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.