Tag Team Review: The Seer (Chronicles of the Riftlands #3) by Rowan McAllister

For the past ten years, smuggling magic users safely out of Brotherhood-controlled Rassa has been the only thing keeping Dakso Kavalyan going. But with his funding cut and rumors of impending civil war, his orders from the Mage’s High Council are clear: his final mission is information gathering only. No rescuing even one more hunted soul.

Daks has never been great at following orders. When he stumbles upon a Seer spouting prophecy in front of one of the hated brothers, he can’t just walk away.

Ravi never asked to be rescued, nor did he ask for the Visions plaguing his life and endangering everyone he’s ever cared about. The last thing he needs is a reckless brute crashing into his carefully laid plans. Seems the gods have other ideas.

As Daks and Ravi flee the city together, their reluctant alliance blooms into something more, but trials, bad luck, and Daks’s infuriating penchant for finding trouble dog their every move. Will trusting this reckless rogue with his heart and his life be the worst decision Ravi’s ever made… or the best?

Averaged!

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts

Another satisfying addition (NOT a standalone read) to this unique series!

It would be difficult to try to rehash the complex plot. What I can say is that this is a world whose very fabric of existence was almost destroyed over a millennia ago, saved by the benevolent Singers who basically sacrificed their entire race to stabilize things. However, parts of their essence remain trapped in magical stones, and this 3rd installment focuses again on two people who I’m guessing, will help bring back balance. In this alternate universe, magic is both feared and revered with realms markedly divided on the subject, pushing both sides into what looks like an inevitable war.

As per the blurb, Daks has been saving magic users for many years, either from prosecution or from being conscripted into the feared Brotherhood who have based their entire religious fervor on the above mentioned stones. When he comes across a vulnerable seer, Daks’s kind heart refuses to let Ravi be captured regardless of the fact that he has little resources to keep them both protected. In turn, Ravi’s resistance is more from his fear of hurting those who will most likely be looked upon unfavorably due to close approximation. Though Ravi didn’t ask for help, he realizes he has no choice but to travel with Daks to a safer place that's more accepting of his abilities . What ensues is quite the grand adventure with plenty of challenges, obstacles, and inevitable life threatening situations. These two clash over and over but of course, they can’t deny their attraction as they come to rely on each other and show their vulnerabilities.

Simply put, I enjoyed this. Daks is a wonderful gentle giant with a bit of a hero complex that often gets him in trouble. Ravi is admittedly, understandably cantankerous, as his life has not been easy due to perpetual fear of discovery. Thankfully, Ravi matures, and though he often hates his cumbersome unpredictable gift, he eventually comes to embrace and accept its advantages. This also had a good plausible romance and an equally good dose of sexy.

Overall, if you like complex fantasy with magic and otherworldly creatures, then start with The Wanderer. Each book has featured a different couple, setting up the grand story arc further, and I’m invested but hoping that the various game pieces are now finally set to go forward towards a more collaborative mission featuring everyone. Fingers and toes crossed for a revolution in the next installment, as the Singers deserve their well earned and long awaited peace!

Adam - 3.5 Hearts

‘The Seer’ introduces Daks and Ravi, and their journey that ultimately becomes part of the fight for Rassa’s future.

I really liked the dynamic between the two MCs. It started off prickly and hilarious, and slowly became tender.

As they travelled through Rassa towards freedom, running from the Brotherhood, the two men grudgingly went from mutual annoyance to something resembling camaraderie, and eventually more.

Ravi is definitely a bit of Debbie Downer, but it’s understandable! He went through a lot. Plus, his bossiness, which rarely got things to go his way, was funny.

Regardless, Daks deserved a gold medal for his patience. A giant with a heart of gold, and gentle when he needed to be.

And they way he took care of Ravi during his prophetic episodes. *swoon*

I’ll admit, I may have developed a bit of crush on Daks. You can’t blame me!

Of course, the voyage was far from easy. The two men, along with their travelling companions, are constantly on guard for the next hiccup. And there are many!

However, I do have to say that the story dragged quite a bit in the middle. I wasn’t bored at all, but I did wonder what the point was.

Obstacles seemed to pop up without really doing much for the story. Fewer swashbuckling situations would have made for tighter and more even-paced story-telling.

Luckily, I was roped right back in when Ravi and Daks finally gave in to what had been building between them!

Daks was of course wonderful, but it was just as delightful to see Ravi let down his guard and reciprocate. It was sunshine, roses, and all that.

The book ends with pulling readers back into the grand overarching story. I have to say that I’m disappointed with the way that’s gone - way too much has happened off-page, and readers just need to make inferences to fill in the gaps. That’s not at all how I like to read high fantasy tales!

Overall, I did really enjoy reading both the relationship and the adventure. Hopefully the next book focuses on the bigger plot!

Review: Hexes and Horns (Magic Emporium) by Rowan McAllister

Ryan O’Byrne has rules: 1) no using his magic, 2) no getting dragged back into his family’s craziness, and 3) no dating supernaturals of any kind, especially shifters … in other words, nothing and no one who will tempt him to break rule number one.

But what if the gorgeous wall of muscle he can’t seem to stay away from just happens to be a shifter? Well, it is only a short-term thing, and he isn’t a master of denial for nothing.

Leo Holt can’t help it if he has a teeny tiny weakness for bad boys—not really bad, just a little prickly around the edges. Even for a unicorn, all sweetness and light, all the time, can get a little boring. But, falling for the eldest son of the dark witch family who runs his little West Virginia town might be getting his fingers too close to the fire, even for him.

For Ryan, it was supposed to be a simple trip back home to show support during a family crisis. But when hexes, secrets, a family demon, and the O’Byrne witches are involved, nothing is ever simple.

Hexes and Horns, is part of the Magic Emporium Series. Each book stands alone, but each one features an appearance by Marden’s Magic Emporium, a shop that can appear anywhere, but only once and only when someone’s in dire need. This book contains explicit sex scenes, a muscular moonshiner, a reluctant witch, a spooky best friend, and a guaranteed HEA.

My favorite of the series thus far!

As per the blurb, Ryan is called home to help with a dire situation, and he hates being there, adamantly suppressing his magical abilities and turning the other cheek in regards to his morally corrupt family. Ryan wants nothing to do with being a witch, nor does he want to mingle with any other supernatural or paranormal members of the community, but when he comes across the sunniest ray of sunshine named Leo, all of Ryan’s rules go out the window.

Here, McAllister definitely brings a different twist to her heroes. Most notable is Ryan’s background and personal struggles. Just because he’s a witch who has yet to fall into dark magic doesn’t mean he isn’t tempted. This contrasted wonderfully with Leo’s hippy laid back be-what-may attitude. It was a refreshing surprise regarding who Leo is as a shifter, and it’s that very secret that fuels the plot as his life is endangered by Ryan’s family.

This also has a very organic progression as to how Ryan and Leo fall for each other, interspersed with some sweet flirting, funny banter, and nice smexy. Ryan is commendable in his determination to not do what comes magically easy and in how he fights his very nature. Leo was a dreamboat - kind, generous, all accepting, and honorable.

Though still easy breezy, in comparison to the first 4 stories in this loosely connected series, this had an appreciated depth to it. I’m keeping my hopes up that the next story from Maslow can continue this winning streak!

Tag Team Review: The Priest (Chronicles of the Riftlands #2) by Rowan McAllister

Brother Tasnerek, one of the infamous Thirty-Six stone bearers, is facing a dangerous crisis of faith after uncovering a secret that could shake the foundations of the Brotherhood of Harot. When Tas is sent to protect a tiny village on the edge of Rassa’s borders from Riftspawn, he struggles to resume his duties, risking his life and the lives of those around him.

Girik has always been an outsider, but to help his sick mother, he agrees to be the village’s offering in a painful ritual deemed necessary by the Brotherhood. But when the priest has a crisis of conscience, Girik offers his help to untangle a web of lies—even if it means getting closer than he ever imagined and committing sacrilege in the process.

With a monster lurking in the forest, a wandering mage mysteriously appearing, and more secrets awakening to unravel the truths of their world, Tas and Girik must make grave decisions. A life without danger seems a far-off hope, but love just might be theirs… if they survive.

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts

I get it. Sometimes you have to take a detour to fill in some blanks and set things up for the overall arc, and it’s not as thrilling or exciting as the first installment. That’s kinda what happened here for me.

Briefly, 1000 years ago the veil was torn apart allowing evil creatures known as spawn, to come through a rift to wreck havoc on mankind. There’s various “fighters” present who have made it their life mission to kill these monsters (the first book featuring wizard Lyuc) and here, it’s the Brotherhood, a fear based religion that uses pain to acquire power enough to kill them.

When one of the Brotherhood’s priests Tas, discovers a fallacy in their practice, it throws off his entire known existence, putting him in an existential crisis that comes at the most inopportune time. He needs to reap a pain offering from local villager Girik, so he can kill a spawn that has been terrorizing the area, but how can Tas go forward knowing that such a barbaric practice is not needed? Just imagine what he can glean by doing the opposite of pain, and you know exactly what I’m hinting at...

Ensue a quick sexy progression between Tas and Girik and an even quicker love connection (which fell a bit short of its mark) as this spans just a few days. However, Girik is the bestest of the gentlest giants out there, and he was my favorite part until we meet back up with Lyuc, Yan, and Bryn again from The Wanderer.

Overall, I applaud McAllister’s intricate world building. Beware huge religious themes and not in a good way. This sort of thing is necessary, but I’m just not interested in the doctrine that devoted side characters zealously cling to blindly. Regardless, things are changing fast. Tas’s world and that of all the kingdoms is about to be put upside down on its axis. The truth they figure out is a mind boggling revelation requiring them to band together to start forth on the seemingly insurmountable task to right some very very big wrongs.

So, this installment was wholly necessary to the story arc but just not as compelling when compared to the first book. Regardless, I’m still reading the next adventure because I need to see how this intriguing fantasy saga plays out!

Adam - 2.5 Hearts

‘The Wanderer’, the series debut released last year, set the bar high for ‘The Priest’. I was ready to be wowed. Unfortunately, it just didn’t pan out.

As one of the Thirty-Six of the Brotherhood, Tas is tasked with defending Rassa and its people from the Riftspawn. However, after he discovers secrets of the past, Tas’ faith in the Brotherhood has been shaken. And his trip to a tiny village at the border only makes matters worse.

Girik offers himself for the painful ritual that will cleanse his village of the Riftspawn. He does it primarily for his ailing mother. He’s been through the torture before, so it shouldn’t be too hard to do again.

But this time is different. From the beginning, it’s clear that the ritual won’t go as planned.

Very early on, I found myself rolling my eyes. I don’t think this is too spoilery, considering it happens near the beginning of the book - but the “fuck or die” trope just isn’t one I’ve ever been able to take seriously.

It definitely sets up Girik and Tas’ relationship in quite a titillating manner, but it just wasn’t a promising start.

That being said, I have to hand it to the two for taking their duty so seriously. Good on them for getting some action, being all sweet, and saving the town in the process!

And I did like both main characters. Girik’s a total gentle giant, and handles Tas with the care he needs. Tas, for his part, showed loyalty to Girik that he didn’t have to from pretty early on.

Yes, their relationship did start oddly and was perhaps more so the result of the two being pushed together under the circumstances, but there was clearly a spark there.

However, the plot just wasn’t that engaging for most of the book. I found myself zoning out as scenes were drawn out and it took a long time for things to actually start happening.

In the same vein, while Tas and Girik’s relationship was sweet, it wasn’t a grand romance and I’d say ends on more so a HFN note.

In the grand scheme of things, the overarching storyline of the Riftspawn doesn’t move forward significantly from Yan and Lyuc’s story in book 1.

That being said, I’m still interested enough (especially with the re-entry of a certain trio) to see what happens next!

Blog Tour: The Priest (Chronicles of the Riftlands #2) by Rowan McAllister

Welcome author Rowan McAllister to the blog as they visit on The Priest (Chronicles of the Riftlands #2) blog tour! Learn more about the latest in the Dreamspinner Press fantasy series and learn more about the book through the author's visit and their love for the fantasy genre today!

Title: The Priest
Series: Chronicles of the Riftlands, Book Two
Author: Rowan McAllister
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: September 10,2019

Blurb: Brother Tasnerek, one of the infamous Thirty-Six stone bearers, is facing a dangerous crisis of faith after uncovering a secret that could shake the foundations of the Brotherhood of Harot. When Tas is sent to protect a tiny village on the edge of Rassa’s borders from Riftspawn, he struggles to resume his duties, risking his life and the lives of those around him.

Girik has always been an outsider, but to help his sick mother, he agrees to be the village’s offering in a painful ritual deemed necessary by the Brotherhood. But when the priest has a crisis of conscience, Girik offers his help to untangle a web of lies—even if it means getting closer than he ever imagined and committing sacrilege in the process.
With a monster lurking in the forest, a wandering mage mysteriously appearing, and more secrets awakening to unravel the truths of their world, Tas and Girik must make grave decisions. A life without danger seems a far-off hope, but love just might be theirs… if they survive.

Thanks to everyone for joining me on stop number two of my blog tour for the second book in my love letter to fantasy: The Priest!

As I may have mentioned when book one came out, fantasy novels were my first love. My mother read them every night, so I didn’t even have to go out and buy my own as a young tween/teenager. The house was full of them! And even though I may have strayed with romance from my early twenties on, like all first loves, I’ve never forgotten them.

Good news is, I can get both in one now, and I can write both in one too!

One of the things I like best about romance is that the readers aren’t ashamed of the tropes they love. Too often in fantasy circles, I see people talking down about the use of tropes in stories and sneering at them as if they weren’t the very thing that gives definition to the genre. But here in romance-land we celebrate our tropes, we love them for the comfy little slippers, dozen roses, or box of chocolates they are. When we find something we like, we want more and more and more of it, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Tropes are the framework we hang the details of a truly interesting story on and romance is all in the details.

This series is a nod and a thank you to all the things I love about both romance and fantasy rolled together, so I thought I’d share a few of the tropes/pop-culture and fantasy inspirations for book 2, The Priest.

In creating Kita, the world in which the series takes place, Rassa was the first of the three kingdoms that sprang to life in my imagination because it was inspired by one of my favorite series from my teens; The Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey. Her country of Karse, with its heavy religious influence and its demon monsters in the dark, still strikes a chord with me decades after the first time I read the books. Now, obviously the concept is older than the Catholic Church in Medieval Europe, but something about the feeling of Karse and how it fit in her world stayed with me. It’s not the ultimate looming evil of Tolkein’s Mordor. It’s the all-too-human evil of fanaticism and the people who use it to their advantage.

Tas’s character sprang out of that world, as the crusader knight, the cleric-class hero who receives his power from divine intervention. He evolved from the question: what happens when a true-believer who is good and loyal loses faith in the very thing he fights for? What happens when Captain America has his Civil War or when America no longer lives up to the high standards and mythos he’s created around it? A crisis of faith and tortured hero resonate with us because we’ve all had a trust betrayed or become disenchanted with something at least once in our lives. Anyone who’s ever read “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong” by James W. Loewen knows exactly what I’m talking about. What does a true-believer do when the object of his faith is proved false?

Girik, on the other hand, sprang from the classic trusty sidekick and loyal companion tropes. He’s the Watson to Tas’s Holmes, the Alfred to Tas’s Batman- insert slash fiction of your choice here. In my previous blog tour post, I mention Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings” because that’s Girik. He’s the man who’s perfectly content to stand in the shadows and be overjoyed while the one he cares for basks in the light. He finds joy in others’ successes and others’ happiness. The strong silent type who catches the hero when he stumbles and puts the pieces back together again.

The Wanderer, book one in the series, has its fair share of loveable tropes too, from the old man in the woods/wizard/teacher character of Lyuc to the scrappy young man who comes from nothing, Yan. And I fully intend to continue bathing in the warm pool of the tropes I love as the chronicles continue, but you’ll have to wait for the next books to see which ones!

Author Bio:
Rowan McAllister is an unapologetically romantic jack of all trades and a sucker for good food, good cocktails, rich fibers, a great beat, and anything else that indulges the senses. In addition to a continuing love affair with words, she likes to play with textiles, metal, wood, stone, and whatever other interesting scraps of life she can get her hands on. She lives in the woods, on the very edge of suburbia—where civilization drops off and nature takes over—sharing her home with her patient, loving, and grounded husband, three furry rescues, and a whole lot of books, booze, and fabric. Her chosen family is a madcap collection of people as diverse as her interests, all of whom act as her muses in so many ways, and she would be lost without them. Whether her stories have a historical, fantasy, or contemporary setting, they always feature characters who still believe in true love, happy endings, and the oft-underappreciated value of sarcasm.

rowanmcallister10@gmail.com
https://twitter.com/rowanmcallister
https://www.facebook.com/rowanmcallister10

Buy Links:
https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/the-priest-by-rowan-mcallister-10768-b

https://www.amazon.com/Priest-Chronicles-Riftlands-Book-ebook/dp/B07WN7XPK3/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+priest+rowan+mcallister&qid=1566924018&s=gateway&sr=8-1

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-priest-rowan-mcallister/1131782364?ean=9781644055335

Tag Team Review: The Wanderer (Chronicles of the Riftlands #1) by Rowan McAllister

After centuries of traveling the continent of Kita and fighting the extradimensional monsters known as Riftspawn, mage Lyuc is tired and ready to back away from the concerns of humanity.

But the world isn’t done with him yet.

While traveling with a merchant caravan, Lyuc encounters Yan, an Unnamed, the lowest caste in society. Though Yan has nothing but his determination and spirit, he reminds Lyuc what passion and desire feel like. While wild magic, a snarky, shapeshifting, genderfluid companion, and the plots of men and monsters seem determined to keep Lyuc from laying down his burden, only Yan’s inimitable spirit tempts him to hang on for another lifetime or so.

All Yan wants is to earn the sponsorship of a guild so he can rise above his station, claim a place in society, and build the family he never had.

After hundreds of years of self-imposed penance, all Lyuc wants is Yan.

If they can survive prejudice, bandits, mercenaries, monsters, and nature itself, they might both get their wish… and maybe even their happily ever after.

4.125 Hearts average!

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts

A really intriguing start to a new fantasy series, I quite enjoyed myself with McAlister’s latest creation.

Lyuc is the legendary Wanderer, a 1000+ year old wizard trying to atone for a past mistake that potentially threatened the world’s existence. He and his trusty sidekick Bryn, have been roaming the lands dispatching dangerous beings known as the Riftspawn for centuries and it seems finally, that things are quieting down. Lyuc somewhat apathetically contemplates “retirement” thinking his self appointed obligations are coming to a close, and he goes about his responsibilities incognito and half heartedly. However, on a rote trip to the King’s city amongst a traveling contingent, not only does Lyuc find someone who piques his interest for the first time in many many decades, the threat he thought was basically gone resurfaces, indicating that there’s a new evil brewing.

Touching on magic, monsters, different realms, and stark class struggles to keep things interesting, this also excels at romance as Lyuc feels an inexplicable pull towards the unnamed Yan, a non magical member of society who’s basically the lowest member of an unfair ingrained social hierarchy. What starts out as Lyuc standing up for the beleaguered young man on their shared travels, turns into a lovely hurt comfort as he and Yan get to know each other better and better.

Like with all fantasy that I enjoy, there is a bit of not fully understanding what’s what. There’s an air of mystery, not all is revealed and obviously, that’s to keep you coming back for more. What I can tell you is that the legend surrounding Lyuc is definitely a great set up, and the new challenge he and Bryn face will surely test their future plans and resolve. This kept me on my toes, had a lovely burgeoning romance, as well as some nice smexy smex to make it that much better.

Apparently I liked this, and I more than look forward to seeing how McAlister furthers the adventures and dynamic of this newly formed trio!


Thank you to the author/publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.


Adam - 4.25 Hearts

Considered me hooked!

In this series debut, readers are introduced to a fantasy world of magic, monsters, and romance. I love a good fantasy book, and ‘The Wanderer’ definitely delivered.

The author builds the world slowly, with bits and pieces revealed as the story progresses. Even by the end of the book, it was clear that there was still a lot more to discover about the continent of Kita and the people who live there. I’m hoping we get a clearer picture in the next book!

Lyuc is a tired mage who travels across the continent battling “Riftspawn,” otherworldly monsters that escape their dimension to threaten humanity. Lyuc, and his shapeshifting companion Bryn, like to keep low profiles and interact as little as possible with others.

But it becomes difficult to stay aloof when they meet Yan while traveling with a merchant caravan. For the first time in centuries, Lyuc feels a connection to another human.

I was rooting for Yan from the moment he appeared in the book. A member of society’s lowest caste, the Unnamed, Yan hasn’t had the easiest life. But he was so determined to rise above his circumstances, and so pure in heart, that it would be hard not to cheer him on.

Yan feels as drawn to Lyuc as Lyuc is to him. He can’t quite put his finger on it, but he knows there something special about the older man.

The two men meet under less-than-perfect circumstances, and a relationship between defies social mores due to caste differences, but the connection is undeniable. Neither can resist each other for long.

I was swooning at every sweet moment the men shared together. Both had been alone for so long - Lyuc because a self-imposed exile, and Yan because of his station in society. But when they were together, they felt happy and at home.

For Lyuc, Yan becomes a reason to look forward to life again. And for Yan, Lyuc becomes the family he’d always been searching for.

The mystery/action plotline isn’t particularly grand, but it kept me entertained. While there isn’t a cliffhanger, there are some unanswered questions which I assume are setting the stage for the rest of the series.

Overall, I really liked the beginning of what could be an epic fantasy series. The focus of book 1 was on the characters, and I fell in love with them both. I can’t wait to see where Yan and Lyuc, and Bryn, go next!

Audiobook Review: Power Bottom? by Rowan McAllister

Can a pickup line from a stranger completely change the way an ordinary man sees himself?

Adrian wouldn’t have thought so, but after an ugly breakup where his self-esteem took a serious beating, he’s willing to try just about anything to repair the damage… even return to a secluded bar in rural Maryland and the intriguing stranger whose words have been on his mind since they met.

Biker, bouncer, bartender, and tattoo artist, Wyatt is a rolling stone. After fifteen years, he is tired of a life on the run, but he isn’t sure he knows how to do anything else or if he has anything besides a physical relationship to offer.

What’s supposed to be a one-off turns into another and another, and the relationship looks promising until the mob and the FBI come knocking on Adrian’s door.

Listening Length: 7 hours and 38 minutes
Narrator: Nick J. Russo

Reviewer: R *A Reader Obsessed*

Please note - I feel the title of this book is a bit misleading. I almost didn’t mark it “to be read” solely because of it. If you think you’re gonna get some kind of bdsm, kinky story, you’re gonna be disappointed. And the MC as some empowered bottom? That isn’t or doesn’t happen either. What you will get instead, is an underdog kind of guy finding his worth with the helpful hand that only love can provide. I know, total schmaltzy sentiment right there, but it is what it is.

Poor Adrian has recently been given some horribly harsh “truths” by an ungrateful boyfriend. They breakup and in order to rectify some semblance of pride, he finds himself back at a bar where a gorgeous hot biker had surprisingly hit on him. What ensues is some really nicely done smex as Adrian gets his groove back. Well… as much as an adorkable accountant with lots of self esteem issues can in a few short weeks.

Wyatt has a secretive past and is mostly always on the run. Of course, this prevents him from settling down anywhere for long. However, he can’t resist what Adrian’s offering, and instead of leaving it as a one night stand, Wyatt becomes addicted to the tenderhearted, caring guy who lets his inhibitions go. Mmmm hmmm.

The first half of this book was the evolution of Adrian and Wyatt’s relationship which I enjoyed immensely, and then it changes tone and direction where the romance takes a back seat a bit. It seems Wyatt’s past possibly catches up to him, while at the same time, Adrian finds himself possibly embroiled in illegal actions at his job. A perfect storm commences and things go haywire and life suddenly gets convoluted and scary. I admit I’m still a little vague on the details, but things are magically resolved, and love prevails with a well deserved happy ending.

So... expect wholly likeable characters. Adrian was easily relatable, simply wanting someone to equally care for him back. Wyatt was one confident, sexy beast who was kind and genuine. This was a sweet and smexy contemporary romance with a little cat and mouse suspense, made all the better by the excellent narration by Nick J. Russo. Overall, simply a satisfying read/listen!

Thank you to the author/publisher for the audio in exchange for an honest review

Blog Tour: We Met in Dreams by Rowan McAllister

Rowan McAllister is here today talking about balance and maybe a little tiny bit about Jamie Fraser to promote her latest novel, We Met in Dreams. It's artistic appreciation!

I want to thank Boy Meets Boy Reviews very much for having me on here today… and a special thank you to Boy Meets Boy’s Adam for taking the time to read my latest and write a lovely review!

This is the last stop on my blog tour for We Met in Dreams, and I’ve had a great time sharing bits of myself and my novel along the way.

On other stops I’ve talked a bit about research and things I’ve stumbled across. I’ve talked about things that have touched me and inspired me in the process of writing this book and creating the cover art. So today I’d like to share a bit of the other side and touch on one of the challenges I face whenever I start a new historical novel.

As I’ve said before, I love the research so it’s not really a problem for me to sift my way through neat bits of history. The biggest challenge I face can be summed up in one word: balance.

It could be said that any novel is a balancing act between character and plot or emotion and action (or any number of things) but historicals are unique in that you have to take the reader back to a specific moment in time using bits of history, food, furniture, modes of transport etc. to set the mood without going overboard.

How much is too much?

I find all sorts of interesting and quirky tidbits of history along the way, and part of me wants to share ALL THE THINGS! But if that bit of history has no real bearing on the plot, I really can’t dump it in anywhere just cuz I think it’s cool. There’s a difference between setting the mood and giving a history lesson, and I would never dare try to fill the shoes of a history professor. I’m a buff not a historian and not nearly qualified for such an undertaking. Finding just that right bit of history that’s pertinent to the story or gets the time period across without putting the reader to sleep or forcing them to skip to the end of the paragraph isn’t always easy.

And another balancing act that’s just as crucial involves language. Language changes significantly even within a decade, let alone across a century or so. Even with a great love of Austen and Dickens, one can admit the works can be just a tad, um, wordy for the average modern reader. I don’t want my characters to sound out of place, but there is such a thing as too much nineteenth century slang if a reader has no idea what you’re talking about… or there’s too much verbiage period. Diana Gabaldon’s Jamie Fraser might’ve been slightly less dreamy if he spoke like a Robert Burn’s poem, mostly because we’d have to stop every second word to look up what the heck he was saying (you know, if words were really necessary to the scene, ahem.)

Anyway, the last thing I want is for a reader to be taken out of the story, so the use of period slang and idioms either needs to be sparse or the words need to be similar enough to today’s usage to get the point across fairly readily.  And on the flip side of that, I have to thank my editors for catching occasions where I slip up and use words too modern for the era as well. You don’t realize just how much language has changed until you have to find a replacement for the word ‘lover’ in Victorian English because ‘lover’ just wasn’t used the same way it is now.

Given that I’m an American, there’s the added challenge of trying to represent a language not entirely your own as well as nearly a century and a half removed. Let’s just say I watch a lot of BBC productions to fill my auditory memory with dialect, rhythm, and cant.

It’s not a hardship by any stretch of the imagination, and STARZ’s Jamie Fraser can read me the phone book any time he wants. 

Blurb:

In Victorian London, during a prolonged and pernicious fog, fantasy and reality are about to collide—at least in one man’s troubled mind.

A childhood fever left Arthur Middleton, Viscount Campden, seeing and hearing things no one else does, afraid of the world outside, and unable to function as a true peer of the realm. To protect him from himself—and to protect others from him—he spends his days heavily medicated and locked in his rooms, and his nights in darkness and solitude, tormented by visions, until a stranger appears.

This apparition is different. Fox says he’s a thief and not an entirely good sort of man, yet he returns night after night to ease Arthur’s loneliness without asking for anything in return. Fox might be the key that sets Arthur free, or he might deliver the final blow to Arthur’s tenuous grasp on sanity. Either way, real or imaginary, Arthur needs him too much to care.

Fox is only one of the many secrets and specters haunting Campden House, and Arthur will have to face them all in order to live the life of his dreams.

Release Date: February 27, 2017

Genre: Victorian Gothic/Historical European

Page Count/Word Count: 268/98,457

Cover artist: Anna Sikorska

Buy links:

DSP 

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Google

Kobo

Author Bio:

Rowan McAllister is a woman who doesn’t so much create as recreate, taking things ignored and overlooked and hopefully making them into something magical and mortal. She believes it’s all in how you look at it. In addition to a continuing love affair with words, she creates art out of fabric, metal, wood, stone, and any other interesting scraps of life she can get her hands on. Everything is simply one perspective change and a little bit of effort away from becoming a work of art that is both beautiful and functional. She lives in the woods, on the very edge of suburbia—where civilization drops off and nature takes over—sharing her home with her patient, loving, and grounded husband, her super sweet hairball of a cat, and a mythological beast masquerading as a dog. Her chosen family is made up of a madcap collection of people from many different walks of life, all of whom act as her muses in so many ways, and she would be lost without them.

E-mail: rowanmcallister10@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rowanmcallister10

Twitter: @RowanMcallister

See Adam's review HERE.

Review: We Met in Dreams by Rowan McAllister

In Victorian London, during a prolonged and pernicious fog, fantasy and reality are about to collide—at least in one man’s troubled mind.

A childhood fever left Arthur Middleton, Viscount Campden, seeing and hearing things no one else does, afraid of the world outside, and unable to function as a true peer of the realm. To protect him from himself—and to protect others from him—he spends his days heavily medicated and locked in his rooms, and his nights in darkness and solitude, tormented by visions, until a stranger appears.

This apparition is different. Fox says he’s a thief and not an entirely good sort of man, yet he returns night after night to ease Arthur’s loneliness without asking for anything in return. Fox might be the key that sets Arthur free, or he might deliver the final blow to Arthur’s tenuous grasp on sanity. Either way, real or imaginary, Arthur needs him too much to care.

Fox is only one of the many secrets and specters haunting Campden House, and Arthur will have to face them all in order to live the life of his dreams.

Suffering from hallucinations since childhood, Arthur Middleton, Viscount Campden, has lived locked up in his rooms for a decade. It’s for his safety, so he doesn’t mind too much. That is until the latest apparition to visit him turns out to be a fascinating character.

The man introduces himself as Fox and insists that he’s a real man. Arthur doesn’t believe him, but every visit from Fox makes his yearning for a life beyond his rooms, and for Fox, grow.

This is my first read by Rowan McAllister, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. What I got was a wonderfully written book. The prose was evocative without becoming purple, and sucked me right into the story.

It would be hard not to feel for Arthur. His life is a cycle of laudanum, sleeping, reading, self-loathing, and hallucinations. But what’s also obvious from the beginning is Arthur’s resilience. He refuses to let his illness beat him.

Arthur and Fox’s first meeting was a mix of cute and funny. Fox is a gentleman thief, imitating Robin Hood. The book is told from Arthur’s POV, so readers’ only see Fox through Arthur’s eyes. Even so, it’s clear from the beginning that Fox sees Arthur as an equal, not an invalid.

The two are attracted to each other from their first meeting, but it takes them a long time to act on it. They become friends before they become lovers. Fox sneaks into Arthur’s room a few nights a week, and the two spend their time talking, and playing the piano and chess.

I couldn’t help but grin each time Fox showed up in Arthur’s room. Arthur would be filled with so much joy, and Fox clearly couldn’t keep himself away. Fox became Arthur’s personal cheerleader.

Once the two finally give in to the attraction between them, they don’t hold back from each other, either physically or emotionally.

The big stumbling block in the relationship is, of course, Arthur’s illness. Frankly, I didn’t get a clear understanding of exactly what caused Arthur’s periodic hallucinations or how they were cured. There’s an odd paranormal angle too.

The characters in the book didn’t understand either, which made sense given the book is set in the mid-1800s. So I wasn’t as bothered by the ambiguity as I might have been.

However, I thought too much happened in the last 20%. Considering everything that Arthur and Fox had already gone through, it was overkill to put them through even more. The story could have worked just as well without the extra drama at the end.

But that didn’t detract from how much I enjoyed this book. Arthur does get better, and he and Fox do finally get their happy ever after. It’s a HEA that takes into account that they’re two gay men in Victorian England, but it’s a happy ending nonetheless.

If you’re looking for a historical MM with a fair bit of angst but an incredibly sweet romance, I’d recommend ‘We Met in Dreams’!

Find on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads!

Don't miss the We Met in Dreams blog tour stop here