The Archer's Arrow by A.J. Marcus

Title: The Archer’s Arrow

Series: Ren Faire Romances, #3

Author: A.J. Marcus

Genre: Contemporary/Ren Faire/Suspense

Length: Novel (210 pages)

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (January 29^th, 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5Hearts

Blurb: A Ren Faire Romance 

Former Olympic archer Robin Lockwood quit competing and now runs an archery booth at the Ren Faire. He enjoys his unencumbered life with few attachments but lots of casual friends. Traveling across the country from fair to fair adds spice to his life.

John Aquitaine found acting in college and started a comedy show with his good friend, Pete. They are the “Perfect Princes,” and it helps John escape real life. The gypsy lifestyle lets him keep people at arm’s length until an arrow nearly hits him and he meets the handsome Robin Lockwood.

The flame between them sparks quickly, but the relationship is slowed when John’s dark past catches up with him. John’s Uncle Fred, the source of his horrible memories, appears at one of the Perfect Princes’ performances, and it upsets John so much he needs Robin to rescue him. Their love is tested again as Uncle Fred plans to finish what he started when John was a child.

Product Link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4635

 

Reviewer:   GiGi

Review: The second in the Ren Faire Romance series, Archer’s Arrow shines the spotlight on Robyn Lockwood, a man who knows his way around a quiver of arrows, and John Aquitane, a man running from his past, and being caught up in nightmares that still haunt him.

The story follows the two men through a day in the life of a ren fair worker. We get to explore the busy days putting on performances, selling wares and the entire ren experience to boisterous and sometimes badly behaving visitors. Readers also get the behind the scenes activities, of mealtime, fighting for shower time, enjoying meal time, bonfire time and living in a camp atmosphere. The ren faire people expand into one big family, watching out for each other. That is until one vendor voices several problems she has with Robin, from booth complains to homophobic hate spewing from her mouth. 

When a group of out of hand customers lets a stray arrow sling over the fence and into John Aquitane’s path, Robin can only be thankful it gave him an introduction to the cute redhead.

 

John is up front with Robin after he makes his intentions clear, that John is battling old scars, abuse in his past that will make him need to take their new relationship very slow. He’s in doubt that Robin will stay around long and have enough patience to wait. But Robin feels something strong and lasting for John, and any amount of waiting is worth it and the slow pace makes him enjoy all the subtleties of their growing bond. 

When someone sabotages Robyn’s bow range, the whole camp comes together to find the culprit, and just when they start to settle whodunit, the man from John’s past makes an appearance. John’s life hangs in the balance when his past abductor and rapist finds him, and Robin feels helpless to save him.

 

Will this new threat set back Robin and John’s relationship? Will they be able to catch John’s assailant and put the past behind them? Is a future between John and Robin even possible with their pasts and their gypsy lifestyles? You’ll have to grab the book and read to it find the answers to all this drama! 

 

In general, the writing was smooth, the story caught my attention, and the plot was a bit predictable a\but entertaining. The romantic scenes were pretty mild which is understandable given John is the victim of violent sexual assault. The details of each other’s sexual exploration are delicately done but come on…a ten-inch cock, really? I’m fine with 6 or seven if the guy knows how to use it and knows what to do with his mouth and hands!