The Crimson Spell Vol 1

Genre: Manga/ Fantasy / M/M
Series: Crimson Spell #1
Pages: 200
Publication Date: 2nd January 2014
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5

This is the first manga series I've ever tried and what can I say? I picked a good place to start! 

Crimson Spell follows a brave prince (Vald) and a powerful mage (Havi) who are thrown together when Vald seeks out the mage in order to reverse the terrible curse inflicted on him through using his family's demonically powered sword.

The curse transforms Vald into a half-human, beast-like monster whenever he loses control and also at night when he falls asleep. Mages in his own kingdom fashion him magical shackles to wear when he sleeps so that he remains human. But on his first night alone with Havi, the mage removes the shackles to see what he's dealing with. Protected by his magic, Havi decides to tame the beast, physically [Mature Content].

As other readers have noted, there is a red flag here in terms of consent. Vald is unconscious as Havi seduces his beast-form and remains unaware of the night-time encounters during the day. Even between Havi and beast-Vald, at least at the beginning, the consent is dubious. So, why am I giving this manga four stars?  Because there is so much that I do love about it.

I love the setting in this old world Europe style fantasy world with dragons and demons, spirits and mages. The fantasy aspects of the central story are gripping and I can't wait to see how the story develops. The art is gorgeous and the cast of characters are each distinct and have their own little quirks and intricacies. The central characters, Vald and Havi, are both intriguing with suggestions of further depth and mystery, and I'm interested in the relationship between them and how it will develop. 

Let me know in the comments if you've read this series or if you have any other suggestions for a new-to-manga reader!

Just a Bit Twisted

Genre: M/M  Romance
Series: Straight Guys #1
Pages: 160
Publication Date: 4th December 2014
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5

A thrillingly inappropriate teacher/student m/m romance. Shawn Wyatt is just 22 years old, but after his parents' deaths, all he inherits is the caring responsibilities for his two much younger siblings. Despite holding down two jobs and working every hour he can, he's struggling to make rent, and, exhausted by all his many responsibilities, his grades are failing, and his university scholarship is in jeopardy. 

Derek Rutledge is the worst of his professors. Strict and uncaring, Rutledge isn't interested in "personal circumstances", but he is interested in Shawn. And when Rutledge agrees to trade a passing grade for a sexual favour, Shawn is desperate enough to go through with it. He may be straight, but it isn't as bad as he thought it would be, and when Rutledge offers to pay him regularly for repeat performances, he knows he would be silly to turn it down.

The longer the deal continues, however, the more the lines between business and pleasure become blurred. Shawn begins to see beneath Rutledge's tough exterior, and Rutledge begins to appreciate that Shawn isn't quite the lazy, uncaring student he had first thought. 

Just a Bit Twisted is the first book in Alessandra Hazard's "Straight Guys" series. The writing was fluent, pacy, and deliciously sexy, and had me immediately downloading the second book. A definite recommend for fans of m/m romance.

Provoked by Joanna Chambers

Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Series: Enlightenment #1
Pages: 202
Publication Date: 23rd July 2013
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5

Provoked is the first book in Joanna Chambers' Enlightenment trilogy, in which buttoned-up lawyer, David Lauriston meets the unrepentantly hedonistic Lord Murdo Balfour.

Shamed into near-celibacy by the painful memories of his first kiss, and subsequent betrayal by a childhood friend, David feels guilt and self-loathing everytime he succumbs to his desires. After encountering the mysterious Mr Balfour at an inn, and experiencing his raw power, and unabashed sexuality, David returns to his job in Edinburgh determined not to get distracted again. But when Balfour turns up among Edinburgh society, he struggles to stay away.

Set against the backdrop of the Scottish enlightenment, and the scandals and intrigues of bitter class warfare, Provoked is a rich and compelling narrative that brings together characters from across the class spectrum, from Lords and lawyers, down to the radicals that David fought so hard to defend. As a working class boy made good, David acts as a bridge between the radicals and the other lawyers at his firm. His loyalties are visibly torn between his awareness of his own roots, and his respect for his hard won new life. Lord Balfour only complicates this further.

Balfour is a peer of the realm. He may also be the agent provocateur that incited the radicals to action, and led to them being either executed or transported. Unsure of Balfour's involvement, David struggles to balance his suspicions with his desires. Balfour himself, with his easy charm, and subtle dominance, is the ultimate temptation.

What emerges from this story of intrigue and desire is a touching romance leading to self-acceptance, and ultimately love. I will be continuing with the series, which follows the next chapter in David and Balfour's story. The historical setting is really well drawn, and David and Balfour are great characters with a really believable bond.

The Soldier's Scoundrel by Cat Sebastian

Genre: Historical Romance (M/M)
Pages: 352
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Publication Date: 20th September 2016
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5

Having previously read The Lawrence Brown Affair by Cat Sebastian, I was keen to try one of her other books, and I wasn't disappointed.

The Soldier's Scoundrel brings together two men from very different worlds. Jack Turner is a man who has clawed himself out of hardship to run a business as a private investigator. Drawing on his criminal connections and underworld skills such as housebreaking, and reading a mark, Jack tracks down cheating husbands, blackmailers and the like for society ladies.

He meets the gentlemanly veteran Captain Oliver Rivington when that man turns up at his office, demanding to know what service Jack performed for his sister, which would claim £200 from her household accounts.

Oliver Rivington is a man of good standing in society. He is polite, and honourable, and he longs for the clear morality of ordinary life, away from the battlefields where he earned his limp.

Jack and Oliver begin at loggerheads. Oliver does not trust Jack, his work, or his motives, and Jack himself has a long history of distaste for gentlemen of any kind after a life spent at the mercy of such men. But as Jack's latest case brings them together, neither can resist the growing attraction to the other.

I enjoyed the drama of the society intrigues playing out around the central romance, and the strong bonds of sisterhood that emerge between all of the women whose stories converge in the backdrop, but it was of course the romance that stole the show.

Jack and Oliver are both well-drawn, and interesting characters. Their relationship is a source of passion, and of conflict, and it was exhilarating to follow that growing connection through their many trials. I particularly liked the not-quite-innocence of Rivington, as he impressed his new lover, and the way Jack's growing trust in Oliver allowed him to make himself vulnerable.

Overall, The Soldier's Scoundrel is another fantastic historical romance from Cat Sebastian, which I would highly recommend.

The Lawrence Browne Affair by Cat Sebastian

Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Pages: 352
Publisher: Avon Impulse
Publication Date: 7th February 2017
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: The first thing I have to say about this book is that Lawrence, the earl of Radnor, is an absolute BABE! He suffers from anxiety, which means that he hates new situations, noise, and, most especially, being around people. He has coped with this mainly by shutting himself away in the tower of his crumbling Cornish mansion, dedicating himself to his scientific experiments, including his attempt to build a telegraph machine. He is also convinced that he is mad, and doomed to descend further into that madness like his father and brother before him. This intelligent, tortured soul, is also a big hunk of man-meat with a penchant for chopping wood in his shirtsleeves...swoon!

Enter George Turner, a confidence trickster who takes up a commission to pose as Radnor's secretary in order to escape a dangerous criminal he has crossed back in London. Georgie is suave, sharp-minded, and for all his criminality, he has a heart of gold. Right from the first moment Lawrence and Georgie meet, their mutual attraction is set on course to derail both of their lives.

Georgie forces Lawrence out of his solitude, providing companionship, support, and eventually overturning Penkellis: he brings in new servants, sets to renovating parts of the house, and generally puts all his effort into making things habitable again, all while making sure that Lawrence is as comfortable as possible. As Georgie falls for Lawrence, he realises that his plans to steal from the earl are doomed: he simply cannot do it. But without anything to mollify the angry criminal back in London, what will happen to the brother and sister he left behind in the city?

The Lawrence Browne Affair is a gorgeous regency era romance populated with well-drawn characters, a peppering of steamy sex scenes, and a rough-hewn, almost gothic atmosphere punctured by Cornish smugglers and superstitious villagers. My one criticism would be that, as dramatic as it was, I did feel that the ending lost some of the magic of the first three quarters. Things became a little rushed as the action moved to London, and it all felt as if it was over rather quickly. That said, it was still a great read overall, and I defy anyone not to fall in love with Lawrence when they read this book!

An Unnatural Vice by K. J. Charles

Genre: Historical Romance (M/M)
Series: Sins of the Cities #2
Pages: 250
Publisher: Penguin Loveswept
Publication Date: 6th June 2017
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: After having enjoyed the first book in this series, An Unseen Attraction, I went into this novel with high expectations, and I wasn't disappointed. An Unnatural Vice continues the Taillefer mystery that emerged in the first book, adding layers and background to that original story, while advancing a new romance between the lawyer turned journalist, Nathaniel  Roy, and the sham spiritualist Justin Lazarus. 

Nathaniel and Justin spend much of the book at loggerheads. Nathaniel despises Justin's choice of career, and he isn't afraid to show it, and Jutin is contemptuous of the rich Nathaniel, who can afford to moralise in a way Justin can't. In spite of their differences, their attraction to each other is clear from the outset, and it's not long before their baser instincts take over. The sex is rough, it's angry, and it's the start of a growing romance. 

I really enjoyed the confrontation, the angry jibes, and the moodiness of both characters as their story began, and the fact that even as they came together, they remained aware that their relationship wasn't going to be plain sailing.

Justin is a man that struggles to trust. He was born in a workhouse, and dragged himself up to his current role through many hardships, including prostitution. This has left Justin suspicious of Nathaniel's intentions, constantly questioning the price of his help. Nathaniel on the other hand, is the son of an archbishop who has never wanted for anything in his life. But he has faced struggles of his own, most notably the loss of his lover, Tony, to a freak accident some years ago. Since Tony's death, Nathaniel has remained single. 

Their romance plays out alongside another murder, more violence, and more threat, as the Taillefer mystery grows ever more dangerous. By the end of the novel, another part of the mystery is solved, leaving  the final  question: who is the person pulling the strings? to be answered in the next book, along with another romance from within the little community at the Jack and Knave--I can't wait!

An Unseen Attraction by K. J. Charles

Genre: Historical Romance (M/M)
Series: Sins of the Cities #1
Pages: 247
Publisher: Penguin Loveswept
Publication Date: 27th February 2017
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: The first novel in the Sins of the Cities series combines a slow burning male/male romance with a heavy dose of mystery and danger, shrouded in the fog of Victorian London.

Clem Talleyfer is the illegitimate son of an earl, and he runs a boarding house owned by his half-brother. He is quiet, unassuming, and gorgeous. He is also intrigued by his new lodger, the neat, and seemingly buttoned-up taxidermist Rowley Green. The relationship between landlord and lodger builds gradually from gentle conversations over tea in the evenings, to a passionate romance that sees both men embracing their desires in a way that is anything but buttoned-up!

Their relationship is both incredibly hot, and entirely adorable. Clem is dyspraxic, which means he can have difficulty in coping with more than one task, and can get flustered at times. Rowley is completely attuned to Clem's needs, and allows him the space to do things in his own way and at his own pace. This allows Clem to flourish in his work, and as a sexual partner.

I really enjoyed Clem's characterisation. It was refreshing to come across a sexually dominant disabled main character, and I liked the way Clem's illegitimacy allowed him one foot in both the middle and the upper classes. His half-Indian heritage also allowed a glimpse into the community of Indians that were in London at this time. These various aspects of Clem's characterisation bring together diverse elements of London society that enrich the texture of the novel as a whole.

The mystery elements of the plot draw Rowley and Clem closer together as a long-hidden secret brings murder quite literally onto their doorstep. Without wanting to give anything away, I will say that the mystery was truly compelling, and I enjoyed the way that it was entwined with the romance so the novel felt complete rather than split into separate storylines.

Overall, a great read, and I look forward to the next in the series!