Review: Love on a Battlefield by Posy Roberts

Not every compass points north.

Andrew Summers is forced to spend his vacations reliving Civil War battles with his father. He hates every minute, until a blue-eyed, red-haired boy behind enemy lines catches his eye.

Shep Wells would much rather travel the world than play at boring war reenactments. He never dreamed a Texan boy would capture his heart.

Real life and years separate them; Andrew is forced onto real battlefields, but for Shep the world is a playground. They’re opposites, but writing letters closes the distance, uncovering their hopes and dreams. When Shep visits Andrew, they get to see if the tug they’ve felt for years is the compass pointing the way home.

***
This is a story about first times, second chances, and the transformative power of the written word.

ERMAHGERRRRD!!

I devoured this book. The synopsis drew me in and then I saw the cover and just had to read it. The Civil War reenactment is a unique by itself but the letters… *happy sigh* Letters. Actual hand written letters to each other. Over many years.

Andrew and Shep meet while at a Civil War reenactment with their dads. They're on opposite sides of the North/South line. The two meet at a water pump and later are drawn to each other during the actual battle. Right away their connection is evident as they both feign being “shot” to lay down right next to each other until the battle is over. So much is conveyed as they silently stare into the other's eyes and quietly make plans to meet up later.

And meet up they did. Andrew and Shep share a passionate night fulfilling their desires until the morning light. Later that day, Shep passes his address to Andrew and requests that he write.

From there, they correspond mostly through written letters as they try to chase their dreams. While Shep is off doing what he loves, Andrew realizes that sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan. His life veers way off track but his feelings for Shep remain.

“Shep was the one I dreamed about at night, the one I wanted to lie beneath, the one I saw myself spending the rest of my life with. He was the only person I’d felt drawn to. And even after five years, that pull hadn’t diminished one bit.”

This story is written from Andrew’s perspective with the insight of Shep’s letters as he read them. The snippets we are treated to show the longing, closeness, and connection they have forged through the years. It takes a while but they realize it’s ok to have new dreams and that home isn’t necessarily a place- it’s can be a person.

I appreciate the natural angst that was present in their relationship with a cautious warrior and a brighter than life Shep. They have an overwhelming sweetness to their interactions that left me swooning and an openness that was refreshing. The letters provided this slow burn feel as the men bare their souls, love from afar, and crave each other without explicitly writing it.

I loved this story hard until about 85%ish when it seemed that there was a race to the finish line. The odd drama at the end came across as a page filler when the focus could have been on Shep, Andrew, and navigating their relationship. More focus on the letters would have hit me in my happy place, too. I also wouldn’t have complained for a tiny bit from Shep’s POV. Did I mention he’s a ginger? *growl* With blue eyes? *slow blink*

Love on a Battlefield is an enjoyable story that was well executed. The unique premise caught my attention and the cover drew me in with its simplicity. Definitely recommended.

Review: Break My Shell by K.A. Merikan

--- He was supposed to never leave prison. And then he was in my bedroom. ---


Dayton is always on time to work, always organized, always ready to do overtime. The perfect receptionist-waiter-cleaner. Employee of the month. But Dayton has a secret side to him. A kinky, filthy side full of dark and dangerous fantasies that should never see the light of day.

He explores his taste for submission in one way only. For three years, he’s been writing letters about it to Max. Convicted to life in prison for the murder of three men and unlikely to ever be free, Max is the safest outlet for Dayton’s frustrated fantasies.

Only that he does leave prison. He finds Dayton. And he won’t settle for anything less than what he was promised in the letters. Too bad Dayton is nowhere near ready to indulge Max. Or himself for that matter.

POSSIBLE SPOILERS:

Themes: ex-con, sexual fantasy, role-play, bondage, dirty talk, bullying, hotel setting

Genre: M/M contemporary erotic romance

Length: ~60,000 words (standalone novel)

WARNING: Adult content that might be considered taboo. Explicit content, strong language. Reader discretion advised.

WHAT?!?! A book all about role-playing!!! and not just any role-playing, but non-con/power imbalance role-playing!!!

And he couldn’t lie to himself about it— he loved force. His dirty fantasies had men coercing him into sexual submission, even if it was ultimately for Dayton’s pleasure. A security officer after catching him shoplifting, a guy getting him drunk and having his way with him at a party, a TSA agent performing a search much more thorough than he should.

And by KA Merikan, so you know it's going to be kinky! I’m in heaven!!!


So we have Max, who was just released from prison after having his charges dropped.

He’s been corresponding with Dayton via letters and a few phone calls since the beginning of his sentence 3 years ago. When he is released he obviously goes straight to Dayton, well because Dayton is the love of his life. However Dayton doesn’t see it that way….

Dayton started writing to Max because he admired his courage and bravery in defending himself against a hate-crime. Over time one thing led to another and Dayton started telling Max about all his dirty fantasies. He never expected to meet Max and doesn’t know what to do when suddenly confronted with the two versions of himself.

The Dayton from the letters was a daring, carefree person, someone the real Dayton didn’t necessarily want to be, but definitely someone happier than him.

Honestly Dayton annoyed me quite a bit with his flip-flopping on whether he wanted to be with Max or not, and Max was such a lovesick sweetheart that I felt frustrated for him as well. But the slut me was sooo ridiculously happy with all the smut that this still got a high rating.

“That’s it, slutboy, arch that ass against me, ‘cause you’ll be riding my cock soon.”

Every side character in this story are absolute dicks and I guarantee they will all push you to your limits of not throwing your reader across the room. Most of them get a good comeuppance but I did want to see what happened to some of them in the long-run, you know, to make sure they all died in a hole or something.


This probably would’ve been a 3.5/4 heart rating because of Dayton’s flip-flopping, but role-playing is my weakness and the ending of this book was sweet, dirty and utter perfection!


Highly recommended!

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Review: Pushing the Envelope by Kim Dare

When Scott Evans sends an anonymous invitation to the dominant he’s fantasised about for months, he just hopes that Joe Stuart will be curious enough to turn up at the specified address and do a scene with him.

It never occurs to Scott that Joe will send a note back to him, or that something as simple as writing a letter could evolve into a kinky game that will test both men to the limit.

Orders, pleas, kinks and even love—there’s nothing a letter can’t contain once two hot and passionate guys start Pushing The Envelope.

Please Note: This work was previously published in fourteen short story installments. The existing parts of the story have been tweaked and re-edited, and two entirely new installments have been added. This edition is the first time all the installments have been brought together in e-book form.

Oh that was fun and kinky, just like Kim Dare always is.

Being with Scott, controlling Scott, claiming ownership over Scott—it all felt so right.

This was originally a series of short stories that were made available in installments. I never read the original series so I can’t comment on any changes to the story-line, I just read this as one story with the knowledge it used to be a serial. There were a lot of elements that made it obvious this used to be a serial. For one, there is a lot of sex! Every chapter is basically a sex scene, which would have been marvellous when they were released as individuals, as one story it can become a lot. I’m not going to take off points for that though, it comes with the territory of publishing a serial in one book, also Dare’s sex is always so incredibly hot, I didn’t mind reading a lot of it ;-). Secondly, there are no side characters, like zero. It's just Joe and Scott kinking it up. As long as you’re prepared for this to feel like a serial, then you’ll do fine.

Now let's move onto the good stuff…..

If you’re a fan of Kim Dare you’ll enjoy this book, it has everything that I’ve come to expect from her.

Close to perfect, possessive Dom.

“You’re mine now, and no one else lays a hand on my sub without my permission,”

What I extra loved about Joe was he had multiple jobs and had a pretty cruddy apartment. It was nice to see a non-millionaire Dom.

Absolute perfect, natural, obedient submissive.

He accepted the bondage with apparent pleasure. His erection remained firm, pointing straight up toward the ceiling of the salon’s back room.
Joe smiled, his own cock growing harder at the sight of Scott’s natural submission.

Scott also has crippling low self-esteem and it was lovely to see Joe help him overcome that and not completely in the ‘BDSM cures everything’ type of way.

D/S and bondage to the heart's delight.

He was perfect. Cock caged, neck collared, but without anything binding him to the chair apart from his own will, he’d never looked better.

Like other Dare books I’ve read the kink isn’t heavy but it's always present. Mostly these boys are all about dominating, submitting, bondage and a whole lot of toys. There’s also quite a bit of voyeurism and a hint of exhibitionism.

I think the only place I felt this story lacked was with the feels. I don’t know if it was because it was a serial, but any emotional connection between these two only started at approx 80%. There wasn’t anything (other than sex) for these guys to work through until the end and that left me wanting more emotional depth in their relationship. Also that was a pretty pitiful collaring scene…..

Anyway, I recommend taking your time with this one, reading it in installments even though I got through it fairly quickly. Its sweet, fun and sexy as fuck!

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Trivia Question

This author is most known for his angsty, contemporary series. A couple characters from this series are also a part of his book about a journey through purgatory. Who is the author? (worth 10 pts) 

Be sure to tweet your answer by tagging @BMBReviews along with your answer & the author's name for your chance to win DSP credits!

Did you see the Pushing the Envelope giveaway here?

Tag Team Review: Victory Portrait (Pride of Uttor #4) by Tali Spencer

Imperial captive and former Sebboyan prince Peta Kordeun has one great wish: to meet Darius Arrento, conqueror of his country and a man he has idolized since childhood. That wish comes true the day the Uttoran emperor assigns Peta to assist the artist who will be painting the great general’s official portrait.

General Darius Arrento would rather take a crossbow bolt through his flesh than sit for a portrait, until his friend the emperor forces his hand. The notorious artist, Brazzi, uses semen and other sexual fluids to bind his colors—and Arrento is captivated by the artist’s pretty helper. Before long he is driven to possess the gorgeous young man who draws battle maps and whose naïve charm has won more hearts in Uttor than Arrento has won battles.

When Arrento learns that Peta, the slave he covets and wants for his own, is one of the despised Kordeun princes, he storms from Uttor toward a far corner of the empire—where he quickly finds himself embroiled in a plot to tear Uttor’s empire apart. His emotions and loyalties frayed, the great Arrento is in the battle of his life…and Peta may hold the key to his survival.

Combined and Averaged = 4.125 Hearts from the both of us

Ann/Peachy - 4.5 Hearts

There were so many things for me to love about this book. Tali Spencer does an amazing job of world building in a really organic way. I don’t feel like I need a schematic and a flashlight to figure out where I am and who is attached to, fighting or fucking whom. It just happens and I can enjoy all the nuances without taxing my brain or reversing and rereading to figure out WTF is going on. And there are a lot of great little nuances and golden sentences that I really love to read. Sentences like;

“That statement begged to be turned inside out and made to reveal its bones.”

So much impact for one little sentence. I really appreciated the flow of the language throughout and it fit the whole feel of Victory Portrait perfectly.

The first half of the book is incredibly erotic and full of deliciously exhibitionistic foreplay. There was plenty of information as to why Peta was in the social state he was in and why he was completely fine with sharing his fluids for Brazzi’s masterpiece of his hero Arrento. The whole thing was an interesting take on slave life in Uttor and how conquered royalty fit into the society. And, while I like slave fic just as much as the next Unicorn, I was glad Peta’s status played out like it did. He was, “the least enslaved slave that ever lived.” Given that these two didn’t know one another but admired greatly the bits they did, any kind of complete master/slave thing would have felt out of balance to me for the later relationship that starts to come together for them. The off balance social structure between captured royalty and the lower classes kept it all in balance in the end.

So, anyway, about the foreplay. Damn, that was fun. A sexually frustrated Arrento is a beautiful thing. A hard and horny Peta is even better. I really dug on the effect Peta had on Arrento and how flattered Arrento was by Peta’s reaction to him. I loved how Peta knew what he wanted and had no issues with going after Arrento in what could possibly be his only chance to get with his hero. He wasn’t about to let the chance get away from him and his incredibly leaky dick. Good on you Peta!
The second half of the book gave the characters the depth they needed to get me to believe there really could be something between them in the long run. Arrento didn’t easily let go of his feelings towards Peta’s family and understandably so. But, it’s a good thing he has a wise Emperor as a BFF in Gaspar. I love that guy. I was pretty enamored of all the secondary characters and they made me want to read the rest in the series. While this book is #4, it’s the first that I’ve read and I had no trouble keeping up considering all the backstory. And, like I said, this one really just made me want to devour the rest, especially Book 2, Dangerous Beauty, I need to know Endre’s story. And books 1 and 3 too. I basically need to know all the things now.

My only niggle was that I needed a little bit more balance between the erotic flavor of the first half and the more technical taste of the second half. The first half was all about the setup between Peta and Arrento, it was flirty, filthy and emotional. The second half was more focused on the whole of Uttor along with the politics and war that had been looming throughout. All of which I found very interesting and I absolutely loved the letters that Peta and Arrento exchanged. There isn’t much more romantic than evolving love letters. The HEA came along in a realistic and reasonable way considering Peta started the book as a slave. I really just wanted a detailed final consummation scene for them. And not just because I love gratuitous boning, because I do, but because I wanted to read about them coming together with their new statuses, without the labels attached to them like they were before. Peta was finally more than just a beautiful boy and Arrento was more than just a war hero.

Of all the great words, sentences and pearls of wisdom, I really loved this conversation between Gaspar and Arrento:

Hearts can overrule cocks, you know . . . except when the two join forces and then a man is lost forever. Be careful with your heart if ever it and your cock should meet and be both enraptured by a smile.

Arrento was completed enraptured by a smile from a beautiful boy in the end and I loved the journey they took to get there.

SheReadsALot - 3.75 Hearts

Art can be sexy.

Painting?

Sexy.

In Victory Portrait, the fourth standalone in the Pride of Uttor series, painting is very sexy.

How much? Fresh semen needed to add into the paint sexy.
Lusting for what seems like ages and finally getting to pound your the object of your desire into next week...with an audience kind of sexy.

"You dream about this, don't you? About taking cock inside you, of becoming one creature, one perfect holy creature, with the man who's fucking you--"
"God help me--"
"He already has."

In this new to me series, Tali Spencer has created a fantasy based world (no magic) filled with intrigue, captives, war, lust, family drama, backstabbing, maps and hero worship that turns into something more. Prince Peta's Sebboyan royal family was captured due to his tyrant king of a father and evil eldest brother by the empire of Uttor. He and his family are Uttoran imperial captives, slaves but due to their ranking they're the least slaved as a slave could get. It's a tricky situation and the author did a great job trying to show the balance. Peta has crushed on the great Uttoran general Sar Darius Arrento for years. The beautiful youth gets his wish to meet the older man who had a hand putting him into captivity as a notorious artist's assistant. Peta has to strip naked , have his semen collected to paint a specially commissioned painting of the general. Let's just say the sexual tension was sticky...

The story isn't only hot sex (though Arrento/Peta do give lava hot screen time), there is a political/double-crossing war antics. Potential triggers: off page rape of a secondary character. I'd say the second half focuses more on war and a suspense-ish secondary plot that introduces mythology and attempted crimes in an interesting mix.

"He was a lion, and he wanted another lion. He didn't have the patience to deal with snakes."

Thankfully, the story is told in alternating POV, I got a great sense of both men without it getting too deep. That was a great aspect of this story it would broach serious topics - captivity, being an orphan, coming from a religious/homophobic background and the story didn't get ugly. There was ample explanation for the author to get their point across.The main characters from the previous books were secondary characters in Victory Portrait and gave follow up/ a prequel to the couples. A lot happens in this 80K+ story.

The story's strongest point? The setting. This world the author created seemed very real, very lived in. There were a lot of side characters and mythology and different lands in this world, at some points it read like the never-ending story, since we kept reading about yet another land embattled with the mighty Uttor empire. Sometimes a new character and their purpose would go right over my head. But I was able to grasp the main plot points and follow along with the central theme without being lost.

The main couple added the needed spice to carry this story along. Reading Arrento's struggle with wanting to bed his emperor's slave was endearing. Arrento wasn't all unicorns and rainbows though. He stormed off but thankfully didn't have a major meltdown because he listened sooner than later. There was a separation period and lasted months, maybe a year? The way the men courted each other was sweet. The sexy first half isn't recaptured in the second half. It's more about the whodunit plot with a romantic background.

"Is that cock of yours still talking? Didn't you vow to Chasca to stop listening to it?"
"After that boy in Dalmeri and barely escaping with my skin intact? My cock has gotten wiser since then."
"Cocks don't get wise," Gaspar said. "Their masters get wise enough to overrule them."

I have to talk a little about the artist Brazzi and his wild and crazy way of needing semen to create his art. He helped bring some comedic relief. And a little CBT. ;D

I was happy with the ending, wouldn't have minded a little bit more on the reunion. I did have a few questions - what happened with Imre? what will become of Adora's child? I didn't have to read the previous books but I really want to now. I was fully immersed in this world and was sad to leave it by the end.

Arrento and Peta remained true to themselves and didn't change, even if they started with a little subterfuge enemies to lovers. I liked that they explained themselves once the hidden identity was revealed. And Peta wasn't a lovesick, puppy dog following his crush for scraps. He was his own man just in every sense as Arrento did. Great couple. Totally think they'll last.

Recommended for fantasy lovers who like erotic scenes, war/political intrigue and some fun times.

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Guest Review: Carry Me Home by Sterling Rivers

After his mom dies, Aiden Price returns to Texas to deal with the aftermath. Amidst disapproving family and painful memories, Aiden finds solace in love letters he discovers in his mom’s attic. Needing a change when his sexual orientation is unexpectedly revealed and his dad rejects him, Aiden sets out on a journey to Montana to find the mysterious author of the letters. There he meets Cody Bannar, who volunteers to be his guide.

Cody had a rough start in life but after being adopted into a huge, loving family, he lives out and proud, unafraid of what others think about his sexuality.

Aiden and Cody hit it off and Aiden is welcomed into Cody’s family with open arms. As they continue on their quest, they begin to fall in love, but Aiden isn’t ready to commit to Cody, or to embrace who he is.

Not until after the truth behind the love letters is revealed does Aiden realize his mom would have wanted him to follow his heart. And home is where the heart is—firmly in Cody’s hands.

The idea that love letters written in the past can resonate in the present captured my imagination and I devoured this story.

Narrated by Aiden Price he tells of his return to his childhood home in Texas, distraught at the prospect of the imminent funeral of his mother. He feels both responsible and overwhelmed tasked with putting his mother's affairs in order with very little support or practical help from his distant divorced father and elder sister.

In the attic of his family home, Aiden discovers a stash of love letters in an old military chest that belonged to his maternal Uncle Georgie. The letters are from someone called Bibby whom Aiden assumes to be a woman. On closer inspection however he realises Bibby is in fact a man. Aiden has kept his own sexuality a closely guarded secret, and tries to imagine what it must have been like in the 1950s for Bibby and Georgie.

Impulsively, Aiden decides to take a lengthy road trip in the hope of tracking down the elusive Bibby and discovering what happened to him following Georgie's death at the end of the war.

Aiden finds himself in Valley Forge, Montana and his quest to find Bibby leads to his own journey of self discovery.

Enter stage left Aiden's love interest Cody, who volunteers to help track down Bibby using his local knowledge and contacts. Cody is vibrant and outgoing, the adopted son of a loving and demonstrative family but he also has his own demons to deal with.

In truth, I found Cody just too exuberant and Aiden a little too reserved and secretive, but they clearly have the hots for each other even if it takes some time to get over initial reservations.

With Cody's help, and the beauty of the love letters written from the heart, Aiden comes to realise he has spent too long trying to be the son his father wants and may never get the acceptance and approval he craves. Aiden takes the time to reassess his life whilst searching for Bibby.

Frankly, I found the ending just a little contrived for my more cynical sensibilities, however it is both poignant and charming.

Aiden and Cody get to know one another as their search continues. Aiden gradually comes to terms with mourning his mother and the secrets held between them. He discovers that family can be so much more than the one we are born into. Choices we make about both whom and how we love, can be even truly fulfilling. This is a beautifully etched bittersweet tale of love and self acceptance and the underlying knowledge that home can be wherever you choose.

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Dreamspinner Press

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