It is twenty years since the Bond of Three returned to Teruna. The kingdom of Kandor, once Teruna’s enemy, seeks help and sends its finest warrior, Dainon, on a diplomatic mission. A solitary man since his wife and child died, Dainon is unable to explain why an encounter with a young man on a beach rocks his world to its core.
Prince Arrio of Teruna has always been attracted to men but has never acted on it—until he meets Dainon. Headstrong Arrio goes after what he wants, despite his fathers’ advice. But when Prince Kei arrives unexpectedly, Arrio finds himself drawn to both men. Is history repeating itself?
Prince Kei has his first taste of freedom and is shocked when the visions that have plagued him since childhood become reality. The three men embark on a voyage of discovery. No one has foreseen the day, however, when the arrival of a stranger threatens to destroy their bond.
Second in the Sensual Bond series, this story is set twenty years after A Bond of Three, and centres around the heir of Teruna, Prince Arrio.
Danion is on a diplomatic mission from Kandor to find out how Teruna is thriving after a plague, because Kandors numbers a dwindling, with the bulk of childbearing women dying from it, including Danion’s wife, and son.
Danion’s instant attraction to Arrio is disconcerting, especially as he is still grieving for his wife and child, but after some initial denial, he decides to go along with it while he fulfills his mission. Arrio has no such reservations, and makes his attraction known.
Just as they are starting to communicate their need for one another, Prince Kei steps onto the scene, and Danion feels like an old man next to the two younger men, deciding to step back and let them strengthen their relationship.
This was a bit angsty in some areas, with a thread of non-communication, which is annoying. I don’t like misunderstandings that can be swiftly settled with communication. It’s a pet peeve. Just talk to each other and no one will be sad.
The broader story was enjoyable. I liked the world building. I haven’t read the first book in this series, but I didn’t feel like I missed anything. Everything was set out clearly, and I think this could be read as a standalone if the reader wanted.
Prince Kei was my favourite of this trio. He hasn’t been out in the world before, so he’s finding everything he encounters magical. His dreams were confusing him, but he’s taking his new freedom in stride and enjoying himself as much as he can.
The triad was a slow burn, and there was more relationship building between Kei and Arrio overall. I can see how Danion would feel left out, especially with the age gap between him and the other two, and the secretive behaviour. If it was told entirely from Danion’s point of view, that is the impression the reader would take away too.
The sexy stuff was pretty hot, and I’d say their sexual connection worked really well, even when their communication was lacking. In this one thing, they all seemed to be on the same page.
The plot drama worked well. It connected the story together, but it was a little anticlimactic. I was expecting something different, and less clean, but it still achieved its goal.
Recommended for readers who enjoy fantasy, menage relationships and relationships with an age gap. This was sweet, but not totally fluffy.
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