4 out of 5 stars
E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 168 pages. Published June 7th 2019 by Smoking Teacup Books
Blurb:
Is their marriage a blessing…or a curse?
Tom Drake wants nothing to do with his patron goddess. Her blessing has always been little more than a cruel curse. But when he finds himself disowned, disgraced, and on the verge of homelessness, he knows he can no longer afford to ignore her demands. He must marry. Sadly, his one marriage prospect is a pragmatic, stubborn man who only seems to value him for his blessing…and his body…
Mal Leighton will stop at nothing to save his beloved cousin’s life, even if it means marrying Tom—and using him for his blessing—to do it. Theirs would be a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience. Love was never part of the equation. He’ll just have to somehow learn to ignore his overwhelming attraction to his dangerously charming and seductive new husband.
As weeks pass, Tom and Mal find there’s often a fine line between love and desperation, passion and pride—and what exists between them is infinitely more complicated than their simple marriage of convenience was ever meant to be. Can they set aside their painful pasts and misconceptions to take a chance on the love match they never expected to find?
This is an M/M romance set in an alternate-universe Regency. It contains the ideal number of carriages, duels, and redeemed villains, but beware of pagan goddesses who like to micromanage. It is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a standalone. Tom’s previous dastardly deeds can be found in The Replacement Husband.
Likes:
- Quick, easy read.
- Tom was redeemed.
- Questions from the last book answered.
- Hot smut.
- Heartwarming epilogue.
- Action and excitement at the end.
- A good end for the Drake brothers.
Dislikes:
- Mal knew he was acting badly and didn’t change.
- The story behind the goddess blessing gives me serious pause.
- The beginning was a little confusing.
- Both men trying so hard to guard their hearts.
- Mal wasn’t as fleshed out as Tom.
I was a little worried when I realized this book was about Tom. He was definitely the villain of the last book, and I didn’t think I’d warm up to him. To my surprise and delight, he proved to be very sympathetic. While I still think he was an absolute ass to both Owen and Caroline, knowing what was going on in Tom’s head redeemed him.
The book began on a bit of a confusing note. Marcus and Malcolm Leighton were introduced – one a bully, the other Tom’s former crush. I had to double back and check which was which, one of the reasons I don’t like it when characters have similar names. Heavy reference was given to their time in school together, which was never brought up again.
My confusion didn’t last long. This book relies heavily on the reader remembering what happened in the last book, not a problem for me since I’d just finished reading it. The pace is very quick, with everything happening in rapid-fire succession, so that Tom quickly finds himself remarried.
I liked Tom better than Mal, mostly because Tom felt better fleshed out. More of Tom’s backstory gets told, whereas Mal is so focused on Will that we don’t find out much more about him. The fact that he knows he’d not treating Tom well and doesn’t immediately change his behavior made me a little mad. But there was, eventually, genuine affection between them, and it was fun watching their feelings change and grow. The last few chapters were exciting, and the epilogue was heartwarming and wrapped up this book and the previous one well.
Mal and Tom’s relationship definitely took a while to get going. I got annoyed at the end at how hard Mal was trying to guard his heart. Similar to the last book, the main barrier to a happy ending was the lack of open and honest communication. Though, to be fair, I understood why neither wanted to admit they were in love. At least the smut was hot.
I was pleased to get more information on the goddesses, especially Mirreith’s story. It explained a lot, but it made me wonder if the men who were blessed by her were forced into becoming something they didn’t want to be and wouldn’t have chosen for themselves. Tom had a natural inclination towards men, but was he naturally submissive? Owen definitely was, but I’m not sure about Tom. And don’t even get me started on the way Tom’s father made him feel about being blessed.
Overall, this book was a quick, easy read, same as the last one. Hands down the best part is Tom’s redemption. I am so impressed. I’m looking forward to the next book, and wouldn’t mind if the series continued.
Find the reviews for the other books in the series, The Replacement Husband, and Yuletide Treasure.
Love is Love Reviews 