Series Review: Goddess-Blessed by Eliot Grayson

A unique alternate universe Regency series.

4 out of 5 stars

Books include:

Plus the short story:

Likes:

  • Quick, easy reads.
  • Unique premise.
  • How the different men reacted to being goddess-blessed.
  • Hot smut.
  • The characters.
  • Acceptance of same sex marriages.
  • Different goddesses.
  • Hooked me easily.
  • The short story is a free download.

Dislikes:

  • The world building could have been better.
  • The first two books were directly related while the third was totally separate.
  • I had minor issues with all the books.

I am pleasantly surprised how much I liked these novellas. I’m not the biggest fan of the historical genre as a whole. I feel like if you weren’t a white cis man, you were treated like shit.

Grayson found a way to get around the ever present ‘homosexuality is a sin’ aspect of historical novels by setting these stories in an alternate universe where goddesses are alive and walk among the people. It’s a unique premise, and I applaud him for trying something different. Someone who is a stickler for historical accuracy probably wouldn’t like the books, but I’m not that person so I had no problem.

My problem was the lack of overall world building. The goddesses were a hazy concept in the first book, and while the goddess in question was better explained in the second book, it wasn’t until the third book that a goddess actually appeared. I like that two different goddesses were in the books, but I wanted more. More goddesses, more world building, more stories in general. This is a series I would like to see added to in the future.

The characters were the real stars of the books. I had my favorites, but all the leading men were all okay. I am still amazed at how Tom went from asshole in book one to completely sympathetic in book two. So much character development went on. The men all reacted differently to being goddess-blessed and that was really great to see. Plus, all the novellas and the short story had hot smut.

For being novellas, a lot was packed into each story. And while I would love to have seen more of the characters, I was happy with the endings overall. The novellas were quick, easy reads that hooked me right away.

I do wish the stories had all been linked somehow. The first two were so intertwined that the third book felt a little random. Even with the short story being related to the third book.

Overall, this was a good series. Were there little things I didn’t like about each book? Yes. But they were small things. I’m glad I picked up this series.

Review: The Yuletide Runaway (Goddess-Blessed #3.5) by Eliot Grayson

A short, smutty read.

4 out of 5 stars

Ebook. 44 pages. Published November 18th 2019 by Smoking Teacup Books

Blurb:

It’s a perfect Yuletide Eve, with snow drifting down and all the bells ringing. Martin’s had a long day’s work and wouldn’t mind spending the night in bed with a willing — well, anyone with a pretty face, really. Just as he resigns himself to sleeping alone, a mysterious young lady traveler reveals herself to be no lady at all, in more ways than one.

This is an M/M romance short story with explicit scenes. It takes place in the Goddess-Blessed universe, an alt-Regency world in which people and places are much the same but pagan gods and goddess are real, present, and often inconvenient. Although it features a character from Yuletide Treasure, it doesn’t contain spoilers and stands alone.

Currently this short story is only available for free download on Prolific Works. 

Likes:

  • Short and sweet.
  • Didn’t take long to get to the smut.
  • Martin is bi.
  • Martin doesn’t have a perfect body.

Dislikes:

  • Took me a moment to remember who Martin was.
  • Neither an was goddess-blessed.
  • Cliché setup.

This was a fun short story. It had more funny moments and smut than I expected, but no one was goddess-blessed. That made me wonder if the story could have just been set in the normal Regency period, then I remembered that the goddess-blessed universe is infinitely more tolerant of same-sex couples.

It’s been a bit since I read the main stories, so it took me a page or two to remember who Martin was. Not that it really matters. This short story is very self-contained. And considering how short it is, it managed to pack a lot in, including sexual tension and tons of smut. That being said, it’s still a short story, and has a relatively open ending.

The ‘boy disguised as a girl’ setup is cliché, but it works for the story. I especially loved the realization that Noah and his sister must have spent their nights in the similar situations.

I do think this story does a few things the main books don’t. For one, Martin is bi, and it’s mentioned multiple times. But it isn’t treated as something negative, in the way Tom’s was. Tom was portrayed as an asshole. Martin “liked girls curvy and willing, and lads slim and willing, and he wasn’t fussed about which fell into his lap on any given day” yet there was no sense of judgement about that. Which I liked. I also like that Martin was bashful because he didn’t have a perfect body, and that the awkwardness of post-sex cleanup was addressed.

Overall, this was a fun, smut-filled read. Plus it was free, and you can’t beat that. I would absolutely read more short stories or novellas set in this universe.

Check out the reviews for the series books – The Replacement Husband, The Reluctant Husband, and Yuletide Treasure.

Review: A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2) by T.J. Klune

A great addition to the series. Felt a little slow at first, when the plot was being set up, then took off.

4 out of 5 stars

Ebook. 400 pages. Published June 30th 2017 by Dreamspinner Press

Blurb:

Once upon a time, the wizard’s apprentice Sam of Wilds got his happily ever after in the arms of his cornerstone, Knight Commander Ryan Foxheart. A year has passed, and while Sam’s been captured five or six more times since then, things are pretty great. His parents are happy, Gary and Tiggy still eat sass for breakfast, Randall is somehow alive despite being older than the gods, the King rules with a gentle hand, Kevin the dragon is as gross as ever, Morgan sighs a lot, Ryan continues to be dashing and immaculate, and Sam is close to convincing Prince Justin they will be best friends forever. Life is good. Until it’s not. Because Vadoma, the leader of the gypsy clan and Sam’s grandmother, has come to the City of Lockes with a dire prophecy written in the stars: a man of shadows is rising and will consume the world unless Sam faces his destiny and gathers the five dragons of Verania at his side. And she brings along her second-in-command, a man named Ruv. Ruv, who Vadoma says is Sam’s true cornerstone. 

Likes:

  • The characters.
  • The humor.
  • The world building.
  • The plot.
  • More smut.
  • New dragon.
  • Villainous villain.

Dislikes:

  • Sam and Ryan both have a lot of room to grow, both as individuals and as a couple.
  • The first half of the book lacked movement.
  • Sam got annoying at times.
  • Sam doesn’t like fireflies.

One of the great things about this series is that it focuses on Sam and Ryan the whole way through. Which means that, even though the two of them got together in the last book, their romance isn’t finished. Not by a long shot. Because both men still need to grow, and so does their relationship.

While there is more smut in this book than the last, Sam and Ryan don’t mesh together perfectly. Their relationship, while strong, is still new, despite the eighteen months or so that passed since the end of The Lightning-Struck Heart. Honestly, they both got a little annoying in the first half of the book. Situations brought out their deepest insecurities. It also showed how little Sam had thought about the future. Like, not at all. And as much as I like his character – despite the fact that he doesn’t like fireflies – I’m ready for him to grow up.

Happily, most of the things I loved about the first book were present in this one. The characters were fantastic. Especially the new dragon, but there were a lot of new characters. The villain feels genuinely villainous, which is great because I hate lame villains. The humor didn’t feel quite as pronounced in this book, but the tone was generally more serious than the last book.

The one thing that I didn’t like about this book was how little movement the first half had. A lot happened, but it all took place in Castle Lockes. Basically, Part 1 of the book set up the plot, not just for this book but for the rest of the series. It wasn’t an info dump. And it was enjoyable to read, but I was itching for them to just get started already.

It’s impossible to have enjoyed this book and not be desperate to rush ahead to the next. So many things were hinted at, both good and bad. There wasn’t a cliffhanger, but the plot is racing forward.

Be sure to check out the reviews for The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania #1), The Tragic Life of Lady Tina DeSilva (Tales From Verania #1.5), The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania #3), A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania #4), and the series review.

Review: The Tragic Life of Lady Tina DeSilva (Tales From Verania #1.5) by T.J. Klune

A free side story that made me laugh.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Ebook. 65 pages. Published September 26th 2015

Blurb:

Lady Tina DeSilva was not a cruel girl. No, she most definitely wasn’t cruel. After all, it wasn’t her fault that Mervin made her want to stab him in the face just to see what his blood looked spilling out onto the ground while he screamed for her to stop.

Rystin was forever. Mervin, though.

Mervin was just a bump in the road.

Likes:

  • Made me laugh.
  • Accurate representation of toxic fandoms, bad fanfic, and unrealistic erotica.
  • I read it at the perfect time.
  • Free.
  • Every comment Gary made.
  • Larry and Wiggy.

Dislikes:

  • Made me look up what fletching was.
  • Easy to overlook.
  • Not perfectly edited.
  • Dumps hard on fanfic.

I had no idea this story existed. I saw it listed on Goodreads and looked it up, pleased to find that it was free on TJ Klune’s blog. Then I forgot all about it until Lady Tina shows up in A Destiny of Dragons.

I immediately stopped reading A Destiny of Dragons and read this short story. And I have to say, that was absolutely the right thing to do. What Lady Tina does in A Destiny of Dragons is directly related to this short story. And honestly, I would have forgotten about this story if I had read it before getting started on A Destiny of Dragons because a lot happens in the first quarter of that book.

So much about this story made me laugh. Even the intro. Knowing that Klune had planned this to only be 5,000 words and it ended up being 16,000 made me chuckle. But of course, it was Gary’s comments during the fanfic that were the best.

This story definitely feels like a bit of a commentary on toxic fandoms, bad fanfic, and unrealistic erotica. And that’s part of what made it funny. But it’s super easy to dump on fanfic and label it all as crap. Luckily, that’s not what’s done in this story. The fanfic is supposed to be bad, partly because it’s a product of Lady Tina and how unhinged she is. I just wish I hadn’t looked up what fletching was. To quote the story – “Hup,” Larry gagged. “Hup. Hup.”

The story isn’t perfectly edited, but I’m not going to complain about it. It was free, and made me laugh. I’m just glad I can go straight from this story back to A Destiny of Dragons. HaveHeart forever!

Be sure to check out the reviews for The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania #1), A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2), The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania #3), A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania #4), and the series review.

Review: The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania #1) by T.J. Klune

I have read this book multiple times and it remains my favorite book.

5 out of 5 stars

E-book. 405 pages. Published July 20th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press

 Blurb:

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident.

Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tiggy, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds.

At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Sir Ryan Foxheart, the dreamiest dream to have ever been dreamed.

Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Ryan dates the reprehensible Prince Justin, Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.

Or so he thinks. 

Likes:

  • All the characters.
  • The humor.
  • The world building.
  • The plot.
  • Slow-burn romance.
  • Played my heartstrings like a fiddle.
  • A complete story, but with more to come.

Dislikes:

  • If you can’t handle some ridiculous situations, this book isn’t for you.

I don’t remember if this is my fourth or fifth time reading The Lightning-Struck Heart, but the fact that 1.) I’ve re-read it so many times even though I’m not a big re-reader and 2.) it can still make me laugh and cry says so much about this book. Basically, it’s amazing and everyone should read it.

For me, five star books are books that I would recommend to anyone, even someone who isn’t into mm romance. I once read the first chapter of this book out loud to my friend while she was dismantling a couch. I am not a talented voice actor, but she still ended up laughing so hard she almost hit her finger with a hammer.

From the moment I first read this book, it became my favorite. Not my favorite mm romance, my favorite book period. It’s not just the humor, or the characters, or the love story. It’s all of it. And the fact that the story is high fantasy is the icing on the cake for me. I mean, dragons, unicorns, trolls, and truth corn!

Now, to be fair, this book is ridiculous. And I mean that in the best way. Take this passage for example:

Two days before the wedding, I stood in the throne room, watching as the King regally posed next to a stained glass window. I had the easel set up a few feet away from him as I studied him closely, wanting to make sure I got his likeness just right.

“Oops,” I said.

“Oops,” the King said. “What oops?”

“Okay, so how would you feel if you looked like you had boobs?”

“Is that a hypothetical question?”

“Hypothetically… no. More like that’s what I painted somehow and will now be a part of the finished product because I don’t know how to fix it. Nor do I know if I want to.”

“Am I busty?”

“Very. You also have three of them.”

“Good. Proceed.”

“Excellent,” I said, putting more puce on the canvas, because if there was one thing the world needed more of, it was puce. “I am such a good painter.”

I understand if Klune’s humor isn’t for everyone. That’s fine. You have a mummified raisin instead of a funny bone, but that’s fine.

The slow-burn romance is part of what makes this book so great. Sure, the slow-burn means that there’s only one sex scene. But it allows the world building and character development to shine. The side characters are fully fleshed out and absolutely integral to the story. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that the side characters truly make this book. Gary is my favorite, of course, but Sam is surrounded with so many amazing people.

I think a big part of what drew me to this book was that, not only could I see myself in Sam, there’s also an element of wish fulfillment. Sam grew up in the slums, different from the other kids. Then one day, he realized he was special, and so did Morgan. So Saw was whisked off to a new life full of joy and excitement. As a queer kid who grew up in a working poor family in the American Midwest, that’s basically what I dreamed about when I was young.

I think the things that impresses me most about The Lightning-Struck Heart is that it’s a complete story. The series is all about Sam, so it’s not like this book is the only one about him and his romance. But it’s written as though it was. The reader learns everything they need to know about Sam from this book. The romance goes through the usual ups and downs, with a happy ending.

Yet there’s more to come. And that’s the best part. The knowledge that you get to read more about these characters in the next book and the next and the next.

Be sure to check out the reviews for The Tragic Life of Lady Tina DeSilva (Tales From Verania #1.5), A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2), The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania #3), A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania #4), and the series review.

Disasterology 101 by Taylor V. Donovan

This book did not bring me joy.

2 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 362 pages. Published July 17th 2013 by MLR Press

Blurb:

Kevin Morrison had it all. A house he worked hard for, a loving wife, and three beautiful children. But it wasn’t until his marriage ended that he realized what the void he’d felt almost all his life meant. Coming out as a gay man at thirty-six is not an easy feat, but he is determined to be true to his heart. Meeting a man who shares his values, and is good with his children would be a bonus, but when the guy arrives in a uniquely wrapped package, and has very specific handling instructions, Kevin needs to decide if he’s up for that kind of love.

Obsessed with order and symmetry, and a paralyzing fear of germs, Cedric Haughton-Disley has lived with isolation and loneliness as long as he can remember. Desperate to be normal, he makes some much-needed changes in his life. If he can commit to his treatment, he might very well be able to procure some quality of life… even if that’s all he can get, as finding love and having a relationship are only possible in Cedric’s wildest dreams. But when a chance encounter leaves Cedric wishing for more, he decides to take a leap of faith, and pursue the guy he wants.

Together the two men make an unlikely match. Cedric needs organization, and Kevin represents chaos. In order to stay together they both need to compromise, but will they be able to deal with Cedric’s issues and the potential disaster, or let it break them apart? 

Likes:

  • Main character with a mental illness.
  • Cedric wasn’t ‘fixed’ by Kevin.
  • Therapy being shown as a good thing.
  • Seeing Cedric get better.
  • All the issues in the book were handled well.
  • Both men were painfully human.
  • The kids.
  • Kevin’s coming out journey.
  • Hot smut.

Dislikes:

  • Kevin lost all my respect near the end.
  • Reading the book didn’t make me happy.
  • Character were constantly worried, nervous, upset, or confused.
  • The constant thinking about sex got monotonous.
  • This story is mostly about sex and OCD.
  • Underlying misogyny and machismo.
  • Kevin was framed as a knight in shining armor, but he’s just normal nice.
  • Long.
  • Little of either of their lives comes up until the end of the book.
  • No other options looked into for Cedric’s ED.

While I think this book was well written, I didn’t enjoy reading it.

The book would have gotten 3 stars if it wasn’t for Kevin losing all my respect at the end. I didn’t dislike the book enough to stop reading it. In fact, I loved that Cedric had a mental illness that controlled his life. Watching him fight to overcome his OCD was touching. But both Cedric and Kevin struggled because of the OCD.

I read romance novels because I empathize with the characters. I love watching them grow and change, and I experience the highs and lows of their relationship along with them. Most romance books have a lot of happiness in them. Falling in love is a joyful thing. The few low points in a typical romance only serve to make the sweet moments even sweeter.

This book did have moments of happiness and joy, but they were vastly outweighed by the low points. Cedric and Kevin spent most of the book worried, nervous, upset, or confused. It suits the story, but it didn’t make for a fun read.

I am glad that Cedric was working hard to make himself better, and I always love when books portray therapy in a positive light. Cedric wasn’t ‘fixed’ by Kevin’s love, but wanting to have a lasting relationship with Kevin gave Cedric the motivation he needed to work to better himself. I honestly can’t fault the author for the way Cedric’s OCD was handled. There was no magic pill, and it was something both men had to navigate.

The fact that Kevin was so accommodating about Cedric’s OCD was both fantastic and a little too ‘knight in shining armor’. On the one hand, Kevin treated Cedric with respect and dignity. Which was great. But it felt like Kevin was treated like he was something extra special just for showing common decency. He was far from perfect, as evidence by the stunt he pulled near the end of the book.

Kevin ended up losing all my respect at the 85% mark. It didn’t matter that Cedric forgave him or that Kevin knew he was being shitty. As Cedric put it, “The man he was in love with had made a conscious decision that had the potential of setting Cedric back months in his treatment.” And then a few pages later, Kevin intentionally crossed Cedric’s boundaries again and made Cedric vomit. If I hadn’t been so close to the end of the book, I would have dropped it. As it was, Kevin’s actions lost the book a star.

Which is a shame, because this book does have its good points. Kevin and Cedric are both painfully human. Kevin’s first time was so incredibly self-centered, but there was believability in that. The same with Kevin’s coming out experience. Incredibly realistic, yet heartwarming to see the journey. The way Kevin’s kids reacted was fantastic, and was probably the best part of the story.

I definitely could have done without the underlying themes of machismo and misogyny. They were scattered through the book, so ingrained it wasn’t even questioned. The way Kevin put his wife up on a metaphorical pedestal and how Cedric refers to himself as “less than a man” several times because of his ED. There wasn’t even any talk of using toys, in big part because it’s not ‘manly’, and that was frustrating too.

Especially since sex is one of the main focuses of the book. Cedric and Kevin fall into insta-lust when they first meet. It leads to both of them constantly thinking about having sex, which was incredibly monotonous at the beginning. Even after they get together, sex is still the biggest driver of the story, aside from the OCD. Between the two, there isn’t much page space for anything else. Both Kevin and Cedric have a lot going on in their lives, but little of it is shown except for at the end.

Even if I hadn’t lost all respect for Kevin at the end of the book, I still would have been disappointed in this story. The OCD and sex completely swamped the story. The book is long and sometimes it felt like a slog to get through. The emotional complexity turned into a negative for me. I’m glad all the issues were handled so thoughtfully, but this book did not bring me joy.

Review: Music and Magic by Foster Bridget Cassidy

Took me a bit to warm up to the story, but then it turned out really well.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. 152 pages  Published on April 2, 2020 by JMS Books LLC

Blurb.

Markle Vanrick is cursed by the gods. Nothing in his life has ever worked out. So, when he works up the courage to leave home with only his lute, it’s only natural his money is stolen and he’s stuck without a way to get to his cousin’s farm.

Enter Frye Indori, a mischievous man who lives life to the fullest — only because he’s a few steps away from being caught and killed. Blessed with magic from the goddess Magana, Frye fled his hometown to escape the clutches of the corrupt priestess performing evils in the goddess’s name. When he runs into helpless Markle, he feels obligated to show Markle there is some good in the world.

Like it or not, Markle gets caught up in Frye’s game of fox and hare. When the priestess finally catches them, Markle may have a few surprises of his own.

Likes:

  • World building.
  • The way magic was used.
  • I did eventually get invested in the story.
  • The men, together and separately.
  • A surprisingly well rounded novella.
  • Story wrapped up but with a hint of future books to come.

Dislikes:

  • No immediate hook.
  • Took me a while to warm up to the story and characters.
  • No information about the book up on Goodreads.
  • Blatant withholding of information from the reader.
  • Romance was a little clunky.

My biggest problem with a lot of novellas is that they have a hard time hooking me. It feel like they start off mid-story and I’m scrambling to understand what’s going on. It leads to a lot of backstory so the readers can get caught up, and the forward momentum is dampened. That’s what happened at the beginning of this book.

I’ll admit that I was not hooked right away, either by the story or the men. Happily, it didn’t take too long before I was invested. It’s clear from the beginning that something is different about Markle. His resistance to Frye’s magic added a hint of mystery to the plot. There’s also a feeling that a lot is happening around the two men, and that it will be explained later. And it was

I am pleasantly surprised at how fleshed out this story is. For a novella, it contained a lot of information. The world building was interesting, magic system was understandable, and both men’s pasts got explained. There was even time to set up a hint that this is the first book in a series.

As for the romance, it wasn’t as smooth as I’m used to. Markle and Frye spent a good chunk of time unsure if their feelings were real. Then, like a switch being flipped, they got together. I would actually say that their blossoming friendship was my favorite part of the book. Markle starts off weary of Frye. Watching both men open up to each other was heartwarming, and the romance wouldn’t have been nearly as good without that solid foundation of trust and understanding.

One thing I definitely didn’t like was the obvious way certain information was kept from the reader. It was blatant and annoying. Whenever I come across something like this in a book, I feel the heavy hand of the author. It’s like ‘There’s something important here, so you should pay attention, but also I’m not going to tell you what it is yet.’ Ugh. I’m just glad it didn’t get dragged out.

I am honestly surprised at how much I ended up liking this book at the end compared to how unenthusiastic I was at the beginning. I’ve never read anything by Foster Bridget Cassidy before, but I’ll definitely check out some of her other works in the future. The talent is there. And anyone who writes quality high fantasy novellas is my kind of author.

Review: Like a Gentleman (Love in Portsmouth #1) by Eliot Grayson

The first novella but an author I like. Hard not to judge it a bit harshly because Grayson’s more recent books are better.

3 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. Second Edition. 106 pages. Published May 9th 2018 by Smoking Teacup Books (first published November 4th 2017)

Blurb:

His revenge couldn’t be more personal…or delicious…

When writer James Rowley discovers his editor has stolen his work, he has only one thought. Revenge. And he’s not above playing dirty (very, very dirty) to get it. By the time James is done toying with the man’s emotions—and body—he’ll be broken and humiliated. It’s the perfect plan…until he actually meets the damnably alluring thief in person, that is.

Leo Wells has spent years pining for the witty, talented man he only knew through letters. So when he finally meets the man of his dreams and discovers he’s a cold, callous rake, Leo’s more than a little disheartened. Too bad he’s also powerless to stay away from—or say no to—the disturbingly attractive James, even if it leads to his personal and professional ruination.

It’s not long before Leo learns there’s more to James than meets the eye, and James begins to wonder if his need for revenge is about to be surpassed by an even more powerful desire…

This approximately 28,000-word novella contains explicit scenes. Although it’s the first book in a series, it does not end on a cliffhanger and can be read as a standalone. Snarky banter and steamy chemistry are included with your purchase, but sadly, James’s hideous pink waistcoat is not. 

Likes:

  • Short, easy read.
  • Low angst.
  • Historical flair.
  • Interesting premise.
  • The way James dressed for his first meeting with Leo.
  • The ending made everything feel very settled.

Dislikes:

  • Not actually a series?
  • Feels like a first book.
  • Some overlong and rambling sentences.
  • Didn’t captivate me.
  • Occasional pronoun confusion.

Right off the bat, I will admit that I am judging this book harsher than it deserves. I have read and enjoyed several of Grayson’s more recent books, and he’s obviously become a more competent author since this novella was written. It’s hard not to find this book lacking when I compare it with his newer works.  

As far as I can tell, this is Grayson’s first book, and it shows. It’s not a bad novella, but it’s not great. It was a solid but unenthusiastic ‘nice.’

The characters are fine and I enjoyed reading about them. I do think the short length suits their romance. I’m not sure they could have been interesting for much longer. There’s a lot of insta-lust and some insta-love.

My favorite thing about the romance was that the men actually hashed out the differences between them. Their experiences and stations in life put them at odds, and Leo’s insecurities were understandable. I wish we’d been shown a little more of their daily lives, but considering how short the novella was, I think a lot was crammed in there. The ending was solid, and gave the impression that the men would be fine in the future.  

I liked the historical flair that was present throughout the book. The premise was interesting and low angst. There was some smut, but again, I think Grayson’s writing has improved in that department. But the humor is there, as evidenced by how James chose to dress for his first meeting with Leo.

I’m not too disappointed that this book doesn’t actually seem to be part of a series. Unlike his Goddess-Blessed series, this novella was a normal historical. I’ll admit I wasn’t captivated. The occasional overlong, rambling sentences didn’t help. I’d get lost halfway through and have to reread.

I think this is a solid first novella. I’m not mad at it, but in a few weeks I won’t remember it at all.

Review: Incident of Magic (Everlight #2) by Kris Michaels and Patricia A. Knight

Not as good, or as long, as the first book. Still, not a bad continuation of the series.

4 out of 5 stars

E-book. Kindle Unlimited. 164 pages. Published March 1st 2017 by Troll River Publications

Blurb:

Sold at the age of twelve to support his mother’s drug habit and rescued from a life on the streets by a cop, thirty-two-year old Tony Locke had had a brutal start in life.

He’d risen to the position of homicide detective in the Everlight Police Department—a testament to his intelligence and driving ambition to help other victims of Everlight’s prolific industry in sex and drugs. With his promotion to the hush-hush Interdimensional Task Force, he could broaden his reach—if he could just get along with his a-hole of a partner.

Leo Fortan labored under a soul-crushing burden of sacrifice, trapped in a lonely and rigid existence. Hand-picked from that existence and assigned to the Interdimensional Task Force, he thought his life had taken a turn for the better—until he met his partner, Tony Locke. Leo thought it probable they would kill each other.

For a man who thought love didn’t exist and a man who’d sacrificed everything for it, finding common ground may require more than an incident of magic.

Likes:

  • The men’s relationship and how it evolved.
  • Character development.
  • A good second book.
  • Hot smut.
  • Good ending.
  • Hooked me and kept me interested.
  • Lots of UST – unresolved sexual tension.
  • The thing stopping them from acting on their desire was unique.
  • Got to see more of Sable and Hiro.
  • Plot carried over from the first book.

Dislikes:

  • It took me a bit to warm up to Tony.
  • Not the romance/mystery/fantasy blend of the first book.
  • I wanted more smut.
  • I wish more of Silk had been shown.
  • It’s been three years since this book came out and no sign of the third book.
  • Feels like some important things were given little page time.
  • Shorter than the last book.

Fresh off the high that came from the previous book, I eagerly downloaded this one, despite the misgivings generated from the blurb. I mean, “Sold at the age of twelve to support his mother’s drug habit” is a heavy way to start a blurb, and I was worried this book would be darker than I was in the mood for. Happily, this book hooked me and kept me interested.

Tony rubbed me the wrong way at the beginning. I thought he was a fucking idiot. That changed when he made the conscious effort to get to know Silk better so they could actually function as a team. After that, Tony quickly grew on me.

Silk was my favorite character, and I wish more of his uniqueness had been explored. He has an interesting past, unique abilities, and a lack of worldly experience. I thought all those things could have been played up more.

It was obvious just from reading that this book was shorter than the first. Even though the romantic plot was wrapped up and the non-romantic plot was moved forward, there were a number of things I felt were shortchanged. The physical relationship between Silk and Tony was one of them. I wanted more smut. Compared to the first book, there was only a bit of smut this time. A lot more was hinted at, but not given time to develop. Tony’s submissiveness wasn’t discussed at all, and the idea of Tony topping Silk was never mentioned. This is especially disappointing because part of what made Sable and Hiro such a great couple was how they navigated their physical relationship. It forced them to open up and talk, and that didn’t happen with Tony and Silk.

Still, I liked how the men’s relationship evolved. They hated each other at the beginning. I definitely liked how their relationship wasn’t the same soul-mates as Sable and Hiro, but something that meant a lot to Silk. Of course, the relationship couldn’t have happened without some serious character growth.

The UST – unresolved sexual tension – was off the charts in this book. The reason they didn’t act on it was really unique. Unfortunately, when that reason disappeared, the men never talked about it again.

Spoiler

The overarching plot from the first one translated well into this book. Sadly, the romance/ mystery/fantasy mix that felt so perfect with the first book wasn’t in this one. The plot is heavily geared towards the romance, especially at the beginning. Silk and Tony did move the task force closer to stopping the drug/sex slave trade, but not as much as I would have liked.

I would love to see a short story or two about Silk and Tony. They deserve more page time, and I think the material is there. Tony could show Silk more things about Everlight and then they could explore the kink that was hinted at.

I would say that this is a satisfying second book. It was nice to see Sable and Hiro again, to see the task force officially set up, and to see the non-romantic plot move forward. However, there is one big problem. This book was published in 2017. It’s now halfway through 2020 and no sign of book 3. Both authors have other ongoing series, and it definitely feels like Everlight got put on the back burner.  

Find the review for the first book in the series, An Evidence of Magic, here.