Author: Aleksander Voinov
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Word Count: 71,207
Published: 2011
Fictionwise: $6.99
I am usually not one for historical reads, but the description of this one intrigued me and I’m glad that I gave it a try. Set in a very different world than we live in now, this story was an engaging tale that explored over-coming circumstances, creating your own family, and the different levels of class within a society – all with smoking hot soldiers. The writing had a few stumbles – there were some paragraphs that either seemed repetitive or irrelevant, but the characters were very well developed and made up for it. There were a surprising number of twists and turns, most that you didn’t see coming, which was a great surprise. The plot was the real strength in this story.
I would not say that I read “LOVE” between the characters in this book, and to be honest, the sex was lacking feeling, but they way it was presented fit within the historical setting and circumstances in most respects. The passion felt between the two main characters was hot, the sex was a bit rough and sometimes forced, but it was always intense. This is correctly categorized as a m/m erotica read with a hint at Dominance/submission, but nothing overt.
Out of four…
Overall Read: ♥♥♥
Sex Heat: ♥♥
Plot: ♥♥♥
I would recommend this read especially for those who enjoy getting lost in a different time and place, especially those who love a good monarch tale. The sex is rough; meaning that there was some forced situations and some hard to read scenarios. This would not be a great starter m/m book, but an enjoyable read for any seasoned readers.