Gristle as well. But, love doesn’t run smoothly when Gristle’s old love turns up and Wynn finds himself in more trouble than he ever imagined.

This is a very interesting novel that pulls us into 5th Century Ireland as Roman, Welsh and English immigrants flee from the Saxon promise of invasion of Britannia. Gristle lost the only man he had loved when he disappeared in the night 10 years before, and now with Wynn he has a new opportunity to embrace love, but the path is not an easy one. Wynn wants nothing more than to be with Gristle, but when Gristle’s old love arrives on the scene he has brief doubts. But, before he can reaffirm his love with Gristle, Wynn is kidnapped and Gristle thinks he has run.

I must admit to enjoying the storyline of an old Roman soldier, Gristle, and a Welsh pony trainer, Wynn, falling in love and then Tristus arriving confusing Gristle. I found those aspects of the story to be good and the way something would come up to keep them from sorting out the problem was interesting. Wynn’s kidnapping was surprising and added a touch of meat to the bones, but was completely unrealistic, and Gristle’s casually dismissal of Wynn when Tristus turned up was much more than just dented pride. Tristus was a great character who came through as a much better man than Gristle did.

I will admit to being completely baffled when the story suddenly took a turn back in time by ten years to when Gristle and Tristus first met. Mainly because Gristle had already remembered it all earlier on, but secondly because it didn’t add anything new, until we got to Tristus’s POV and we find out why he disappeared. It just seemed to be more filler than any useful aspect of the story. The author has done a very good job of creating a world for Gristle and company and using artistic license to make it work.

So, I will recommend this to those who love historical stories, Romans, Welshmen, primitive hot sex, fighting for survival and a happy for now ending.

 

Lost and Won by Sarah Ann Watts

Title: Lost and Won

Author: Sarah Ann Watts

Genre: Historical (England 1651)

Length: Novella (77pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (7th July 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥2Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: ‘There was a battle and you lost.’ Philip prayed never to see Francis again. Now the man who stole his heart is his prisoner, staking his life on Philip’s honor. All Philip has to do is let him go.

1651: the Battle of Worcester is lost and won. Charles Stuart is a fugitive with a price on his head and Cromwell has the ‘crowning mercy’ of victory. Philip, a sober, respectable young man, fought bravely for the parliamentary cause and is looking forward to peace at his own hearth.

Francis, his lover and childhood friend, returns to make peace with his dying father and to give back Philip’s heart.

Soon Philip finds himself reluctantly sheltering a royalist spy and protecting the witch in his family.

Philip’s duty is clear and Francis staked his life on his honor. All he has to do is let Francis go. But how can Francis ask Philip to deliver him to justice?

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/901

Review: There isn’t really anything to add to the blurb because it really does say it all and it hasn’t missed anything out. Philip is a Roundhead following behind Cromwell, but now with the Battle over he is discharged and sent home. On his return home, he finds Francis a Cavalier. his old friend and now his enemy. Francis knows what Philip will do; nothing and no one will come before Philip’s loyalty to Cromwell and he fully expects to be handed over to Cromwell.

This is an interesting novella from a historical point of view, but I found it to be sadly lacking in the romantic/love department. Philip and Francis have apparently shared something in the past, but now they are on opposite sides of a war, with the last Battle fought and the Roundheads rounding up all of Charles Stuart’s supporters it is only a matter of time before they catch Francis. Francis returns to his childhood home to say goodbye to his father and to give himself up to Philip. Philip just wants Francis to go, he never wants to see him again, as it reminds him of his youthful actions, but with Francis before him, he knows he has to do his duty.

Yes, a very interesting historical m/m, but sadly for me there was no spark between the MCs at all and Philip had a stick so far up his arse you could see it coming out the top of his head. I really, really, really disliked Philip and his stuck up pious ways, oh and his political beliefs. Francis would have been so much better off with anyone else. I mean Francis risked it all to see the man again and then he asked Philip to come with him. If Philip had really wanted him and not his land etc. then he should have gone. Francis… why did you waste your years on that man? There are some interesting tid-bits after Francis escapes where it looks like they were meeting up in secret and then the final homecoming when Charles Stuart is returned to his throne.

So, I will recommend this to those who love historicals, pious men, righteous men, men who stick by their beliefs and a happy ending.

 

Hired Muscle by Hank Edwards

Title: Hired Muscle

Author: Hank Edwards

Genre: Historical (1941)

Length: Novella (81pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (7th July 2012)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Barry waits tables at DuMochelle’s, where he meets mob boss Giovanni Lombardi’s bodyguard, Vinnie. Passion sparks between Barry and Vinnie. However, it isn’t long before Vinnie’s dangerous lifestyle threatens not only their chances for happiness, but also their very lives.

In October 1941, the violence of Baltimore’s warring mob families is escalating. The danger has decimated many of the businesses around DuMochelle’s restaurant where Barry waits tables.

When a mob family begins to frequent the restaurant, a romantic relationship develops between Barry and Vinnie, a guard for the family. Vinnie resists, fearing for Barry’s safety and concerned that Barry will want nothing to do with him if he finds out the details of Vinnie’s role in the family.

But their passion cannot be denied, and Vinnie is trapped between the love he wants and the only life he’s known. As the rival mob family moves in for the kill, Vinnie and Barry find themselves caught in the crossfire.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/897

Review: Barry becomes infatuated by Don Lombardi’s bodyguard Vinnie. Over the course of a couple of months, he falls deeper under the spell. Then, he gets his chance with Vinnie and he finds out Vinnie’s true role. Vinnie would like nothing better than a chance with Barry, but his job is dangerous and he can’t lead that trouble to Barry. But, he can’t resist Barry’s charm.

This is a really sweet story that really did surprise me, because the characters were so much stronger than you’d expect and it wasn’t so much like the typical mob stories out there. Vinnie is a really cute, vulnerable and shy mobster bodyguard and Barry is a hardworking, compassionate and more outgoing waiter. It isn’t a typical lets jump in bed story. They have to be very careful not only because of the timeframe, but because of whom Vinnie’s boss is. They are a really sweet couple though, which was surprising as with Vinnie being who he is and enormous, you expect him to be a little more rough and ready. Whereas, Barry shocks you with his bravery, not only in following Vinnie where he shouldn’t, but for his actions later in the story as well.

I have to say that I fell in love with the characters personalities and truly enjoyed their romance. The progression of the story was well paced and the action and danger was good and well written. Oh, did I mention I loved the characters? Oh I did, right. Well I can’t help it they are just so sweet.

I am going to recommend this to those who love mob stories, hot loving, sweet men, action, danger, shootouts and a happy ever after.

 

Child of the Theatre by Caleb

Title:   Child of the Theatre

Author:    Caleb

Genre:   M/M historical fiction

Format/Length: 91 pages (226 KB eBook)

Publisher:  Total-E-Bound Publishing (November 7, 2011)

ISBN: #978-0-85715-804-8

Heat Level:  Moderate

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥3Hearts

Reviewer:   Artemis

Blurb:  Orphaned in infancy and raised by the great comedy actress Dorothy Jordan, Sim Treagar has lived all his nineteen years among the high drama, greasepaint and shabby theatrical glamour of the Drury Lane Theatre.

When Lieutenant Gervase Levison comes to the theatre to deliver the Royal Duke’s congé to Sim’s adoptive mother, the two men fall immediately into a passionate love affair.

But Gervase’s powerful family oppose their love and seek to use it against the Lieutenant, in a high-stakes game of rumors, scandal and thwarted inheritances. When Gervase is sent to sea, his prospects are safe but Sim’s heart is broken. Can they ever hope to be reunited in a love his handsome sailor’s family can’t countenance?

Product Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=1429

Review:  Child of the Theatre is set in London in the 1800s and the author does a wonderful job of giving us a true feel for the time period.  There are descriptions of costumes and architecture that are appropriate to this period of history.  Although, I was a bit surprised at how easily the characters accepted their homosexuality…seems like this would be something that was frowned on by Victorian society, especially in the upper class.

I really enjoyed Sim’s character. At times he blushes sweetly or makes a witty joke.  He is passionate with Gervase, but also a tad shy.  Gervase’s character, on the other hand, is a little bit domineering, but in an authoritative way.  Not cruel, just a man who knows what he wants and expects others to do his bidding.  The interactions between him and Sim are tender one minute and wild the next.  You can really feel that they are drawn to one another very deeply.

As in any good romance, there are challenges that the couple must face…specifically Gervase’s family and their intense dislike of his relationship with Sim.  They are torn apart, they both suffer the agony of separation, and then they are reunited, but the challenges aren’t necessarily gone just because they are back together.  The ending leaves me to wonder whether the author has a sequel in mind for these characters!

The Haunted Glade by Hayden Thorne

Title: The Haunted Glade

Series: N/A

Author: Hayden Thorne

Genre: Fantasy; Gay Fiction; Historical; Paranormal; Young Adult

Length: 19 pages/5,128 words/ Short Story

Publisher:  Queerteen Press, JMS Books (January 15th 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥3Hearts

Blurb: from Queerteens Press (JMS Books LLC) – Legend talks about a haunted glade somewhere deep in a nearby wood. While most residents of a tiny village regard those fireside stories as nothing more than cautionary tales meant to keep children in line, curious adolescents attempt to solve the puzzle of the haunted glade. Rumors of a strange twilight melody that seems to come from somewhere in the wood only feed youthful recklessness, and no one but the village potter knows the truth behind this mysterious music. He alone in his generation has heard the haunted glade’s call, and he knows that someone among those young adventurers is now being summoned, as well. The task of finding that special boy and grooming him for his destiny falls on Irwin’s shoulders.

Product Link: http://www.queerteen-press.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=13&zenid=mbr7u1nfn4juslm27e5kqv6347

Reviewer: Adrienne

Review: A sweet, young adult story of growth, and learning to acceptance and understanding oneself, written with vivid imagery. Seventeen year old Yves Milford seems the only person in the village who can hear the music coming from the nearby haunted glade, where fanciful legends and warning stories have been passed down for generations to keep villagers out.  When Yves’ peers begin pairing off into couples, thirty-six year old village potter, Irwin Blythe, confides in the young man that he also can hear the songs from the glen. This music is only heard by certain people and Irwin tells Yves that since he can hear it, he will soon discover what it means to be accepted by others like him. After Yves turns eighteen and learns what is in the glen, he realizes this acceptance and understands that he one day will be called upon to help those from his village who have similar yearnings.

A very enjoyable read…

 

 

Less Than All by Lee Brazil

*Note* Book details have been updated to the 2nd edition release.
Lee Brazil - Lee Than All 325x487Title: Less Than All

Author: Lee Brazil

Genre: Historical, Regency (1800+)

Length: Short (63pgs)

Publisher: Lee Brazil (14th June 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Nicholas Danville doesn’t trust his lover, certain Victor cannot share the depth of his attraction. With him only for now, Victor must marry to fulfill his duty to his family. Surely that will mean the end of their liaison?

A youthful indiscretion leads to a humiliating encounter between Nicholas Danville and Lord Victor Ware. Nicholas returns home in disgrace, and Victor continues life in the Ton. Years later, Nicholas’s reproving parents send him to town to attain a degree of polish before he prepares for life as a member of the clergy.

A chance encounter with an old friend leads to a new confrontation between Nicholas and Victor. This time, the attraction between them burns brighter, Nicholas is old enough to know his own mind, and Victor is done with self-denial.

From ballrooms to gardens and opera houses, Victor sets about proving that a passionate liaison between two men is possible even under the narrow gaze of the Ton.

Purchase Link: Amazon: Lee Brazil – Less Than All

ARe: Lee Brazil – Less Than All

Review: Nicholas has a crush on Victor, his best friend’s older brother, but he knows that it is futile as Victor has to carry on the family name…even if he did notice him. Victor burns for Nicholas, but doesn’t act on it. Instead, sending Nicholas away, after catching him with his brother. But, now years later, he can’t fight the pull anymore. But, Nicholas won’t give him what he wants most, because Nicholas doesn’t believe Victor loves him.

This is a well written regency romance, showing a difficult time for gay men and their relationships. Victor finally gives into his longing for Nicholas, but Nicholas begins to run, Nicholas realizes that what he feels is deeper than just a fling and he panics when he realizes that Victor will have to marry and have children. Victor can’t understand why Nicholas is backing off and gets demanding with Nicholas. It is only later, after a heart to heart with Victor’s brother, that Nicholas wants to grab the memories with both hands.

Victor is typical of a Lord; he demands and his demands are met. But, with Nicholas, he can’t have what he demands and instead of asking and finding out why Nicholas refuses, he threatens Nicholas instead. Nicholas wants more than a passing fling and he does get in over his head with Victor. The thing is, they complement each other well, but because of the era, it’s a struggle for both of them. It isn’t until both of them confide in good friends, do they maybe see a solution. I liked the story and I thought the characters were well done for the time period. Both men’s attitudes also reflected that time and what sex we do see is erotic and hot.

I will recommend this to those who love historicals, regency, secret lovers, hot sex and a happy for now ending.

 

 

Purly Gates by Vastine Bondurant

Title: Purly Gates

Author: Vastine Bondurant

Genre: Historical (1930)

Length: Novella (53pgs)

Publisher: Self-published (24th April 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: A lonely stretch of beach becomes a hiding place for two men who, when their paths cross, are determined not to be ships just passing in the night.

Purlman “Purly” Gates—dark, brooding, mysterious, hiding from his past and the hefty price on his head—is hopelessly attracted to the young man who strolls the beach every morning. At the risk of his own exposure and its deadly consequences, Purly succumbs to his desire and sets out to lure the beautiful enigma into his lair.

Lucky Cleary wants the swarthy stranger who watches him from the shadows of the cottage deck, and his morning promenades finally pay off when the man steps out onto the beach and into Lucky’s life in a move to bring their paths together.

But Lucky has a secret as well—a past mistake following close behind him, promising certain death if it catches up with him.

When each man discovers the other’s identity, the truth forms a powerful bond between them and fans the flame of their passion.

But is the meeting of these two lonely souls a beautiful destiny or merely a cruel twist of fate in which their desire is nothing more than the kiss of death for them both?

Purchase Link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-purlygates-786423-162.html

Author also published under C. Zampa

Review: Purly is a man in hiding. He has done things, in his past, that people want him to pay for and if they catch up with him…well, then he is a dead man. But, while staying at the beach, he sees a man every morning, but fights his attraction for him. Lucky is also in hiding and every morning he passes a man standing on his deck smoking a cigarette, he finds the man attractive and is trying to find a way to speak to him.

This is a lovely gentle novella of a time when you used subtle words and actions to find out if a man was gay. Purly is lying low until he can move on. When he becomes enamored of a young man who walks along the beach every morning. Lucky is that young man, but Lucky is also lying low, but the man on the deck draws him to him daily. When the two first speak there is an attraction between them and although it is what they both want, Purly finds that he can’t go through with it and backs off.

This is a nicely written story, although I wasn’t too keen on the writing style (too much italic for me), but it could be beautiful and lyrical. I did enjoy the storyline, Lucky was genuinely attracted to Purly right from the start and it had taken him a lot to build up courage to speak to Purly. And for Lucky it was an added bonus that Purly could take him away from his exile and also keeps him hidden, because that is exactly what Purly has to do as well… stay hidden. Lucky seems to be a fragile young man, he has been abused in the past and we get a flashback to that time. Purly comes across as a cultured gentleman, but his past is shady and his life is in danger.

The ending had me on tender hooks, but I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. So, I will recommend this to those who want a more gentle, tender romance, low on sex, but high on feelings, with an interesting past for both main characters and a happy ever after.

 

 

Paradox by Chris Quinton

Title: Paradox

Author: Chris Quinton

Genre: Contemporary, Historical (Roman England), Time-Travel

Length: Novel (232pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (5th May 2012)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: A diversionary kiss from his work partner, Ryan, shakes Phil’s world, but when an accident sends him into a dream that soon invades his waking life, he must separate past from present before he loses the best relationship he’s ever had.

Phil thrives on the danger and excitement of his job, and he trusts his partner with his life. Until Ryan kisses him. It’s a diversionary tactic, but the kiss shakes Phil to his foundations. He doesn’t need or want a long-term lover, but now it seems his heart does.

A short time later, Phil finds himself trapped in his wrecked car, drifting in and out of a dream-haunted coma where he’s living a parallel life. Centuries in the past, someone’s trying to kill Caius Marcellus Valens, and nothing is the way it seems. When the dream invades Phil’s waking life, he must separate past from present before it tears apart his world–and the best relationship he’s ever had.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/products_id/847/?zenid=b1cda3e3cc7c9fc4b20007710735cca7

Review: Phil loves his job and his casual relationships. The only thing that he likes being permanent is his work partnership with Ryan, but even that gets shaken up when Ryan kisses him to cause a distraction. When Phil crashes his car, his consciousness slips into the mind of a man thousands of years in the past and into the mystery of who is trying to kill Caius. Ryan can’t believe Phil’s attitude after a small kiss, but now he has more important things to worry about Phil is missing and Ryan has to find him.

This story was great and gives us a wonderful view of what Roman England must have been like. Phil does not do permanent outside his job, so when Ryan kisses him it shakes him to the core because he now wants more. When he crashes his car and wakes up in Roman England, he discovers that the person he is now (who seems a bit of a wet blanket), is in danger so he sets about discovering who wants Caius dead. Ryan sets out to find Phil when he goes missing, but when Phil has recovered, his treatment of Ryan is terrible. Now, Ryan forces Phil to tell him the truth and Phil has to face the truth of what his subconscious has been trying to tell him.

I really enjoyed this story and the way that it was woven; with the past and the present being woven together.  And we are left with to wonder if did Phil’s conscious really slip into the mind of a man from the past or was it really an elaborate convincing dream? Phil is fighting himself and the wanting of permanence that he feels.  Phil fights until the bitter end, but he is no match for Ryan and his subconscious. Ryan really wouldn’t mind giving it a go, but Phil has cast him as the baddie in his mind and Ryan has to force Phil to find the truth.

The details of Roman England are exquisite and beautifully drawn.  You can picture in your mind, the villa and the frescos and the mosaics *sigh* Chris Quinton really brings that time to life. I really liked both Phil and Ryan, but there really isn’t any relationship between them until the end.  But, it’s a great journey to watch, as we watch the struggle between the two.

I will recommend this to those who love difficult stubborn men, time-travel with a difference, a mystery to solve, some hot sex and the beginnings of a great relationship.

More Than Breathing by Treva Harte

Title: More than Breathing

Series:  N/A

Author: Treva Harte

Genre: BDSM GLBT Historical

Length: Novella

Publisher: Loose Id (April 9, 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4.5Hearts

Blurb: Hector meets Rudy when Rudy’s about to be hanged by the people in his town. Hector rescues him, intending however to leave Rudy and continue on his way. But when the big man refuses to leave his savior, they discover they can help each other. After surviving the Civil War, they’re both badly damaged; they both crave danger with their sex and grow to depend on the other to satisfy their darkest needs.

Is the excitement they gain from their dangerous sexual games worth courting death? Maybe wanting each other more than breathing is actually worth living for.

Publisher’s Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM elements, dubious consent, erotic asphyxiation, male/male sexual practices.

Product Link: http://www.loose-id.com/More-than-Breathing.aspx

Reviewer: Thommie

Review:  Hot!!! Absolutely Hot!!!

This story was indeed More Than Breathing. What breath? I was holding it the entire time. But before I go on and tell you about the story, I feel the need to pay my compliments at the author, Treva Harte, for the elegance of her writing. She certainly has a way to captivate you and “make you feel”.

Now, the story takes place after the Civil War in Texas. Hatred for Yanks is overflowing and Rudy finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. By a twisted whim of fate he get saved by Hector, an elegant ex-lieutenant from Boston, who was passing by the city on his way to the west. I say a twisted whim of fate, because Hector has some very dark cravings inside of him that puts Rudy in no less danger than in the hands of the angry mob. At least in the mob’s hands Rudy wouldn’t suffer continual physical pain and fear…

What Hector doesn’t know, yet soon finds out, is that Rudy craves that pain and fear more than… Breathing!!

The two men find, in each other, what they’d been searching their entire life without even knowing it; a partner with whom they can explore and experience their fantasies, and whom they can trust with their life.

Smoothly passing by stages of lust, trust and devotion through the hot dance of excruciating and fiery sex, More than Breathing promises an exciting way to pass your evening should you to choose to read it, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

 

I Am Fallen by Scarlet Blackwell

Title: I Am Fallen

Author: Scarlet Blackwell

Genre: Historical (1888) Angel, Fallen Angel/Demon

Length: Novel (192pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (17th March 2012)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Children’s book writer Jacob Bailey has retreated to Scotland to die in solitude, tormented by the loss of the love of his life and wishing for an end to his suffering. In the remote house on the cliff, he is visited by an angel with history and pain of his own, a being who brings far more to Jacob’s final days than he could ever hope for.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This title contains a bittersweet ending.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/products_id/762

Review: Jacob is a man who knows that the end is coming.   He knows the cancer has come back.   He doesn’t need a doctor to tell him. Now, at a remote cottage away from family and friends, he has choices to make and as the pain gets worse, he is visited by angels.

This really is a bittersweet story that tugs at your heart-strings. Jacob has had one gay experience in his life and he hasn’t really been happy since the love of his life sailed for America. Now knowing that the dreaded cancer is back he isn’t sure if the angels he sees are real or not but he believes that they are. There are three underlying stories twisted together, we have Jacob and his lost love Lucien, we have Lucifer and his lost love Raphael and we have the comfort that Jacob and Lucifer offer each other.

This story is bittersweet all the way through.  There are sparks of happiness or joy, but all the way through, we know that there will not be a happy ending.  as we read,  we can see Lucifer trying to give Jacob comfort and Jacob trying to understand what Lucifer could want with him, if not his soul. We also have Lucifer and Raphael hashing over the past and what they both felt.  Raphael knowing that spending any time with Lucifer will get him punished and Lucifer *sigh*, Lucifer feeling hurt that Raphael had denied his love.

This is a story that is not your usual Fallen Angel/Lucifer story.  There is a unique reason for Lucifer’s fall from Grace and what his duties are. And this story is all about lost love and at the end maybe new beginnings. The way this story is written is brilliant.  It is the touching, agonizing drawn out last weeks and months of a man’s life as he reflects on what he has done, but Lucifer feels a certain kinship for him and tries to ease some of his pain and to keep him on the right track.

Scarlet Blackwell has written a story that makes you live the agonizing, pain-filled moments of Jacob’s last weeks and months.  the descriptions of the agonizing hell he goes through while his Guardian Angel stands by his side watching,  makes you question why is suicide a sin , when Angel’s won’t give them respite from the pain?

This for me was a great read… a different reflection on Heaven and Hell and Heaven doesn’t come out smelling of roses. I recommend this to those who want a slightly whimsical, reflecting, regretting, and truth facing, longing and forbidden love.

 

A Cowboy's Heart by J. M. Snyder

Title:   A Cowboy’s Heart

Author:  J. M. Snyder

Genre:   Historical, Erotica, Transgender,

Length:  Novel

Publisher:  JMS Books (February 8th, 2012)

Heat Level:  Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥5Hearts

Blurb:   Ranch hand Tommy Prout thinks he’s in love … with his boss, Hal Bolstrum. Problem is, Hal’s engaged to be married to the ranch owner’s daughter and, though he knows of Tommy’s crush, he sees it as nothing more than harmless affection. When payday rolls around and the other cowboys want to ride into town to check out the girls at the Wildhorse saloon, Tommy tags along to throw off any suspicion anyone might have about his feelings for his boss. He sure as hell doesn’t want to spend his money on any of the soiled doves the town has to offer.

At the bar he meets Lila, an enterprising young working girl who takes a liking to him. When Tommy says he wants to be left alone, Lila suggests he rest in her room — with the promise they don’t have to actuallydo anything. But Lila isn’t like the others, and when she discovers Tommy is more scared of her than attracted to her feminine charms, she lets him in on a little secret.

Lila’s real name is Stephen Marsh. He lives as a woman, moving from saloon to saloon, pleasing men for money. He loves men and enjoys his work, and what others don’t know about what’s under his skirt doesn’t bother him. In all his years on the prairie, he’s never met someone quite like Tommy. When he discovers Tommy is sweet on Hal, he suggests teaching the cowboy just how to please a man.

He doesn’t mean to lose his heart to Tommy in the process.

With “Lila” in his life, Tommy begins to dream of someone softer than Hal, someone pretty when dolled up but still man enough where it counts. Someone like Lila. As his feelings deepen, can he use Lila’s own teachings to win the heart he really loves?

Product Link:  http://jmsnyder.net/?p=1013

Reviewer:   Cat

Review:  This story stole my heart. Oh.  MY.   Goodness! It was fabulous. I was captivated by the first paragraph. J.M. did such a great job describing the scenery, you felt you were there.  And she made the characters come to life, both physically and emotionally.  I felt like I was the cowboy!  The whole story was so well written and believable, you could hardly put it down.

I fell in love with Tommy immediately. I could feel his frustrations and his secret desires for his foreman.

I was as surprised as Tommy when he came in and found his foreman, the object of his desires and dreams with Sarah the boss’s daughter.  I was like, hmmmm… I just knew the story was gonna be about him and Hal.

So, I read on.  I felt so badly for Tommy when his friends coerce him to going to a saloon and to try to get him a hooker.  You could feel his pain, not wanting the others to know he was gay, but not wanting to be with a woman either, still aching from what he saw earlier.  Still wanting Hal. Then I was really freaked out when he went upstairs with Lila one of the saloon girls. I had to double-check …isn’t this an M/M romance?

The scene was so hot and afterwards when Lila was talking about his –oops did I say his?-HER feelings I immediately bonded with him-I mean her. The sex scene was amazing and the emotional needs and connections so good.  I couldn’t decide which character I loved the most.  But, I am a hopeless romantic. So, does Tommy fall in love with Lila or will he finally win over his macho crush Hal?

I’m not gonna tell! You will have to read A Cowboys Heart by J.M.Snyder for yourself. You won’t be sorry. Be prepared to fall in love with a Cowboy! I give it 10 hearts! Oh, man… I can only go up to five? Well, Five it is♥♥♥♥♥!!

 

 

A Tryst of Fate by H. C. Brown

Title: A Tryst of Fate

Author: H.C. Brown

Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Time Travel

Length: Novel (171pgs)

Publisher: Silver Publishing (25th February 2012)

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥4 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Obsessed by a portrait of deliciously handsome Lord Alexander Swift, millionaire art dealer, Colt Daniels finds himself transported back to 1775. In a time when man-love led to the hangman’s noose, Colt must convince Alexander that he is the man’s destiny.

After inheriting a Georgian house in Berkley Square, London, Colt Daniels, millionaire art dealer, finds himself obsessed by a portrait of the home’s former owner, Lord Alexander Swift.

During a conversation with author, Jake Williams, Colt discovers Lord Swift and his cousin had mysteriously disappeared from the cellar one evening, shortly after Alexander’s illicit affair with the rogue, David Fitzhugh. Jake reveals Colt bears a remarkable resemblance to Fitzhugh.

Colt decides to investigate Alexander’s strange disappearance and ventures into his cellar late one night to look for a secret passageway. When his flashlight fails, Colt finds himself transported back in time to 1775 and there he comes face to face with the man of his dreams — Lord Alexander Swift.

Purchase Link: https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/coming-soon-c-2/a-tryst-of-fate-ebook-p-744

Review: After Colt inherits an old house, he becomes obsessed with refurbishing it to its former splendor and buying the portrait of Lord Alexander Swift. After hearing about the mysterious disappearance of the Lord, he decides to check the cellar for hidden passages and finds more than he bargained for. Lord Alexander Swift gets a surprise while looking for wine in his cellar.  Although the man looks like his David, his actions and words are completely strange, and if he is to believe his words then he just might be fit for Bedlam.

An absolutely brilliant historical/contemporary time-travel story that is full of detail and descriptions and you can imagine that you are there. Colt admits, even to himself, that he is half in love with a portrait of a man who has been dead for over two hundred years. Alexander is longing for a love that he knows that he will never have, when he meets Colt and is swept off his feet. The relationship isn’t easy although it progresses very quickly and Colt’s ex-lover tries to throw a spanner in the works and people mistaking Cole’s identity and kidnapping him.

Wonderful.   Alexander is so joyful and innocent that he will take your heart in a short space of time.  Colt comes across as arrogant and domineering and he is both those things, but he is so much more when he is with Alexander.  Although when with Alexander he seems coarse and uncouth, because Alexander is such a quintessential eighteenth century Lord. The descriptions of eighteenth century London are quite descriptive and disgusting, but oh so true.

This story I am going to recommend those who love historical romances, time-travel, hot sex, a great story-line, a bit of angst, some danger and a brilliant happy ever after.

The Rapier Brothers by Megan Derr

Title: The Rapier Brothers

Author: Megan Derr

Genre: Fantasy/Historical/Regency type

Length: 3 Short Stories (74pgs)

Publisher: Less Than Three Press (20th April 2010)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Tales of brothers, swords, and the men they most desire…

Main Gauche—Though he was born to nobility, the loss of first his father, and then his mother, has left Dagger a peasant. His stepfather is cruel and greedy, and refuses to claim Dagger as his own. Instead of living the life for which he was meant, Dagger spends his days as the apprentice to a blacksmith. He spends his days sharpening the swords of others, rather than practicing with his own. He pines for the life he does not have–and for the handsome lord who frequents the smithy.

Then the King calls for a tournament to show off his son, the Crown Prince. The chance to be a duelist again, to see the lord he so admires but can never have, is more than Dagger can resist…

1000 Victories—Epee loathes the noble life; his heartless father, his overbearing brother, the hypocrites he must call peers. He wants the simpler, ordinary life of a peasant. It is a life he is slowly working toward, and soon to hold in his grasp, no matter the consequences.

All that holds him back is Lord Sharp, the man he has long loved but never been able to win. But, he is very close to winning his thousandth victory over Lord Sharp in the dueling ring. With that 1000th victory, Epee hopes to win at last the man he loves more than even freedom…

The Perfect Son—Sabre has always lived according to the wishes and desires of his father, to the exclusion of everyone and everything else. His father’s eldest son, he strives to be what his father wants. He is affluent, educated, a talented duelist, respected, and feared. He is everything he is supposed to be.

Except happy.

Purchase Link: http://www.lessthanthreepress.com/books/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=92&products_id=200

Review: Megan Derr has again shown us what a wonderful touch she has with gentle romance. In this trinity of stories which starts with Main Gauche (which has a Cinderfella feel to it) we are treated to some wonderful feel good stories where anything is possible.

In the Main Gauche Dagger lives with his step-father and two step brothers, everything was taken away from him when his mother died and she trusted her husband to take care of Dagger, which never happened instead he is working at a Blacksmiths dreaming about one of the customers and of being a gentleman again. Katan is the Crown Prince and he is intrigued by the mysterious Main Gauche, he wishes to get to know the man after the competition but he disappears.

A wonderful feel good story, which is a wonderful rendition of Cinderella with a very heavy male view.

In 1000 Victories we have Epee who has had a crush on Sharp for many years, he set out to prove himself to Sharp but now a figure from the past has emerged to thwart him again. Sharp used to like Epee but an allegation ruined that friendship and now a day hardly passes without them dueling. When the past comes to light Sharp realizes what has always been in front of him.

An incredible story that shows the lengths that some men will go to, to capture the men they love.

In The Perfect Son we have Sabre who has thrown his life away trying to please his father but when his father forgets his birthday it is the catalyst that sets Sabre in motion to take his own life back. Lash meets Sabre at an Inn and sets about to seduce the man, they have a couple of perfect days before Lash disappears and Sabre returns to what was his life.

A great story that shows that love can be anywhere and can hit you unexpectedly.

These three stories are a treat to read as we get the stories of all three brothers from their own points of view, each finding love in his own way and overcoming the iron hand of their father and step-father to become the men they want to be. This one I will recommend to those who like regency-feel stories, happy endings and the more romantic side of love.

The Slave's Mask by Patricia Logan

Title:  The Slave’s Mask

Series:   The Masquerade Trilogy 02

Reviewer’s note:  This trilogy is comprised of three stand alone novella.  I have labeled them in chronological order only for clarity.

Author:  Patricia Logan

Genre:   Historical – Civil War era, 1863

Length: Novella

Publisher:  Silver Publishing (February 3, 2012)

Heat Level:  Moderate – Explicit

Heart Rating:  ♥♥♥♥♥4 1/2Hearts

Blurb:  Infamous American blackguard and blockade runner, Captain Anthony Charles, has made a fortune in gold, running contraband between England and the Confederate States at the height of the Civil War in 1863. Anthony knows good brandy and fine cigars and his English clients appreciate him for it, but the captain also craves young submissive men. When he wins a young prostitute at an auction, Francois becomes his slave for seven days.

Francois has turned to prostitution to survive, but he is more than a whore. While most men who enjoy his favors treat him cruelly, he is stunned by this temporary owner’s kindness. Being a slave to this blue-eyed Master is no difficult task. Both men find that love may not be as elusive as they thought. Will the separation of oceans and time test their love or bring pain beyond bearing?

Product Link:  https://spsilverpublishing.com/product_book_info/new-release-c-1/the-slave-s-mask-ebook-p-731

Reviewer:   Portia

Review:  Anthony is a blockade runner, in London for only a short time.  He has a definite kink. He likes his lovers slender, young and submissive.  From the moment they meet, he knows that Francois will be perfect to satisfy his every sexual need.  Their first encounter was sexy and set the tone for the rest of the novella.  Anthony is the best kind of Dominant; forceful yet thoughtful.  Francois is fascinated with the sea-captain who masters his body without making him feel like the whore he is.

This is an excellent read, whether you are into BDSM or not.  There are different levels of bondage throughout the book, but it’s more about power and control than pain.  The Slave’s Mask is by far the steamiest of the Masquerade Trilogy.

But, it is also a beautiful love story.  Anthony does not even realize how lonely he is, until he meets Francois.  Francois has accepted his life in the brothel and has long ago given up hope of a better life.  What was supposed to be a week of carnal pleasure, morphs into so much more.

There were a few sections that I felt author rushed.  I would have liked to see more of the time while the men were apart.  But, that aside, I really enjoyed this book.  Highly recommend.