this was a surprising delight, the title of the book is fairly misleading and made me not want to read it so i'm glad i took the chance! the story 4⭐️
this was a surprising delight, the title of the book is fairly misleading and made me not want to read it so i'm glad i took the chance! the story here isn't seducing a sorcerer, its two soft middle aged men magically finding each other and opening a horse sanctuary together - i will never recover from the emotional damage the horse stories from fenn's past dealt to me
so lets break it down into positives and negatives:
+ third person POV is a dying breed these days, even rarer for it to be done in a way that isn't confusing in M/M because of the pronouns being the same for both MMCs, and it was done artfully here, the single point of view really put you inside fenn's head without actually hearing him blather on about his every thought (the main reason i hate first person) + massively refreshing to see a book without a single bit of misogyny, the only main female character is 20 years old, in a position of extreme power, physically capable of holding her own, and on equal standing or above the men + author clearly has an understanding of northern english dialect which i haven't ever seen in an M/M romance, much less done as well as it was here + the minor mystery of morgrim and what he was hiding was subtle and well executed - while the main purpose of this book seems to have been more of a character study than plot, the plot was still interesting + horses! lovely funny worple horses that eat fabric and shit out fabric horses. i would die for squab (and fang), and reading this on my period was a mistake because i cried multiple times over a goddamn horse made of sacks + there's nothing remotely attractive about the characters, which for some may be a negative but i find it interesting - mid forties men, wrinkles, a goatee beard... these aren't your usual buff young romance lads and its a new dynamic to explore
- the bdsm borderline master/slave stuff came out of nowhere and was disappointing, i was worried i'd have to DNF because i'm not into that at all but luckily it didn't develop too far! i still feel there should have been a warning or tag for it - feels incomplete but i don't believe there are plans for a sequel? my brain was running ahead with me and already planning out at least another two books before i remembered it was a standalone, it has the vibe of a proper fantasy series with deep worldbuilding and wars and chaos but it just isn't going anywhere - the horse theme was interesting but it distracted a lot from the fact that the fantasy side of the book was missing a lot of explanation, the magic was kind of nonsensical
Merged review:
4⭐️
this was a surprising delight, the title of the book is fairly misleading and made me not want to read it so i'm glad i took the chance! the story here isn't seducing a sorcerer, its two soft middle aged men magically finding each other and opening a horse sanctuary together - i will never recover from the emotional damage the horse stories from fenn's past dealt to me
so lets break it down into positives and negatives:
+ third person POV is a dying breed these days, even rarer for it to be done in a way that isn't confusing in M/M because of the pronouns being the same for both MMCs, and it was done artfully here, the single point of view really put you inside fenn's head without actually hearing him blather on about his every thought (the main reason i hate first person) + massively refreshing to see a book without a single bit of misogyny, the only main female character is 20 years old, in a position of extreme power, physically capable of holding her own, and on equal standing or above the men + author clearly has an understanding of northern english dialect which i haven't ever seen in an M/M romance, much less done as well as it was here + the minor mystery of morgrim and what he was hiding was subtle and well executed - while the main purpose of this book seems to have been more of a character study than plot, the plot was still interesting + horses! lovely funny worple horses that eat fabric and shit out fabric horses. i would die for squab (and fang), and reading this on my period was a mistake because i cried multiple times over a goddamn horse made of sacks + there's nothing remotely attractive about the characters, which for some may be a negative but i find it interesting - mid forties men, wrinkles, a goatee beard... these aren't your usual buff young romance lads and its a new dynamic to explore
- the bdsm borderline master/slave stuff came out of nowhere and was disappointing, i was worried i'd have to DNF because i'm not into that at all but luckily it didn't develop too far! i still feel there should have been a warning or tag for it - feels incomplete but i don't believe there are plans for a sequel? my brain was running ahead with me and already planning out at least another two books before i remembered it was a standalone, it has the vibe of a proper fantasy series with deep worldbuilding and wars and chaos but it just isn't going anywhere - the horse theme was interesting but it distracted a lot from the fact that the fantasy side of the book was missing a lot of explanation, the magic was kind of nonsensical...more
this was a pretty good read again! i had the perp picked out from the beginning just like last time but it was still interesting unwrapping exactly4⭐️
this was a pretty good read again! i had the perp picked out from the beginning just like last time but it was still interesting unwrapping exactly what happened, i'm just disappointed we didn't get clarity on certain things at the end (without getting into spoiler territory some of the mystery was unsolved)
once again adore bourneville and i was glad to see some character development from merlo who seems like less of an asshole as time goes on (i loooove a slow burn asshole thawing lmao)
Merged review:
4⭐️
this was a pretty good read again! i had the perp picked out from the beginning just like last time but it was still interesting unwrapping exactly what happened, i'm just disappointed we didn't get clarity on certain things at the end (without getting into spoiler territory some of the mystery was unsolved)
once again adore bourneville and i was glad to see some character development from merlo who seems like less of an asshole as time goes on (i loooove a slow burn asshole thawing lmao)...more
i adored this, and despite it being rated lower than heated rivalry (which i also love), i'm going to controversially say i actually liked it more 5⭐️
i adored this, and despite it being rated lower than heated rivalry (which i also love), i'm going to controversially say i actually liked it more and i think the build up to the relationship is better written - its one of the best slow burns if not the single best slow burn in hockey romance
Merged review:
5⭐️
i adored this, and despite it being rated lower than heated rivalry (which i also love), i'm going to controversially say i actually liked it more and i think the build up to the relationship is better written - its one of the best slow burns if not the single best slow burn in hockey romance...more
i thought the first two books were absolutely brilliant but i'm somehow even more impressed by this one, despite the killer being a little more obv5⭐️
i thought the first two books were absolutely brilliant but i'm somehow even more impressed by this one, despite the killer being a little more obvious to me than it has been in previous books the underlying mystery is the key focus and its driving me nuts - can we all just take a second to appreciate the forethought of tying the dead baby into all 3 books? insane
i can't wait to see the intimacy develop between the boys also!
if you happen to see my notes, heavy spoiler warnings (+ profanity and a general sense of insanity that comes from being awake for 2 days straight binge reading)
Merged review:
5⭐️
i thought the first two books were absolutely brilliant but i'm somehow even more impressed by this one, despite the killer being a little more obvious to me than it has been in previous books the underlying mystery is the key focus and its driving me nuts - can we all just take a second to appreciate the forethought of tying the dead baby into all 3 books? insane
i can't wait to see the intimacy develop between the boys also!
if you happen to see my notes, heavy spoiler warnings (+ profanity and a general sense of insanity that comes from being awake for 2 days straight binge reading)...more
i wasn't sure what to rate this because its pure unhinged madness in the form of written words, but i think the skill of writing a book that i ca4.5⭐️
i wasn't sure what to rate this because its pure unhinged madness in the form of written words, but i think the skill of writing a book that i can actually see as a comedy film while i'm reading deserves all the stars
PS. would die for dave, any day of the week ...more
i want to preface this by saying this book did have a couple of issues, but i like to rate mostly by instinct on how i felt by the end of the boo4.5⭐️
i want to preface this by saying this book did have a couple of issues, but i like to rate mostly by instinct on how i felt by the end of the book, and i really enjoyed it! the main couple were great, the universe it was set in is intriguing, the third person narration was done perfectly, and i was left wanting more
the main issue i have is more with the book being too good than not good enough - i feel like it probably should have been two or three books so we had more time with the characters and the wartime setting, there's so much rich intricate stuff going on that everything external to the romance felt too fast paced and it was easy to miss what was going on when
i'm also super disappointed that the author seems to have completely dropped off the radar years ago, not a criticism at all and i hope she's okay, but i was hoping for more of this universe! amy if you're out there, you did a fantastic job and i'll be waiting and hoping to see what your future as a writer holds...more
this was a fun little read, i enjoyed the fact that it felt like a cross between a supernatural and good omens fanfiction! the side characters were4⭐️
this was a fun little read, i enjoyed the fact that it felt like a cross between a supernatural and good omens fanfiction! the side characters were all interesting without being too overpowering to the main story, and i'm excited to read the other 3 horsemen
i don't normally read short stories because they don't have enough flesh to keep me interested, but this was surprisingly cute for a story about 3.5⭐️
i don't normally read short stories because they don't have enough flesh to keep me interested, but this was surprisingly cute for a story about crying kinks...more
i didn't expect to enjoy this because NR walker can be a hit or miss with me but mostly is around average/3 stars, but this was entertaining all 4.5⭐️
i didn't expect to enjoy this because NR walker can be a hit or miss with me but mostly is around average/3 stars, but this was entertaining all the way through! it wasn't the best ever mystery, i think who the killer is was fairly obvious from almost the beginning, but watching it all unravel and seeing how the characters reacted was still really worth the read (as they say its not what happens but how it happens!) ...more
as always another fantastic read from KJ charles! i actually prefer luke and rufus to joss and gareth (though i love both), their dynamic is wond4.5⭐️
as always another fantastic read from KJ charles! i actually prefer luke and rufus to joss and gareth (though i love both), their dynamic is wonderful to read and the care with which rufus handled luke's scar and related trauma was lovely
closing out the mystery from the first book was fun too as i'd assumed it wouldn't be resolved...more
kj charles terrifies me, because if she's intelligent enough to write 3 books, weave all the plots into each other without being repetitive, do it 5⭐️
kj charles terrifies me, because if she's intelligent enough to write 3 books, weave all the plots into each other without being repetitive, do it all in seamless close dual pov third person, AND write david cyprian... she could take over the world
actually i take that back, she doesn't terrify me, i want her to run for prime minister...more
i have to get this off my chest immediately, WHY is the cover of this book a 25 year old twink when both the main characters have some grey in thei5⭐️
i have to get this off my chest immediately, WHY is the cover of this book a 25 year old twink when both the main characters have some grey in their hair and are nearing or actually 40? it's legitimately hilarious to me
anyway i digress, this is one of my favourite books of all time, dom and silas are one of my favourite book couples, and dominic in particular is one of my favourite characters ever to grace paper - the plot is fantastic, the relationship is fantastic, and the historical accuracy and intrigue are fantastic! never in my life did i think i'd be saying i love a tory (and where i come from that is grounds for actual kneecapping), but he was truly written so impressively that i couldn't not adore him...more
KJ charles could write a shampoo label and i would eat it tf up, but thankfully this was more enjoyable than that
i actually read a seditious affa4.5⭐️
KJ charles could write a shampoo label and i would eat it tf up, but thankfully this was more enjoyable than that
i actually read a seditious affair last year, but i decided to spoil myself and buy the other two books in the series so i could get the full picture, and i'm glad i did! harry and julius' book is the least interesting plot wise for me, but it set the stage nicely and i love how unique julius was as a character even within kj charles' universe of astoundingly intricate individuals ...more
i enjoyed this (which is saying a lot coming from someone who hates both the dead wife trope and characters having kids) and the author is legitima4⭐️
i enjoyed this (which is saying a lot coming from someone who hates both the dead wife trope and characters having kids) and the author is legitimately funny and intelligent, but because of that a lot of the conversations were overblown and could have been shorter! i do appreciate on the other hand how understated the romance and sex elements actually were while you can still palpably feel the character's care for one another, i think thats far harder to competently convey than having it be very in your face
also as much as i liked felix, he was completely unrealistic as a teenage boy - not even ONE tantrum after his mother died and his dad turned into a depressive recluse? boy qualifies for sainthood...more
a decent read but i don't think i'd read it again, i like firefighters and i like bi awakenings but something just didn't hit right for me and th3.5⭐️
a decent read but i don't think i'd read it again, i like firefighters and i like bi awakenings but something just didn't hit right for me and the premise for the fake relationship was kinda weak...more
i've never been so conflicted about what to rate a book in my life, on the one hand i can tell the author seriously has a way with words and i co???⭐️
i've never been so conflicted about what to rate a book in my life, on the one hand i can tell the author seriously has a way with words and i couldn't put it down, but on the other there's something deeply insidious about a lot of the language and themes in the book and the way they were utilised - all the women were either cartoon villains or dumb as posts, cheating is excused and the woman who was cheated on is judged for throwing her husband out, and the main gay MC is deeply heteronormative and aggressive in a way that made me uncomfortable... it overall just feels disturbingly like this may have been written by a certain type of woman-hating gay man, and i want to make it clear that genuinely hope that isn't the case because i want to keep reading and give it a fair shot! so i will come back to this when i've read further
also side note, i'm also not a fan of kids in books at all and i actually would have quit right there if i hadn't paid for the book already, so imagine my surprise when the kid doesn't actually show up once the entire time and the dad never tried to do anything about it... why bother even writing the kid in the first place?
now realising despite all those words i havent even mentioned anything to do with the romance or crime plots lmao! the overarching crime plot would have been fine if not for the ~left wing terrorist~ type character that has absolutely no basis in reality, so again i'm iffy on that, and the romance aspect clearly isn't a romance novel so much as it is a point of interest within the story and it really should have been marketed as such, but i'm still interested to see where it goes (as i like poor placeholder nico but we already know going into it that H&S are endgame)...more
i enjoyed this and i really REALLY appreciate an omegaverse universe with atypical dynamics and no mpreg (thankyou elliot), so i rounded up to 4*3.5⭐️
i enjoyed this and i really REALLY appreciate an omegaverse universe with atypical dynamics and no mpreg (thankyou elliot), so i rounded up to 4*
i'll be honest i'm writing the review 2 days after reading and i already mostly cant remember why i knocked off a star, but i think it was something to do with the secondary plot (random evil mastermind/stalker/scientist dude) being unrealistic / it not making sense how it was resolved...more
i genuinely enjoyed this book and i wanted to love it, but i'm not ashamed to admit i found it insanely confusing at times? i don't know if its j3.5⭐️
i genuinely enjoyed this book and i wanted to love it, but i'm not ashamed to admit i found it insanely confusing at times? i don't know if its just missing context because i read the series out of order and i will revisit this review once i've read the rest to be fair to the author, but it seemed choppy and disjointed and hard to follow (and i usually like hard to follow books!)...more
this was pretty decent, not the best mystery i've ever read as i figured the killer out in the second scene they were in so very early on, but its 4⭐️
this was pretty decent, not the best mystery i've ever read as i figured the killer out in the second scene they were in so very early on, but its obvious the author put a lot of effort into it and their writing style is mature enough that i was still engaged with the story, so props for that! i also enjoyed the assholish relationship between the characters, and the mystery within a mystery about cloister's brother (can we talk about that godawful name though? jesus christ), i'll definitely be buying the second book just to see what goes on there
simply perfection, i woke up confused after i read these books because i'd had myself convinced in my sleep that it was a TV program, the talent is5⭐️
simply perfection, i woke up confused after i read these books because i'd had myself convinced in my sleep that it was a TV program, the talent is so insane that it leaps right off the page and i can picture every second
as always if anyone sees this check my notes at your own risk, warning for spoilers, 5am no sleep spiraling into madness, and profanity ...more
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