Title: The Lion of Palmyra
Series: N/A
Author: Julia von Rist
Genre: Historical/Yaoi
Length: Novella (84 pages)
Publisher: Julia von Rist (31 March 2015)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts
Blurb: “It takes courage to surrender.”
His city under siege, his army decimated, Amir-el-Assad was bound by a promise to his dying father: surrender the city and wait for reinforcements to liberate Palmyra from its conquerors.
While Amir hides in the shadows and bides his time, William of Woodsworth fights a different kind of battle: he must choose between a forbidden love and his honour as a Crusader.
On the sidelines, two other men watch and wait: Geoffrey, the squire whose devotion to William is shattered by the arrival of the mysterious Zeena; and Manouh, the exotic bed slave whose hunger for pleasure hides a broken heart.
The war has ended, but the battle has just begun. The fate of the city will not be decided in the battlefield…but in the bedroom.
ISBN: 9780994745507
Product Link: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/531998
Reviewer: Prime
Review: This is specifically stated to be a yaoi novel, which is cool, though I am well aware many MM books can fall under this umbrella without being a Japanese story… and I’m not about to go into the intricacies about classifying stories as yaoi or not.
That aside, just the title, The Lion of Palmyra, indicates that this is set during one of the Crusades. Historically, it’s easy and fun to get into the idea of chivalry and English knights invading the Saracens. Even more fun, and sexy, is to get into what is more like a love square (or parabola sounds good) – there too many people involved to be a triangle! – between men from both sides of the fight.
Basically, there are four main characters, the Saracens Amir (prince) and Manouh (hot bed slave), then there are the knights William and Geoffrey. William and Geoffrey are not only cousins but they are lovers and seemingly very much in love with each other. I feel that I need a flow diagram to explain this one.
The story starts when Palmyra surrenders after a siege from the invading knights. William’s father is a prominent character at this point, who wants his son to “act like a real man” which is how we first start into the journey of this love parabola. As soon as the invaders take control, Palmyra must cohesively fall in under the command of their invaders under the direction of Amir, who is all about free loving.
There is forbidden love in an exotic setting during a time of deep religious belief where all matter of grand romance stories has been created from. Anyone who enjoys historical romances or like their knights in shining armour will enjoy this one.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through http://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com *