3 out of 5 stars
Ebook. 38 pages. Published June 4th 2016 by JMS Books LLC
Blurb:
Io is a Masonry Gargoyle tasked with looking after old buildings to help maintain a balance, and he’s hopelessly in love with his alpha, Cinder. If only he wasn’t such a screw up. With Cinder’s birthday right around the corner, Io is convinced he has found the perfect gift — Blackstone Manor, an estate that has captivated Cinder for years. He just needs to find the deed before the house is demolished.
Of course, keeping the gift a secret from the bitter beta Ran’imy may prove easier said than done. She has her sights set on Cinder, too. But Io is willing to do whatever he has to, including crossing a line that could get him banished from the clan.
He’s about to make a stand for love.
Likes:
- Gargoyles.
- The idea of gargoyles as protectors of old buildings.
- Cinder checked for consent.
- Short and sweet.
Dislikes:
- Ran’imy was a typical female mm romance villain.
- Needed more world building.
- Strangely dated fashion choices.
- Is Cinder a good leader?
I both love and hate stories that are this short. They’re great when you want something short and sweet. But more often than not, they leave me wishing for more world building or character development. In this case, a little of both.
The story itself is unique. Gargoyles are a type of supernatural being that I don’t see a lot of in mm romance. I liked that they fit in with the main thing I think about gargoyles in popular culture – they turn to stone if exposed to sunlight. But the author also added her own spin. There are two types of gargoyles, Masonry and Guardian, and the masonry types are responsible for guarding old buildings as a way of keeping balance between the worlds of the living and the dead. Gargoyles live in groups, with an alpha leader, and all the other members are divided into betas and omegas.
I thought the basic setup was interesting, and the main character, Io, wasn’t bad either. He’s basically the lowest rung on the ladder, and is constantly bullied by the story’s main villain, Ran’imy. His single-minded determination to win the affection of the group alpha, Cinder, help make him likeable.
I almost thought I wasn’t going to like Cinder. There was a moment where he was really pushing the boundaries of abusing his position to get Io in bed. Then he redeemed himself by asking “Are you doing this because you want to or because you feel obligated?” That double check about consent made him likeable.
I wish both men had been fleshed out more. I have no idea why Ran’imy goes out of her way to bully Io so much, other than him being an easy target. I also don’t know what specifically it is about Cinder than Io likes so much. Cinder isn’t described physically, and we learn next to nothing about him. In fact, I have to wonder if he’s a good leader. He doesn’t like Ran’imy, despite the fact that she’s his second in command, and he spends a lot of time wondering if his actions will make him look weak.
I also wish the gargoyles had been physically described. They have wings, but otherwise seem human. They wear clothes, including Ran’imy’s bedazzled jeans, which are an unfortunate piece of dated pop culture.
Ran’imy is what I think of as a traditional female mm romance villain. The kind of woman who wants to sleep with one of the men, despite having been rebuffed. It’s not a trope I enjoy, because it lacks depth, and there’s a trend in mm romance to portray women as potential homewreckers.
When I reached the end of this story, I couldn’t help but wonder why it wasn’t a little longer. A few more paragraphs of description would have really fleshed it out. Not to mention that for a story that’s been published by a small publisher, there were a number of glaring errors, including some dialogue at a pivotal moment that was tagged wrong.
I’m glad there are more stories in this series. Hopefully we’ll get more world and character building. I’m also looking forward to seeing Cinder and Io get closer.
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